Mount Holly, NJ

The Mount Holly-Smithville Invitational Grand Prix almost seems like a NRC race, with its war chest of a prize list and the exclusivity its name implies. The 2008 edition marked the race’s 10th anniversary, and since the Tour de Toona stage race is not happening this year, Kenda/Raleigh was happy to take part in this race for the first time.

Jason sweltering at the start

Mukunda, Jason Beerman, Toby, Adam, and Sean converged on Mount Holly, NJ on what had the be the hottest and most humid day of the year. The key to the day was finding shade and staying cool, but the parking lot was more exposed than a nipple after a wardrobe malfunction. So we roasted. It was one of those days when if you stood in one place too long, the rubber on the soles of your shoes melted into the asphalt.

We talked strategy, adjusted our radios, and headed to the start. The town is very supportive of the race and the beautiful main drag of Mount Holly was lined with people ready to see the peloton off. The course, which seems to change every year, featured a 2.3 mile loop through residential streets, with a Belgian-like climb on a 3-meter wide road and fast twisty sections coming down off of the eponymous mount. The course amounted to a souped-up crit course, and the 130 pairs of legs at the start guaranteed that it would be a revolution of pain for a couple hours. The course basically guaranteed a handful of guys would get popped each lap, and the secret was staying ahead of the gaps.

Toby stringing it out

After the singing of the national anthem and the spate of callups while we all dripped sweat onto the pavement, the race began and everyone went full throttle off the line to be first into the right hand turn onto the narrow road up the climb. The pace of the first five laps was brutal, and there was no time to even look around and ascertain the damage. Single file, fight for position going into the climb, suffer up the climb, turn over a huge gear at the top, bomb through the downhill chicane at 40MPH, right turn, right turn, 30MPH feed zone, suffer single file, right turn, left turn, right turn, repeat.

The temperature tickled triple digits and it took its toll. It was so hot that guys were vomiting in the paceline off the sides of their bikes.

Jason in the speed hooks

Things settled down enough that a large group separated itself off the front of the dwindling field. Sean and Jason were among the survivors (only 50 finished the race) and had unfortunately missed the move. Sean put in a big effort to get into a chase group and suffered through the heat to get into the money with a 24th place finish. Jason finished in the peloton, which resembled a Tuesday night group ride in numbers.

Sean in the chase group

Full results are here.