Worlds Again.

Another night at the worlds last night.

Following a few weeks away to recover from a bit of a high speed fall... if you run speedplay pedals, check your cleats if they are older than a year. Mine were over 4 years old.... in that time, the plate that holds the spring in place had worn thin. Thin enough that when I jumped for a sprint, the plate broke, and the ensueing instability sent me to the ground... quickly... while moving at 25 to 30 per. Ouch. I think crashing off road is much less tramatic than on road. Pavement is more abrasive.

But that was a month ago, so I'm back to racing... with new cleats.

At the warm up everyone was talking about the two DLP pros that stopped in on their way to Downer's. Usual suspects were there sans the PM train. Numbers in Torrelli (Hey two were there), Lake Effect, RGF, SPIN. Rick, Tom and I made up the SBR side. It must be getting close to cross season, since Jeff Craft was out, and Cameron and Shawn were both starting to ask me if I'm ready.

Short story We raced fast, I felt pretty good.

I was supposed to sit in and follow wheels, looking for leg speed. I mostly did that, though I jumped across a gap to join a break when the field sat up... of course since I could jump the gap, so could a lot of others, and that split went no where. I was near the front for a while, so I pulled through.... a couple of times before getting back into the field. The next split worked differently... that was probably the lap that Rick recorded at 28per.

It drives me nuts when the break goes, and everyone stops. Last night it felt like literal stop.... my HR dropped into low zone 3, so I got up front and pulled for some threshold work. I will say that the break went with good representation, 1 DLP, 3 Lake Effects, both Torrellis, at least 1 RGF and a couple of Spin riders. But then everyone else just stops. We could see the front group about a half kilometer up the road. SBR was probably the largest team without representation, so it was kind of our responsibility to work. Really, though... without taking anything away from our guys, it's not like we're a threat to bring this break back without some serious help. Tom got to the front and pulled us along for a while, then I did some, Chris from BioWheels did some work. But everyone else seemed pretty pleased to just watch the split go.

So, I'm on the front, and Stephan from RGF comes up to work. I pull off, and there is a big gap... so I jump in that and pull again. Then come off as Stephan pulls through again. This goes on for about a lap. Weird. No one really wants to work. The race is over with about 10 up the road. So Stephan attacks! What! I guess I don't understand how this race REALLY is supposed to work.

Eventually the pace settles again, and a bunch of guys that had come off the field, rejoin to get their workouts in. Then I guess Dave from RGF decided he wanted to get back into the race. So the RGF guys go to the front and we're moving again. I'm on Derrick's wheel when the first few start going, and we're right behind the train through the start-finish. Humming along, Dave is pulling going into turn 2, with Derrick and then me. It's looking like Derrick won't pull through.

I like turn two when I'm near the front. I can rail that thing, and come out really fast... faster than most guys I guess because I've gapped guys sitting on my wheel through there in the past. So I'm third wheel through the turn, and it's obvious Dave wants off the front as he goes to the right curb, but Derrick is NOT budging. So I pull through on the left... I guess Dave was getting upset, and he started to pull off left then, too. I yell as I go by, and pull, but no one is on my wheel. What a mess. I wonder if there is a good way for me to pull through that corner?

Anyway. I back off a bit to let the field back on...as the other DLP pro jumps! OY!! I dig hard to get the wheel, and I'm there but I'm am not staying here! The gap opens and there is nothing I can do. I try to get the next guy to go.. but it's a Lake Effect and they won't.

Dave yells something about how can I let that wheel go, as he goes to close the gap. Sorry, I did what I could. We eventually bring the guy back, but I'm done doing any work for multiple reasons. I'm supposed to be sitting in, remember? If RGF doesn't want anyone to get away, then they'll have to do the work for it.

Dave was getting pretty upset about the race tactics. Spin riders were attacking the field, Lake Effect was actively blocking, and RGF I think was kind of almost trying to get a chase going. Tom was working occasionally, Chris was a stud doing his part, but I was done with that. Eventually, Dave sat up and pulled into the parking lot amid another rash of screaming. I guess he decided to race another day.

The field was then content to move, but not to quickly. My HR was where I wanted it to be. The DLP guy tried to get away a couple more times, without success, and it ended in a sprint. Someone won the race I'm sure. I was sitting absolute last wheel coming into final turns, behind Bob Martin from RGF. If he went, I'd have gone with him... but he he's a snake through the field. I ramped up, but it was more fun sitting in watching how some guys bounce around in the field to get 10th in a field sprint for 10th place. I'm sure someone won the field sprint too. I rolled across the line somewhere pretty far back in the field.... I was entertained.

Another day at the races complete. 4 weeks until my first Cross race!