If you can't win a race, you might as well take 2nd and 3rd places. That's what IF/Lionettes did at the New England classic, Turtle Pond this weekend.

Aggressive racing from the gun meant that there was always an IF rider off the front. First Kevin Wolfson had a flurry of attacks in the first 6 miles. Then in the longest solo breakaway of the day, Jon Bruno dangled 15 seconds off the front, with no other teams eager to chase. But when we reconnected, Kevin, countered, and moments later, Robbie King followed into a large breakaway of about 12 riders.

In a lull during the 2nd lap of the 6 lap/69 mile race, Robbie rolled off the front of that breakaway, and with no one immediately marking him, he hit it hard. Entering the 3rd lap, he waited momentarily for some company which came in the form of the only professional in the days race, Toby Marzot, who bridged across.

Then Robbie put the pedal back to the metal, towing Toby for most of the next lap, gaining a sizeable lead on the chase. In the last two laps of the race, with a gap established, Robbie and Toby pulled closer to evenly, as Robbie nursed some crippling leg craps, which he blames on the heat (this being the first 90 degree day of the year, and a new record, according to weather.com). But in tenacious fashion, Robbie continued his ferocious pulls, and let Toby know what's up.

...That is, until the finish. Toby started to sprint with 150 meters to go. And as Robbie began pulling around Toby (with alacrity) he was seized by catastrophic quadriceps cramps, and nearly endo-ed off his sweet IF. But not before he served notice to Toby that next time, he's mincemeat.

Then after a cordial handshake, since they're still friends, and since Toby's win was impressive, they watched Kevin filet the competition, taking 3rd place after an attack miles from the finish line, for the most bad-ass 3rd place finish ever. Todd Yezefski added a very fine 8th place. Yes, teamwork carried the day, and made the race a lot of fun.

Special thanks goes out to mom and dad, and my teammates in the feedzone, who prevented this from becoming a race to the ER with heatstroke. Thank you!

-Robbie King