March 25, 2007, NY Spring Series 3rd Race - Prospect Park

Masters 35+ Results:
4th Doug O'Neil
6th Eddie Burlem
8th Brian Rafferty

Distance: 40 miles

Report:
Doug O'Neil goes early in a 9 lap 5 man break, including the new points leader, Which ultimately get a 1:35 lead on the field , For a while there was a 6 man chase group with Brian Rafferty, Titus Leung, Ken Hochman. With 2 laps to go, the masters field, bridge attempts & chase are swarmed by 1/2/3, leaving only the break to survive.

March 24, 2007 Branch Brook 45+ "The Winning Continues!!!"

Masters 45+Results:
1st Dave Melchior
5th Brian Rafferty
6th Chris Castaldi

Distance: 20 miles

Report:
This week there was a much bigger field, so our normal barrage of attacks didn't seem to have the desired effect and every time we got someone up the road the guys from other teams just seemed to be covering and not inclined to work, though they seemed to have a lot of enthusiasm for chasing people down. On the early part of the third lap Chris went and got a gap Brian and Ken quickly bridged but the group of 8+ didn't seem to have the organiaztion to make it stick. With one lap to go it was clear we were facing a field sprint, Dave sat on Chris' wheel while Ken, Will, Brian, and Damian made various moves designed to stretch out the field. Damian took a very long and hard lead followed by Ken and then Chris with Dave right behind, In the final 100 meters then Dave saw a guy go who looked dangerous, got his wheel and kicked past him in the last twenty meters. The team functioned perfectly and put its sprinter up right near the front of a stretched out field at 150 meters without his having done any work for the last lap and a half, which is exactly the goal.

March 11, 2007, NY Spring Series 2nd Race - Central Park "Rafferty Repeats!!"

Masters 35+Results:
1st Brian Rafferty

Distance: 24 miles

Report:

Damien, Brian, Tom, Titus, and Rob are at the predawn start time on a very wet course. Titus made the mistake of talking to Brian before the race and flatted his tubular before he made it to the line. Because of the weather everyone was cautious early, a 3/4 break catches the Masters, and in the confusion Damien gets away with a few others. No one sure if there was mixing or not, but we block, and after a couple of laps Brian slips away.Long story short Damien DQ'ed, Brian gets his second solo win of the weekend.

March 10 2007 Branch Brook 45+ Win, Place and Show!!!

Masters 45+Results:
1st Brian Rafferty
2nd Dave Melchior
3rd Chris Castaldi

6th Ken Hochman

Distance: 20 miles

Report:
Brian, Dave, & Ken attack the 45+ field from the gun, It seems that there are never four Wonder Wheels in the field, someone is always up the road. After a half lap break with Brian and Dave, Ken and Chris and the field roll back up on the 6 man break. Brian goes again with 2 to go and no one responds with in a lap Brian has a minute on the field. On the bell lap Dave is placed on Chris' wheel for the lead out, at 300 meters Chris goes while Dave sits tight until the last 100 meters since no one else is coming around, Chris holds on for third, and Ken 6th, keeps all the Wonder Wheels in the money. A real sweep!!!!

March 4, 2007 Spring Series Opener Masters 35+

Masters 35+Results:

4th - Doug O'Neil
6th - Tom Luzio
10th - Eddie Burlem

Distance: 24 miles

Report:

With a first lap break Doug O'Neil takes 4th in Central Park Opener.

March 3, 2007 Branch Brook Season Opener 45+

Masters 45+Results:
1st Tom Luzio
4th Dave Melchior
6th Brian Rafferty

Distance: 20 miles

Report:
Brain, Tom, Dave, & Ken dominate the 45+ field. Wonder Wheels (WW) attack from the gun, always one WW off the front and as field reels him in, the next WW goes off the front. Everyone working in turn! Brian stayed off for 20 minutes solo(photo right), softening the field asWW's blocked chase attempts. Tom's final winning move is riding up to and thru Dave and Ken off the front early in the bell lap. On the final "hill", a solo rider bridges to Tom, who is towing Ken, Ken pulls thru to help Tom, Ken got gapped coming out of the 180, (trying to get to the line in no-man's land) as Tom stuck the win! while Ken was within sight of the line, the field sprints past and Dave not knowing where the finish line was, otherwise he would have wons the field sprint instead of 2nd.(4th overall) Great team tactics.