Tulsa Tough | Race Recap

Words Danny Hamilton

Coming into the race weekend at Tulsa Tough, I felt good about my form, but I did not know what to expect with the talent level in the Masters B CAT 3/4 field. This is one of the biggest criterium series events in the United States and the talent is typically strong regardless of the category. The last time I raced this event was in 2012 with a stacked CAT 3 field. I already knew the Saturday and Sunday courses very well so it was easier to think through what I wanted to do to get a win on Saturday. I had my teammate Todd Gill in the race with me. It was his first time to race Tulsa Tough, so I did my best to explain the courses and what to expect. The Saturday course is mostly wide roads with a good steady incline up Soundpony Hill leading into a left turn onto a narrow short road with a quick left onto a wide open fast downhill section into a sweeping left to the flat finish. Even though the criterium is just 45 minutes, I wanted to give the race a little time to develop before trying to make a move. I also knew that for any move to stick, it would require three to four strong riders. As we were staging in the corral, I was standing next to James Gillum from Little Rock with DNA Racing. We had raced together in the road racing season earlier, and I knew he would be the one to watch. I also noted Joe Engel from Fort Smith with Walmart/ACEC Cycling Team. I knew he would be strong as well. As we started the race, Ben Schlegel set a hard tempo for the first couple of laps. Then Gillum put in a good effort, and I followed his wheel. We were joined by three more riders and developed a decent gap. Then the bell rang for a $25 prime. We kept the gap with Gillum taking the prime. After another lap, the peloton reeled us back in. On the next lap, Gillum went again with me in tow. I thought this could work and started putting in hard pulls. We got another little gap, but the group had no intentions of letting us go. Just as we were caught, the bell rang for a $50 prime. I knew this would liven things up. As we turned onto Soundpony Hill, the intensity at the front increased, and I stayed in 4th position. As we came into the left-hand turn after the descent, Joe Engel came through on the inside. I knew we still had a few blocks to the line, so I moved to his left side away from the wind. I took his lead out and went around him at the line for the prime. Once again, a group of four of us had a gap, but nobody seemed to want to go for the break with 10 laps to go. It was time to watch wheels and prepare for a likely group sprint. On the next to last lap, Todd got taken down on the narrow road after Soundpony Hill. With 1 lap to go, Jesus Chaparro made a hard attack. Everyone responded, and I got out of the saddle to bridge up to the solo rider. I found myself on the front of a chasing peloton with only a half lap to go to the finish. Not where you want to be if you want to sprint for the win. As it ended up, James Gillum took the win. I finished 17th and Todd finished 49th due to the crash. Thankfully, Todd was not seriously injured. Although I was disappointed with my result, I was happy to hear that our team sponsor City Title had been announced several times during the race.

The Numbers
Distance: 18.35 miles
Time: 45:51 min
Avg Speed: 24.0 mph
Avg Power: 257 watts
Avg Heart Rate: 164 bpm

Words Todd Gill

I came into Sunday’s race with a chip on my shoulder. My race was cut short the day before when I crashed with a lap and a half to go, so I was looking for some redemption. The River Parks Criterium is a short course with a nasty, steep pitch that turns onto the infamous Cry Baby Hill. From there the road rolls down and then bumps back up before a steep and fast descent with a 120-degree turn into the final stretch. For this race City Title had myself, Danny Hamilton, Jon Johnson and Jason Alvarado. I was excited about our roster. Jason and I usually go toe-to-toe when training on short, punchy climbs, while Danny, Jon and Jason are always three of the group’s biggest engines. During my warmup laps, I discovered the two manhole covers in the final corner that everyone had warned me about. As the least experienced rider for City Title, I look to my teammates for guidance. Danny advised me that the best line was between the inside curb and the first manhole cover. He cautioned me that if you swing too wide, you can lose a lot ground and sometimes wind up hitting the outer barricades. I tried to practice a few times, but the course was still being set up and it simply wasn’t possible to get a feel for it at race pace. Jason is another great climber on our team, so we discussed the pros and cons of climbing in each chainring, eventually settling on the big ring. All three teammates reminded me that James Gillum (DNA) had won the day before in a group sprint, and told me to keep an eye on him throughout the race. From the start, my teammates were very aggressive. It felt great to watch as Danny, Jon and Jason all pushed the pace through the main stretch and up the steep climb, thinning the pack over and over. With each lap through Cry Baby Hill you could sense the fatigue setting in, but City Title was right at home. Our hometown hills where we train give us a clear advantage on a hilly course. When the first prime was announced, Gillum went off the front, but before I could swing around to him, he slowed a bit on the climb and things came back together. When the second prime was called with 6 to go, Jesus Chaparro put in a big attack. Chaparro took the prime, but didn’t let up. I started to bridge, but quickly realized that I’d be totally gassed if I chased him down by myself so early, so I settled back in. After a few laps, his lead was 11 seconds. You could feel the pack getting nervous, because Chaparro had tried a similar move with 5 to go on Saturday. In fact, he almost won that race, but was caught right near the line by Gillum and two other riders. With 2 to go, Danny moved to the front and the chase was on. With Danny leading the pack and my other teammates drilling it up Cry Baby Hill, I watched as the pack split apart leaving only the strongest riders in a small group. After a full lap of Danny chasing, his legs looked spent, which sent Bruce Edlund (Walmart/ACEC) flying up the right side of the road and onto the wheel of Chaparro. Just as I was about to bridge up, I noticed the two riders slowing a bit so I settled back in again and prepared for the last lap. I found a good spot to sit about 6 wheels deep as we began the final lap. I remembered that earlier in the race I’d been yelled at for slowing too hard in the final corner, so I wanted to be in the front for that last turn so I could pick my line and prepare for the sprint. Leading out a sprint is no way to win, but I knew my best chance was to gain an advantage in the corner if I was to compete against such strong sprinters, especially considering the final stretch is only about 200 meters. I moved up a couple of wheels on the first bump, then gave it everything I had. I didn’t let anyone around me on the descent and timed the corner just right. Through this season, I’ve tended to launch my final sprint too early, so I reminded myself to be patient. I was out of the saddle and working hard, but I waited until I heard gears changing behind me before I really turned it up. As I approached the line I had the cadence for one final gear switch so I went for it and lowered my head. Unfortunately, so did James Gillum. He changed gears and edged me near the line and took the win with me placing 2nd and James Holcomb (Tulsa Wheelmen) taking 3rd. Jon, Jason and Danny placed 17th, 19th and 27th, respectively. I spent all last season riding solo, and this year has been such a great learning experience riding for City Title Cycling Team.

Huge thanks to our sponsors City Title & Closing, Smithfield, Shoulder Center of Arkansas, CLIF Bar, Custom Electronics, and The Bike Route. Also, thanks so much to the organizers, officials and volunteers who make Tulsa Tough one of the most exciting events in the country.

The Numbers:
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 30 min
Avg Speed: 22.6 mph
Avg Power: 286 watts
Avg Heart Rate: 167 bpm