Tour de DVV Last Day

By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) We were coming into the last day of the tour and so far the battle for the Maillot Jaune has been frantic. The teams pressed had for first place on day one with its long flat and short thee cat 1 climbs of the Col de Goetz and the Col de McCall. Day two was the climbing day with the attack of Col de sage and Col de Red Mountain. The race has taken its toll from the peloton and several riders have fallen by the wayside. Bloodhound has abandoned with illness, some have suggested that team Superman may have spiked his water but there is no proof. Gambler abandoned, Bulldozer missed the race all together and several others have gone home or gone to other endeavors leaving only four in real contention for the yellow jersey. Superman was leading on points with 17 followed by Quicksilver with 11 and Hacker with 11. Minotaur had 8 points as did Newsboy and everyone else was starting with zero on their scorecard. As they lined up for the start a report came in that Quicksilver was suffering with heat exhaustion and the team doctors pulled her from the race. It was bad news for Quicksilver because today is double point day. That didn’t mean there was no more drama because the rules committee decided to allow new riders into the ride to make up for all the riders that fell out. In a move full of intrigue Hacker and Minotaur hired ringers to try and burn Superman out so they could move up in the standings. Barracuda and a young rider named Brian were in the starting line just to try and burn out Superman. Highlander and Digger had shown no love for the position Superman was in so it looked like it would be a case of the whole peloton against Superman. But in a great counter move Superman got two domestiques, Magic Man and Dragon Slayer, to ride with him and keep the pressure up. The group pulled out onto Latham and headed to Lyon and north towards Ramona with Superman setting the pace while Highlander nipped at his wheel pushing for a mistake. It was on Lyon that the Domestiques showed who they were working for as they moved towards the front to support their lead rider.

It was very important that Superman set the pace as they headed north because he didn’t want barracuda or Brian to blow out the peloton too early and maybe take Hacker and or Minotaur with them. Every time someone moved up as it to take the lead Superman picked up the pace just a bit and held them off not planning on giving up the lead at least till they got to Ramona and headed west. As luck would have it Superman did make it to Ramona first and did start the group west.

As they headed west another shark entered the picture as Surgeon moved up on Superman’s right and took the lead. It didn’t last long because soon Brian, the one Superman suspected of riding for team Minotaur, headed for Sanderson. Minotaur went with him and made a small break. Both Domestiques for Superman whet after the breakaway and left Superman with Hacker to try to close to the leaders himself. And close they did as they were all back together at the Expressway waiting for the light. Superman took the lead again and pulled to Warren before giving up the lead. Superman was too far back at Bridge Street and had to give up 2 points to Minotaur and 2 points to Hacker. Brian had 6 points and Barracuda had five but Dragon Slayer picked up three so Superman was still in the lead for Yellow. That moved Hacker into Second and Minotaur into fourth. The peloton stayed together almost all the way to Lakeview and the feed station and by the time they stopped to grab a bite you could have covered the group with a blanket. As they watched Digger bypassed the feed station and headed for the two climbs and the move to enter Perris. With Digger making the break Superman took up the chase and headed for the climb to Col de Ramona 1 and Col de Bernasconi. Brian took the first climb for 6 points but Superman got 5 with Barracuda getting 4 and Magic Man getting 3. Hacker got 2 points and the rest of the group got 1. In effect Hacker was second but Brian was third and Minotaur was tied for fourth. The last climb saw Barracuda with Six Points and Brian with 5 but Superman got 4. Magic man got 3 with Hacker taking 2 and Dragon Slayer taking 1. As we entered Perris the race was on.

There were no points for the short hill but there was a short sprint just before the TT that Minotaur won for 6 more points. Barracuda and Brian had missed the official check in at the gate so neither their Sprint or TT times count. The problem was Dragon Slayer picked up the 5 points and Superman got the 4 with Magic Man Snapping up the 3 only leaving 2 for Hacker. But now Hacker and Minotaur were tied for second. Superman still had a commanding lead.

At the TT Minotaur started out well but was soon run down by Magic Man and dragon Slayer. Superman followed Dragon Slayer till they closed in on Minotaur’s wheel and then pulled Dragon Slayer up to Magic Man and past Minotaur. Hacker locked onto Superman’s wheel and followed him into the trees and closed in on Magic Man. Magic Man made a wrong turn giving Superman the win to the marina and 6 points while Hacker got 5 and Magic Man got 4. Minotaur got 3 while Surgeon picked up 2 and the rest of the group got 1. As we left the Marina we had to wait for Barracuda to fix a flat, somehow the team car was missing. The points leaders were Superman with 36. Hacker with 22. Minotaur with 21. Brian with 17. Magic Man with 17. Barracuda with 15. Dragon Slayer with 11. Everyone else had 2.

Magic Man and Dragon Slayer left the race at this point leaving Superman with no Domestiques. The rest of the race would be the peloton against Superman. As we started down the hill to the front gate Minotaur attacked the decent and got to Ramona first for 6 points. Superman got 5 and Hacker got 3. Barracuda got 2 and everyone else got 1. We pulled onto Ramona and headed east with Surgeon pulling. Soon Minotaur latched onto his wheel and Superman protected himself by following his wheel even with Hacker following Superman. Minotaur attacked at Rider but was soon past by Brian. This time Superman stayed with Brian to crest the hill second. Brian got the 6 points but Superman go 5 with Barracuda and Hacker getting 4 and 3 respectively. That left Minotaur with 2 and everyone else with 1. That moved Minotaur into Second as we crested the hill. Superman took his fate in his own hands and attacked all the way to the bridge getting the 6 points with barracuda getting 5. Hacker got 4 and Brian got 3 and Minotaur got 2. Everyone else got 1. We then headed east towards Warren where we would lose Surgeon. I took over the pull to Bridge and pulled us to warren where Surgeon did leave us.

Once again Brian and Barracuda missed a check point where to team doctors had to check on Digger and send him to the medical van on Menlo and Palm. There rest of us stayed together till it was down to Highlander, Minotaur, Hacker and Superman heading south towards Devonshire. When they past Devonshire Minotaur lined up for the last sprint and hit to corner right behind Hacker. Soon as they headed west towards the Pep Boy’s driveway. Minotaur took the lead but couldn’t hold it and lost the last sprint giving Superman the only win for a Stage in three days. After a disappointing loss to Gambler in the 2013 DVV tour Superman took a commanding win the Tour and wear the Maillot Jaune. On the podium it was Superman first with 53 points, Minotaur second with 41 points and Hacker with 36 points. Superman got a follow request on Strava from some guy named Nibali but he isn’t sure he wants to get into that whole winners patting each other on the back thing.