Donut report 2/29/20
February 29, 2020 § 5 Comments
This was a Leap Year Donut. Even though it only comes around every four years, it comes around every week.
This edition featured a “race” Donut instead of a “ride” Donut. Usually the ride starts very fast and stays fast until the Switchbacks. Then it goes faster and a small group rides away.
Having completed the first and likely the only hilly road race of the season, race-fit riders decided to ride cautiously; most of them, anyway. It wasn’t until after Terranea that Wes Morgan, Greg Leibert, Jon Petrucci, and Hector Morales attacked and rode away.
When we reached the Switchbacks, Alex Barnes rode hard to pull back Jon and Greg, but the easy pace out meant that the chase group had sixteen riders in it. Once on the climb no one attacked, but the pace stayed fast. I got dropped early, and rode the rest of the way with Fred Mackey and Alex. Fred has been riding a lot and is going strong. It was also good to see Troy Emanuelson, slimmed down and riding well.
Greg, Jon, and Zach Labry had joined Chris Tregillis on the Switchbacks. Zach pulled into the headwind to Turn 1, after which Greg accelerated to Turn 2. Out of Turn 3, Jon attacked, dropped Zach, and gapped out Greg. Approaching Turn 4, Chris closed the the gap to John. Leo Bugtai bridged on Crest with Kyle Jax, who was finishing a scorching Homes/Domes as part of the ROD ride. On Crest, Kyle came roaring through and stayed with Jon to the top, just ahead of Chris.
Leo scored the first Donut point of the day. He has been logging a lot of miles and it shows. There were two Vancouver riders from “Ful Gas” and they rode well. Sam Wise of La Grange also rode hard and fast the entire day, but I didn’t get his name because he was either too far ahead or I was too out of breath on his wheel. Chris Tregillis and Greg Leibert came in after Leo/Jon, making an excellent showing for the Very Old Bicycle Rider crowd.
The second time up, things broke apart on Via Colinita. Many of the riders who had played cat-and-mouse during the first climb were suddenly doing a “rest day,” and a smaller group was now setting the pace. When we got back to PVDN it was Chris, Jon, the Vancouver guys and Sam, Stathis Sakellariadis, Rebekah Potter, Ivan Fernandez, and one or two others. Chris continued to push, and barked at me for shirking. Sorry but, well, not really …
Things fell apart quickly on Crest. Jon attacked again and got the second point of the day.
For the Hawthorne sprint, Jon attacked early with someone else. There was a big tailwind on the Glass Church rollers and the La Grange rider split the group and strung out the remainder. I tasted the bitter oily burn of breakfast bacon as it jumped up from my stomach into my throat trying to hold his wheel. We caught the red light at Terranea but I doubt we would have caught Jon as he had a good gap and got the third point of the day.
The pace was slow to Via Zumaya, and then Stathis attacked. Only a few riders could follow; I wasn’t one of them. Leo and Jon fought it out for the point and I think Leo got it although if he didn’t I’m sure someone will tell me.
In another four years or seven days it will all mostly happen again.
POINTS TOTAL
Stathis Sakellariadis 6
Leo Bugtai 4
Jon Petrucci 3
Seth Davidson 3
Aaron Wirthwein 3
Cole Lewis 2
Andy Engel 2
Arturo Anaya 2
Julien Bourdevaire 1
Rich Mull 1
Nigel DeSota 1
Charon Smith 1
Kevin Phillips 1
Matt Brown 1
END
Cycling in the South Bay 
While you were at Via Colinita, Crownview was just a hop away!
A hop and a shirk.
Who are all these people? What happened to the extensive use of nicknames? Are we ditching the #fakenews and going straight for reportage these days?
I’m offended that you think there is any reporting here.
I believe the next leap day Saturday is in 28 years; 2048…