Saturday June 26, 2004:
This is a big one for me. I started racing at the Raccoon Rally in 1998 with the cross country mountain bike race. So the event has a soft spot in my heart. Last year (2003), I did my first road race here when they added that to the schedule, and did well. Third place of the registered beginner racers, second in my age group. So it's become a real target in my calendar. Road race on Saturday, mountain bike race on Sunday. It's just an all out bike weekend.
As soon as the beginner race was over last year, I knew I'd be doing the sport race this year. Place as a beginner, it's time to move up. The only scary part is the sport class does 50 miles, instead of the 25 mile beginner race. Since I still intended on doing reasonably well on the Sunday race, I've been trying to do 2 day efforts in training... with varying success. I can do 2 days of hard training. But if I tried to do a harder training ride before a race, my race suffered. Ah well, stick to the plan. I registered for the sport road race, and the expert mountain bike race. I'll report on the mountain bike race here.
Prep
Without really planning it, we vacationed 2 weeks before the race. I took my bikes, and did some miles, but it was all real low intensity. So it was a really nice recovery week. The week leading up to the race, I did a reasonably hard group ride on Sunday, and another on Tuesday evening. Then I just did some normal commuting. I really wanted to make sure I was well rested. I did not want to repeat my Chippewa Creek experience on what was turning out to be an A event for me.
I was supposed to drive in on Friday night with Don, but he got sick. So I drove up alone and setup camp... found I forgot tons of camping stuff, but I had all my bike stuff. So I could make do for the weekend.
The race starts at 10:30, which is why I camp on Friday night. Since I'm staying to race on Sunday also, it makes sense. It turns out a lot of Ohio riders drive up on Saturday morning. During my war-mup I ran into some guys from the evening group I ride with, and saw a Stark Velo rider. Lot's of single guys riding around, which only helps an unattached rider like me.
It turns out all my group buddies were riding the expert race. It's the same length only the better riders are in the field. It's supposed to be cat 1-3, the sport race was cat 3-4, and the beginner race was cat 5/cit. So I was still on my own. I rolled up to the Stark rider, and found out it was Scott Thor. A cat 3 rider I've been stalking through his website. Then I found out he was riding sport for a training ride... so I "knew" one person in the group. Since I'd benefited from hanging with cat 3 riders in the past, my strategy was to watch him, and see what happened. He was alone from his team, but was working with a Cornell rider that rides with Stark when he's at home. Cornell had 2 guys, I think the other guy won the beginner race last year.
The Course
This is a fun course where stamina matters as much as tactics. You start out with about 7 miles of climbing. Not real steep, similar to Berkshire in the valley, only 7 miles long. Then take a right turn, and descend for about 6 miles. Another right, and climb for about 5 or 6 miles, then descend back to the start. They changed the finish this year, so that it was uphill, instead of flat. Move the finish a quart of a mile up the road and totally change the race.
Beginner race does one lap, sport and experts do 2. Last year they started the sport and expert fields together, and it splintered all over the course. The beginner field did the same thing. This year, they sent the fields off separately, which I appreciated. I didn't know how I could keep track of what was happening in my race, if we went off together.
My goal is to sit in, and watch what happens. I'll try to follow moves, but I don't want to get crazy today... save it for the finish. I expect the field to splinter and people to come in alone or in small groups. Whatever happens, I want to ride smart, for a change.
The Race
We line up by groups, and there are about 30 sport riders. They said there were over 100 racers, and I'd guess the sport field was the smallest. With some instructions on the race... we're off.
Right from the gun, the Ellicotville Brewery team takes over the front. They've got 6 guys (or so) there, so I figure we've got trouble with numbers. Let them control it, and see what happens. They set a reasonable tempo and up we go
Yellow line rule is in effect, and I really like to abide by it. I got myself near the line on the outside, and tried to hang near the front so no gaps opened in front of me. It turns out most people wanted to be near the line. The inside road surface was a little less assured, so people were staying toward the lines. I couldn't move around much, unless I crossed the line. Some people were, but I just waited and tried to keep marking Scott Thor.
We got about half way up the climb, and I was dropping back in the group as riders moved up. I felt kind of boxed in, even though I could move up if I really wanted to. A gap opened on the inside, so I just pulled in, and made a move to the front. Done, I'm fifth wheel, close to Scott again. There's something about being in the field and saying "I want to be there", and then just doing it that feels great. I wasn't on the rivet, I just waited, found and opening and went. Today might be a good day.
Heading up the hill, I'm starting to think this is moving a little slow. I could get on the front, and make it hurt, but that would hurt me also. I'll just wait it out, and see... we've got 50 miles of racing, and we haven't even finished 7 yet. Let's see how I feel on the second lap, and make decisions then.
We crest the hill, make the turn and start heading down. I like climbing. I'm reasonable good at it, though there are lots of guys that are better than me. But I REALLY like descending. So we start rolling through a pace line with 3 or 4 of us leading on the descent. Then pretty soon, it's 2 of us leading, then I pull off, and no one is there to take over. I'm not really working to hard, so I kept pulling. Whatever. This doesn't hurt me... maybe it'll make someone else work to keep up. The other guy (some Edinboro, PA team) makes a comment about letting them all suck our wheels, my response is "It's not like I'm really pulling hard". To the next turn and up we go.
Scott Thor, the Edinboro guy, and Ellicotville Brewery guy, and myself are on the front leading it up the second climb. We're not buried, but the descent has pushed the average speed back up to 20. We must have been going easy, because a break from the C race caught us on the climb. 6 guys passed us and got a gap. 3 guys from one team and 3 solo's. All is cool, if they can climb, we won't get in each others way. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen. They get lined up on the right, and we're lined up on the left. Eventually some of the C racers start to crack, and they just sit in our group. We all crest together, and I'm not happy that we're effecting their race. I still led it down the decent with the Edinboro and E-ville guy.
We got to the bottom of the hill near the camp ground, and the C race got a gap on us. Edinboro and I go on the front, and tried to sit up a bit and let them go. I tried to communicate it to everyone, but I guess some guys didn't get it. First E-ville went. OK 1 guy. He'd have to hold us off for the next lap on his own... I don't think so. Then another, and another. We made the turn to the finish, and there were about 6 guys up in with the C's. The rest of us gave them a gap so they could sprint it out, but I think they really messed up the C finish.
We watched the C race finish, then close the gap to our race. As we were closing the gap, I looked back and it was only Scott, Edinboro and myself. The rest of the field was gone. Not just gaped, I could see NO ONE behind us for a LONG way. The three of us reattached, and went straight to the front. Sorted out who were B's and who were A's, and found we were down to about 10 with a couple of A's thrown in for fun. Up the road were a couple more A's, including Peter from my group ride. No sense getting crazy to catch them, but up we went.
I guess Scott decided it was time to do some work, and soften up the field. He got up on the front, and just set the pace. We were lined up behind him just motoring up the hill. Not crazy fast, but quick enough. Scott drove it all the way to the top. I was sitting about fifth wheel, just holding on and trying to conserve. It was work, but I was reasonably comfortable. Peter and the other A rider, managed to hold us off throughout the climb.
Once to the top, Scott pulled off. I think every rider that came up on him said "Nice Pull". I came up and made my comment. He said "That should have hurt a few legs". We had a few words about strategy. About a bunch finish, or trying an attack. I figured Scott was a climber, so he'd try something and see if he could get some space. I was thinking about trying something, and then descending to the finish. He thought it would be too easy to catch back up on the descent. A little chat and off to the front I went for the descent. I know it's harder to hurt people on the descent, but I figured if Scott had them on the rivet on the climb, I'd try to make them work on the descent. I had no problem just driving the back road quick, but within my limits. We caught Peter and his buddy, and drove it to the turn.
Again, it's E-ville, Edinboro and me pushing on the descent. E-ville drove a while, and went to pull off across the yellow.... without looking back, just as a truck was trying to pass us. THEN someone says "car back!", the horn, and luckily he made it back into the field. One good reason to follow the yellow line rule. even when pulling off.
Last climb, as we make the turn I'm thinking "This is it, what do I have left?" We're still a group of about 10 plus Peter and his A buddy. Up the hill we go.
Somewhere here, the other A rider decides we're not climbing fast enough and jumps the field. We let him go, and he gets a big gap. I'm near the front, even on the front, and Scott jumps. Edinboro answers and the two of them bridge to the A rider. I started to bridge/chase, and then thought better of it. It's a long climb, let someone else work. So I sat up a bit. A twisted spoke rider comes around me (on a cross bike with road tires) and starts to haul them back. I just sit on his wheel.
And we're bringing them back! Nice. I'm not working (well, too hard anyway) and they are coming back... so when we catch them, someone should counter attack.. no, I should counter attack. It's pretty obvious that Scott, Edinboro, the E-ville rider and myself are the strongest riders. Maybe not the smartest, but certainly here to play. 2 of the stronger guys are on the attack. When they get caught, I'm going to have a go and see what I can do.
The attack is caught... and I bury it! In hind site it was a lame attack. I was pretty much pegged before I jumped, but I did jump, and I did get a gap. OK. Now what! I have to keep going. So I do... but I'm caught in short order. Good, I can now recover. But it's not the whole group, three guys bridge up to me, and we still have a gap. I fall to the back of the three, look back and see the gap, so I try to get them organized to work together, and that works pretty well. We start rolling through and are holding a reasonable gap. We've got the Cornell that Scott is working with, so that's good for me. If Scott recovers, he won't chase. We've also got a blue jersey, and someone else I haven't seen before. We work through 4 or 5 pulls each and Cornell says we need to open up more if we want the gap to stick.
By this point, I'm about cooked. I keep looking back and seeing wheels coming up. So I give it up, and slower than I expected I'm brought back into the field. The other three continue for a while, but are brought back in short order.
Actually the break gave me some recovery. I couldn't push the gap open, but I was able to stay at the front of the group when I got caught. We summit (finally, I was ready to stop climbing) and start the last descent.
Now that we've seen it once, I know I can hammer this without much trouble. The roads are reasonable, and even the construction section is OK. So off we go again. E-ville and I are on the front, and we start gaining on a van in our lane. Now what? As we pull up, E-ville, says "Now what?" Then we round a turn and see some space. He says "You only live once", and goes to make the pass. I didn't even think about the move until it was over, I just followed him. We got around and I kept it going, but I didn't really want to attack. I was hoping everyone would make it around OK. I think the van may have pulled over a bit when we went by, cause I looked back and most people were chasing fine.
Down past the campground and into the flat section. We all regrouped and started prepping for the finish. Past the lake and I was still near the front, but not on it. As we make the turn to the finishing straight, we have to make one climb, the road flattens, and then we do another climb to the line. Scott hits the front and starts driving the pace up the first climb. Then the Cornell guy attacks and gets a gap. Then the blue jersey went. I started to think that Scott may be blocking to protect the Cornell guy, so I went hard at the top of the climb. I started to close on the blue jersey, and looked back and had a gap. Man, this hurts! OK, try to catch that guy for second place. Do I have space to catch him? I am gaining. Is anyone coming up on me? No. I've got 3rd, can I get second?
I did close some, but not enough. 3rd place. Edinboro came in 4th. 3rd place was enough for first in my age group. Edinboro was second. I heard Scott's name at the awards ceremony, but didn't catch were he was. I'll have to wait for the results to be posted.
Post
Nice when a race goes your way, except for those 2 twenty year olds. I felt really good through the whole race. It was nice to be able to move around the peleton as I wanted, to see the next strategic move and have it in the legs to execute. Overall a really fun race.
Scott posted his race report at scottthor.com
Road race pics are at Buffalo Photo CD.
The down side is I got another podium this year... so I guess I'll need to race expert next year. That might hurt.
Tomorrow... the mountain bike race
No comments:
Post a Comment