words by Brian Janssen
It’s a classic! Flat, fast and wide open.
First I’d like to say welcome to Corey Dempski for participating in what I believe to be his first Masters 1/2/3 race. Buechel, Savitt, Rich and I were the other players in this macabre dance. It started heavy from the gun as expected with multiple attacks and counter attacks. Buechel made the first real move of after four other attempts; this one had all the right players. Halverson was allegedly going to hang back today and Hancock or Billy Jones was already in the break. We started working on shutting down the field but the attacks kept flying off and it was hard to keep control. A few of the other GC riders started to bridge here and there but we had to let them go or risk pulling the field to the break. It finally was well represented with 11 riders I believe. Halverson did eventually bridge as well. Go figure.
I’ll let Buechel and Savitt bear the details and politics of the break. Rich and I settled in for a long day at the front of the field and did everything we could to slow down the field chase and monitor other attempts to bridge. The break was holding at about 15 seconds for quite awhile and I was getting worried that it wasn’t going to hold. Eleven is a bit large for a fluid breakaway and often times falls apart due to in-fighting. Eventually teams let me ride on the front and I slowed it down to about 23 and just waited for someone to come around but they never did. “Fine” I thought. It was like that for a couple of laps and it really helped let the break get solidified. The break was now out of sight of the main pack.
A chase resumed once again with renewed vigor and I spent the rest of the day in my 13 sitting 2nd wheel for the most part just getting sucked along. The primes started coming out then, of course, so it was back to sprinting quite often so another split didn’t occur. My calfs started cramping at about the 50 minute mark and had 20 minutes to go. I gutted it out until 6 laps to go and I finally gave in. A lap later the break lapped the field and I would have liked to have still been in there to bring them through the field, maybe next time. Buechel and Savitt were both top ten but I don’t remember exactly so they will have to fill you in on that. The best news is that we are really starting to gel and get some good experience with each other. It is being noticed and commented on by other teams as well. The Cafe Hollander name was plastered over the PA all day long.
Kent Savitt of the Hollander RDC/Koss Stereophones squad takes 3rd place at the 
