DVV vs CAS Tour de Perris.

By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) It was finally Friday and time for the two stage race called the Tour de Perris. The ride was made up of three long lead ups to two big rollers and a climb to the Lake Perris dam and a short downhill to the Marina. From the marina the second stage had a short climb out of Perris and headed to Gilmore to run back to the start finish line. I wasn’t feeling 100 percent but I wanted to do the ride anyway. I headed to the start finish and got ready for the start. Digger was already at the start finish line along with Dragon Slayer and Thomas. Gambler and Minotaur arrived next followed by Bulldozer and Quicksilver. Shooter, Tax Man and Ferret rounded out the group. With most of the big named teams at the Tour de France and some distance away from us there were only two teams represented for the Tour de Perris Lake, the Big named team from CAS and the little guys from D V V. D V V seemed out classed but they were there to ride not shiver in fear. By 8am we headed out as a mass peloton onto Latham and over to Lyon. I happened to be in the lead at that point and riding with our points leader Quicksilver.

Our race director had a plan to keep us in the points at least for the first stage and we set out to follow the directions right from the beginning. As we headed north QuickSilver, Tax Man, Digger and I would ride towards the front while Dragon Slayer and Thomas would ride in the center of CAS. The goal was to hold their pace down in the early part of the ride so the rest of us would have time to warm up and shake off our nerves. Quicksilver and I set the pace till we got to Esplanade where Tax Man and Digger took over the duty of setting the pace. Digger started to pick up the pace and that worried me quite a bit because we had a long way to go and much of the TT team for CAS was riding right behind us. If they managed to get into formation before we got to Ramona Boulevard D V V could be in trouble. Still digger took us to Ramona and started west towards Sanderson with all of us trailing along behind him.

As we returned to the Expressway and west again Digger and Tax Man from Team D V V pulled almost all the way to Warren before Team CAS took over and started to stretch out the peloton. Dragon Slayer and Thomas went with them and at first I followed till I noticed we had dropped Quicksilver, Tax Man and Digger. I fell out of line and fell back to pick them up but was soon joined by Quicksilver at Bridge and giving chase heading towards Lakeview. Quicksilver and I were gaining slightly when we noticed the lead group had stopped for some kind accident. It turned out to be Minotaur one of Team CAS and his team had stopped to assist in a tire change because the team car was nowhere in sight. Our team manager told four of us to continue on and two of us to wait with the CAS guys and save their energy till it might be needed later. I took Quicksilver, Digger and Tax Man west and headed for the first climb of the day. The Lakeview to Bernasconi power climb. Quicksilver took over at Lakeview and started us up the hill. When she ran out of steam I rode around her and headed for the top of the climb and headed for part two. Tax Man dropped a chain and abandoned the ride at Bernasconi. I top out on the second hill with Quicksilver in full chase and Digger trailing after checking on Tax Man. We got news from our team manager that CAS was back on the chase and closing fast. Out plan was to spread out our line and hope each rider would slow them down while the others got some extra distance. Quicksilver and I made it to Perris Lake road and headed for the climb to the Dam. So far we seemed to be about 4 minutes up on CAS but we were told they were eating up that time and with some extra effort might catch us. Quicksilver and I made it to the top of the climb and onto the Marina frontage road. With the slight down hill our pace was good enough that we got to the marina first and I took stage one wit Quicksilver getting the same time minus the bonus point for first place. CAS had their first riders show up two minutes later giving D V V the first stage win. After the interviews and awards ceremony we had some food and water before heading out to start Stage 2 and the ride back to the Start finish line. Dragon slayer and I took and early break and were well ahead of the CAS team starting up the last climb. Just before we made the top of the climb I could see CAS in hot pursuit and D V V was splintered.

As we crested the hill and headed down the north entrance/exit of Lake Quicksilver fell off of the pace on the descent and CAS got away with D V V riders Dragon Slayer and Thomas with them. Minotaur was caught between them and Quicksilver with me trailing about half of a mile in front of Digger. We chased the group all the way to Alessandro and then back north east to Gilman where the CAS rider Ferret had flatted. This time we all stopped before starting east on Gilman and the long run home.

Once we got started on Gillman Dragon slayer and Thomas took the lead and quickly created a gap. With Quicksilver pulling the peloton we had no reason to help run them down and so it was left up to CAS’s Ferret to pull around and give chase. I took my turn at the front and kept the pace within reason till CAS took off in mass chasing. Much to my chagrin Dragon Slayer and Thomas turned off course onto Bridge and I knew the judges would disqualify them. By the time Quicksilver and I got to Bridge she flatted and Digger caught us before it could be changed. Quicksilver and I took turn pulling till she decided she was the more powerful and insisted on pulling to Sanderson. We turned south on Sanderson and headed for Ramona when we got the news from the Team Director that Ferret, Gambler and Bulldozer had gone off course as well. It was after all a new course so it might be understandable but it was also a stroke of luck for D V V. Shortly after crossing Ramona and the water district we spotted Digger. It was my turn to pull but Quicksilver was so focused on picking him up to help in a pace line that she pulled all the way to Cottonwood where at last I got out front. Digger Abandoned at Menlo leaving Quicksilver and I to finish the ride and head for Devonshire. We made the last turn east on Devonshire and were soon turning on Gilmore and got back to Start finish. Shooter and Minotaur from DVV were one and two with Quicksilver and I finishing three and four. However even with Shooter’s win Minotaur’s finish on Stage one was well behind forth and so in the end of two stages both DVV and CAS had each won a stage and were tied on points for time and position thanks to several navigation errors.

CAS may have had the power today and they may have collected a whole bucket full of KOMs on Strava but Quicksilver’s tenaciousness and our directors skill at team planning at least kept D V V in the game and ready to come back and try again next time. Yes a good day was had by all.