Stage 1: Time Trail
Attendees: Radu and Michael
Weather: Rain bouncing from hard to harder. Stiff breeze on the way back. Humid!
Course: 8.7 miles or 14.3 KM (for Radu). Out and back course. Mostly rolling. Fast out and a hillier back. Typical New England rodes which required picking different lines every few feet
Race: I usually make sure that I am extra early for races but for some reason I was running around at the last second. I was using a different wheel on the trainer and when I put on my disc wheel, I paniced. It was time. As I ride to the start they are calling my name to start and my back wheel slipped out of position and starting rubbing. Crap! Dismounted and someone helped me tighten it up. Stayed calm and came to ramp with 20 seconds to go. Now I am very inexperienced with people holding me for a start, but this guy was great and that really helped to let me focus. I had a very strong ride. Felt good in my legs maybe better than normal. BIG PROBLEM was I could not see. My glasses were so fogged up from the first second that I had to keep my head up too high and turned to the right to look out a crack in the helmet. Luckily I knew the road but it still cost me a little time. Averaged 25mph and finished 17th. Not bad but was hoping for top 10. Only missed by like 25 seconds if that.
Stage 2: Circuit Race
Weather: Sun – Oh my Fricking God – It does exist
Course: 3.1 circuit 8 times around. Fairly flat except for a nasty little hill climb of about 400 meters of which 200 meters are about 4-5% but then another 200 meters of about 10%. It hurts but oh so good!
Race: I knew the trick to this race was to be either in a break or top 10 coming into the hard right of the hill. Plan was to try to break or form a break with 3 to go once the field was softened up. Couldn’t click in to start for about a mile (new clips). Moved up right away on first lap and never left the top 20-25 or so (remember it fluctuates alot on this type of course). Anywho there was a point sprint with 3 to go. Great! Didn’t care to win but wanted to break when everyone naturally slows down on the hill. But…as I make my way to 4th wheel the field is neutralized to let the Juniors pass us. Damm those guys! 4 minutes caused by heart rate to go from 170 to 70. Then right at the bottom of the hill they resume the race to sprint up the hill and that HURT big time. I am too old for that stuff. Time for plan B – recover for a lap and attack with 1 to go. I stay in the front away from the slowpokes who caught up on the neutral. We come into the backstretch to the hill and I am psyched. Maybe 4th wheel and ready to go and then it happens….Asshole comes up on left and cuts right into the guy in front of me and takes out his wheel. He goes down at almost 40mph and takes out the whole right side. Very very bad crash. Now it is hard to slow down. I can’t go right into the crash nor left as people were charging. I unclip, brace my body and think cyclocross. Jump the wheel and worse case land on side. Miracle happens and his wheel bounces up into the air from the ground and moves two inches over and I make it by. However, at this point my legs cramped up and my head nearly exploded from after effect or survival. However, not wanted to lose spots on GC I do my best to clip in and sprint for the line to catch the back of the pack full of the guys who were all behind me before the crash. I think I will get the same time and maintain GC position. Looking for top 10 so tomorrow is key.