If not first you don't succeed... Ride Wednesday Night! 3/16 Summary.

T(W)NR re-kicked off in style Wednesday, with a turnout in excess of 20, some of whom were still hiding behind beards grown out to fend off the Michigan winter. I didn't manage to get a firm head count, as College is now reminiscent of the worst parts of the Oregon trail, and the 5 of us riding down from campus were a few minutes late thanks to our 2 flats en route. The group was nice enough to wait for us, but Jeff Chapin had no intention of repaying their kindness with anything other than pain. Things started out aggressively, as the MSU boys were excited to show off their new kits and wasted no time in going on the attack. A group of 4 broke clear before the turn on to Annis Road, and in a sprint to the line, win accounts were opened for the 2011 season. With the splintered group back together the pace stayed high through the second sprint, before MSU once again tried to escape following the first KOM. The break was ill-fated though, and they were pinned back in the last 500 meters by a concerted chase from the field. Light is a precious commodity these days, and the pack opted to skip the tunnel of trees in order to make it to back to Mason and the Secretary of State before dark. A large group kept the pace high coming into the town line sprint, and only fractured under the pressure of a long, fast sprint.

The first edition of the T(W)NR bodes well for a successful season: many new faces, aggressive riding, and a high tempo despite the early season. People have been putting in the time and effort this the winter, and all signs point to 2011 being even faster and more competitive than 2010. Get back on the bike everyone, next week is going to be even faster!

-Brian