Setanta vs RGR

Last Saturday, Team Setanta set out to tackle the 2013 Rapha Northeast Gentlemen's Race. We crisscrossed the Delaware River for almost 9 hours: from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, and back again.

Our team was a mix of Young Guns and Old Hands - but we shard a blend of focus, fitness, skill, and pure joy to be on the bike - and overcame the obstacles we created for ourselves, and others we encountered along the way.

The official cue sheet looks cool, but is hard to read.
Good thing Nic made us a proper cue sheet!
Photo by Bob Cowin.

Sawtooth, baby: 130 miles worth.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2428020

Where are the guys??
Photo by Bob Cowin.

Here we are! Setanta, ready to roll... very chill.
L to R: Brian, Jeff, Nolan, Seth, Nic, Fred. 8:00 am start.
Photo by Bob Cowin.

Nolan leads the charge.
Photo by Bob Cowin.

Rolling!
Not pictured: 7 flats in the first 40 miles.
We were snakebit the first couple hours... but teamwork and focus kept us in the game.
Photo by Bob Cowin.

Making a pass. I am giving these guys "The Look."

Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

Now what?!?
Water crossing #1.
Photo by Jon Shireman.

Some guys removed their footwear...

Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

Others went for it!!

Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

Good luck with that.

Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

Setanta rolls.
Photo: Bob Cowin

Lots of covered bridges.
Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

Lots of steep climbs, too.
Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

We got to see CX superstar Tim Johnson kill the KOM climb. Yow!!
The Strava guys provided refreshments at the top. We stopped for about 20 seconds. Roll, Setanta, roll!
Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

Nic is ready to roll.
Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

Windmill at the top of the climb.
Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

What a day.

Mile 90: Water crossing #2. Keep yer shoes on & let's GO! We passed 3 teams right here.

Allez!

Mile 95, we were running dry. Somebody spotted a sign nailed to a tree on the side of the road: Eggs for Sale.
"They MUST have WATER! Let's check it out." And they did.

Seth working the pump.

Keep rolling...

Done! 130 miles, 8 hours, 37 minutes. L to R: Jeff, Brian, Fred, Nic, Nolan, Seth.

Pizza & beer... watch out for cramps!

The awards ceremony.... Gerben presents the Lantern Rouge... not to us!
We were the 5th team to finish, with the 7th best time overall.
Hope we get another shot at it next year!
Photo: Kira E Theesfeld / Abigail Thomas Photography

And... the official video. Team Setanta mostly ended up on the cutting room floor... but you get a good sense of the ambiance. Except maybe how hard it was...