Rev It Up, The 1996 Season Begins! (cont.)
February 4th, race day, was the second day of the two
week long celebration of Carnival. The night before, roads
were closed as people danced in the streets alongside music
blaring and keg toting trucks which drove slowly from block
to block. Before the 2:00 PM start, a motocross race took
place on the beach as the riders dazzled spectators with
jumps of 20-30 feet. During the week, the temperature reached
95 degrees with humidity close to the same. Many athletes
felt this favored the acclimated South Americans. However,
on race day, cloud cover graced the participants. There
was no rain until 1:59 PM and it rained throughout the race.
The weather didn’t deter spectators as thousands lined
the streets.
The women’s race can be summed up very quickly. Jones
was the first female out of the water, extended her lead
on the bike and ran comfortably to victory in a time of
2:0 . She said she “felt good throughout the whole
race,” and also mentioned that “this is one of
the best organized events I have ever attended.” The
rest of the field had a battle for the consolation spots.
Latshaw, Wanklyn and Nielson were duking it out on the bike
when Schaffer blew by all three of them. Wanklyn said, “there
was no way any of us could stay with her.” Schaffer
came off the bike a minute behind Jones, but her best discipline
of cycling was finished. Latshaw passed Schaffer at 5k of
the run and Wanklyn passed her at 8k. Nielson rounded out
the top. Keller, having mechanical problems on the bike,
ended up seventh.
The men’s race winner wasn’t decided until 400
meters from the finish. Forty pros lined the start and after
the gun sounded, two draft lines formed in the swim. Rukoseuv
took the most direct route towards the first buoy, battling
eight rows of waves. Hobson led another line through the
waves first and then towards the buoy in smoother water.
Rukoseuv was the clear winner as an unexpected current 100
yards off shore slowed Hobson, Pigg etc. Hobson stated,
“I gambled and I lost in the swim.” Rukoseuv forged
a 1:20 lead over a chase group of ten after the swim.
Rukoseuv, knowing his run was strong, felt if he could
keep a lead off the bike, the $10,000 was within his grasp.
At 30k, his strategy was shattered as a chase group, led
by Galindez caught him. The winner would come from the lead
group of Galindez, Riccitello, Glah, Macedo, Pigg, Hobson,
Rukoseuv and Leder. The rest of the field was blown out
the back. The last 8k of the bike changed dramatically from
the smooth surface and straight course of the highway to
the rough and curvy city streets. Tires, loaded with 150
+ psi, were sliding on the wet pavement and many times a
triathlete would hit a pothole, unable to tell if it was
one or six inches deep. Surprisingly, only Macedo fell taking
a turn. Glah was amazed at Macedo. “I was following
him around a turn. He crashed and got back up so fast, I
hadn’t even finished the turn.” The most aggressive
and fearless riders were able to split the group. Galindez,
Riccitello and Pigg were first on the run course followed
20 seconds later by Hobson, Rukosuev, Leder, Macedo and
Glah further back.
Pigg and Galindez ran the first 2k when Galindez asserted
himself and pulled away from Pigg slowly. Macedo was blowing
through the field. Leder tried to stay with him for 500
meters and stated after the race, “the South Americans
are very powerful on their home turf because of the spectators.
They were screaming at Leandro which provides excellent
motivation. You don’t see this in the US and Europe.”
Macedo caught Galindez at the 3k mark and took the lead
for good at 6k. It was not a cake walk for Macedo as Galindez
finished only 4 seconds back and a surging Pigg was only
8 seconds from first. Leder captured 4th and Rukoseuv outsprinted
Hobson for 5th. Glah followed with Riccitello close behind
in eighth. Allen finished an astounding 12th considering
his training regimen.
All the athletes were impressed with the organization.
Nubio has a long range plan he has followed for several
years and he plans to have $100,000 prize purse in 1998.
A native of friendly New Zealand, Wanklyn said, “the
Brazilian people are the friendliest and most helpful people
I have met.” Rukoseuv chimed in, “ they treat
us with respect as being sports stars.”
End
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