Windsor, MA – As the professional field kicked off of the line for the 11th annual Tour of the Hilltowns, this year’s Massachusetts State Road Championships, the Tour de France peleton in was just rolling into the legendary Mt. Venteux. I however, am incapable of sympathy for those riders because nothing could have been harder than this year’s Tour of the Hilltowns. With a strong team on the line consisting of Chris Coutu, Corey Mason, Charles McCarthy, Austin Roach, Tim Mitchell and Peter Bell, MetLife would be a force to deal with.

MetLife lines up

Normally, in a 97 mile road race with three significant climbs, the group will take it easy over the first portion of the race. Not so here. From the gun the attacks started with Coutu and Mitchell making it into the first large move. It was slightly too large however, and started to come back as the top riders began to get nervous. After a brief bridge move to the break Bell made the move of the day, perfectly set up by the work of Coutu and Mitchell, and jumped off the front of the break, dragging 2007 Tour of the Hilltowns winner Mike Barton (STRAVA) with him. The two were joined quickly by perennial contenders Dan Vaillancourt (Colavita) and Roger Aspholm (Westwood Velo) as well as other strong men in Amos Brumble (CCB), Alec Donahue, Matt Mainer and Matt Purdy (Spooky), Cheyne Hoag (Kelly Benefits), Mike Margarite (Empire) and a handful of French Canadians. The gap grew considerably in short order, as all were involved in pushing the pace. The break worked well together over the first climb, but began to disintegrate on the approach to the monster East Hawley Road. In the confusion Brumble and Bell were able to escape, giving them a cushion against the attacks that would come on the interminable climb. However, luck was not with Bell, as he was sidelined with a flat on the climb, watching the race leaders ride away, Bell got his wheel changed out, but it was already too late.

Forming a solid chase group, Brumble, Mainer, and Bell began the long 30 plus mile slog to the finish, and as they steamrolled along they began to pick up riders coming back from the breakaway. After a long, hard day in the saddle, with some unfortunate bad luck, Bell out sprinted Mainer for 12th place, and as the first Massachusetts state resident across the line claimed the coveted title of 2009 Massachusetts State Road Champion.