December 17, 2014 (London, ON) – It has been approximately 32 years since the legendary Steve Bauer of TdF fame clipped into the pedals and went to the rail to start a track race. But the head coach of the Milton Cycling Academy needed to get some track time with the pending 2015 Canadian Masters Track Championships, slated for Jan. 3-6.  At 6:15 pm on Dec. 13, Bauer started his warm up for a night of track racing at the Forest City Velodrome.

With only a couple of training sessions since last year, it was ride number five for Bauer on the Forest City Velodrome track, having completed Track 1 and 2.  For the history record, it has been 33 years since Bauer was 4th at the 1981 World Track Championship Points Race in Brno, Czechslovakia won by Lutz Haueisen of East Germany.

During the Aylmer Express GP this past Saturday night, Bauer had a go against a very quick group of Masters in the 40-lap Points race. Racing at the 138m Forest City Velodrome in London, Ontario is an art and you need the skill to anticipate the movements and attacks of the other riders around you. Things happen really fast when laps are clicking down in just over 9 seconds

The first race in the preparation had Bauer against 11 other master racers who perhaps had one more thing on their minds – beating an out-of-the-racing-groove, Tour de France yellow jersey athlete. Early in the competition, riders were content to watch one another and the pace was under 40 kph. The slow speed led to some pretty close quarters.

Soon after the start, there were three riders getting a little too tight, with an over-anxious Bauer pinched in the middle, rubbing elbows and handlebars… until someone gave way and the race quickly went from 35 to 48kph. This stretched the field out and Toronto rider Mark Buckaway attacked off the front with no reaction from the pack with Bauer now just happy to get a feel of the FCV track race rhythm and stay out of trouble.

Buckaway managed to stay away in front and took the first two sprints. Bauer now finding his rhythm after a 32-year hiatus was leading the charge in the final laps and won the final sprint. When the points were totaled the renowned TdF rider came up a little short and finished in second at five points behind Buckaway who would not be denied for the win.

“It felt good to get back into the action and get the adrenaline pumping. I was a bit over-anxious on one early acceleration through the banking and got squeezed in between two riders,” said Bauer. “A long history of bike riding skills corrected my own error and I got back in the groove.”

In the last race of the night, the “B” division was combined and 15 riders lined up for the 30-lap Scratch Race. In this race there were a few Cadet racers (14- & 15- year-olds) from the FCV.

From the opening whistle, the Cadets wanted put the hurt on the field. Attack after attack put the pressure on the legs of the masters. Several of the juniors were able to escape, however, they could only gain 1/2 a lap and the masters dragged the youngsters back.

With 12 laps to go, young Bothwell, Ontario cadet Nick Wammes (Kallisto-FCV) wasn’t afraid to attack over the top to gain a sizable gap. The field did not react. At seven laps to go, Wammes was still spinning a nice light gear. That’s when the race exploded as Bauer was on the front trying to bring the kid back before the final sprint – he had 1/4 of a lap lead with three to go.

Bauer brought the field within 20m by the end and it was a huge win for the 14-year-old. Chris Ernst (Kallisto-FCV) was second coming around Bauer in the charge to the line on the final sprint.

In the end, the 55-years-young comeback kid aka Steve Bauer, was able to stretch his legs and get some valuable track time as he prepares for the Track Nationals in January. “We are all looking forward to riding and racing the new Mattamy National Cycling Centre Velodrome in Milton,” added a smiling Bauer.