One of the highlights of my recent roadtrip up north was the chance to race at T-Town. (@thevelodrome)
I love me some DLV but always wondered what it’d be like race at another track.
I knew as soon as I rolled into the parking lot it was gonna be a fast night.
As you can see above, Valley Preferred Cycling Center Breiningsville, PA is a world class facility.
Athletes from around the world spend their summers training here.
Several of the competitors I saw race that night will actually be heading to London in 2012.
I attended on a Tuesday but it’s the Friday night racing program that has attracted Australians,
Canadians, New Zealanders, Britons, Chileans, Argentines, Italians, Danes,
Germans, French and Russians over the past 30 years. Read more about the track here.
I was stoked on the sectioned off infield and was surprised how early racers arrived.
Everyone had their own little zone and diligently prepared to race.
This photo was taken over an hour prior to the first race and it was nearly full.
There was no organized warm up and riders from all categories rolled around the track.
Some pacelines formed but most simply cruised above the blue line.
The shot above is from the bridge athletes use to get into the infield.
It is an awesome perspective of the track.
The Affinity crew was out in force.
None of these guys were part of the entourage that crushed it here in ATL.
I mentioned meeting some of their teammates and look forward making it to Kissena next season.
Before the races began I strolled aroudn the infield and scoped out some sick steeds.
Here’s a rare mix. Campy Sheriff Stars with a bmx chain on an epicly rad LOOK frame.
Bam. This bike may have been the craziest on the track all night.
Next is stout special edition Dolan DF3 belonging to Kamil Kuczynski of the Poland National Team.
The Poland decal caught my eye off the track and Kamil did on the track.
Kamil was a super nice guy and really blasted it in the sprints that night.
He’d start turning it up off the back, staying the saddle all the way and would fly right off the front!
Kamil has his sights on the Polish Nationals, which are slated for September,
then the European Track Cycling Championships to defend his championship title also in Poland!
Good luck Kamil!
The front end of the of this Colnago was hard to miss when i first arrived.
I then noticed the Ritte logo on the racer’s kit.
This was the brand new Team Lion Of Flanders Kit. (@TeamLOFdotcom)
These pink accent, i was told, was in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.
Its working because he was hard to miss rolling up front most of the night!
Another killer bike that I managed to get a shot of was this EMC2 Fluide TKR
Is it just me or is that the highest bottom bracket ever?!
Of course there was some brutal racing.
I competed in the 10 lap scratch, 25 lap points race & 5 lap handicap.
But, as the title plainly states: Ape’n it ain’t all its cracked up to be in T-Town.
I have been competing in the A bracket here in Atlanta much of the season and have improved
both in speed and skill due to the caliber of riders I compete against. Some Wednesday nights are good.
Some are brutal. But this particular Tuesday up in PA I got my ass handed to me.
I raced in the 2/3 Stagiares category.
After a disappointing effort in the scratch I changed gears for the points race.
at 48×14 I thought I could place in a sprint or two and sit in.
Well, I placed in the first sprint but fell off the back. FAIL.
And, after dismal results in races 1 and 2, I had a great spot in the handicap and really ape’d it but alas,
did not earn any points. Don’t let my rough night deceive you. I had a great time and really got a taste
of how fast Trexlertown really is! When I return I hope to be in much better shape and bring home some points!
That’s me above in front of the lap counter, feeling the burn!
Pictured below is the Women’s keirin. That was something else I noticed: so many women racers!
I look forward to the Women’s field picking up speed here in Atlanta!
For more photos from my night at T-Town check out my flickr and results from the night are here.
