September 25, 2005
This is it.... the last road race of the season. This being one of my first road races, it's the only race I've done three years running. In 2003 I raced on Saturday before the challenge on Sunday, and popped off the group on the first climb up Quick road. In 2004, I did much better coming in fourth. So hopes were high with a strong team this year, I could crack the elusive podium...
The weather looked reasonable with 70 degrees and overcast skies. Discussion at the start about the chance of rain. The high cloud deck had me convinced we could get the 41 miles in before the rains came though.
The course is rolling with a long descent into the Cuyahoga River Valley on Wetmore road, and the only significant climb right as we turn onto Quick road. The B race was doing 5 laps for about 41 miles.
A huge B field this time around. In fact so large, the first scare of the day came as 2 of my teammates were nearly closed out of registration. A quick check with the official, and we were clear to race all 6 of the SnakeBite contingient. Brett, Jeff, Tom, Jason, Brian and myself were representing the blue team today in a field estimated to be between 52 and 58. StarkVelo, Trizilla, PDQ and Summit also had numbers, so it looked like the team game may play out today. There were also a bunch of smaller teams and single guys... including Phil Hines from Team Hollyloft... and a frequent antagonist of my writings. The guy comes in for Cleveland races from Sharon, PA.
Before the race, Brett was again suggesting an attacking strategy. With 6 riders in the field and the last two running of the B field ending in a sprint finish, we hoped to force the pace a bit at the beginning, then maybe spring someone for a break to win. If not, we wanted to setup a nice sprint train to deliver a few to the front for the finish.
The Race
Lap 1:
At the start Brett threatens the "go as soon as you're clipped in" move again. We all laugh, not with the way my legs felt during the 2 mile warmup I've had... fortunately Brett has had less, and he pulls onto the front to start us off. I get "comfortable" sitting about 20 people back as Brett winds it up. I think he's trying to reduce the size of the field single handed. OK by me, that'll give me some time to loosen up some.
As we enter the turn off of Steels Corners for the first time, I think we caught the marshal a bit off guard. That turn jumped up at me before I knew it. Crazy stuff as we all try to figure out how this is going to go. Brett does a long turn at the front, through about half the backside, then starts waving others to take over... no takers, until Jason goes by me. I jumped on his wheel, and the two of us take it down the hill. I took over from Jason about half way down, then a Summit guy gets in front of me on the final approach to River. At the bottom, Doug from Summit offers some "advice" about the tar getting slick if there's any dampness today. I don't think many liked the way we descended that hill.
Making the turn onto Quick road, we hit the first climb of the day... come on legs, I've got to loosen up or I'm going to be off the back before this thing is over.
Quick road is pretty interesting. There is the steep climb, followed by a false flat. The road then crests for a flat section, then you hit some rollers about 3 miles from the finish. The last roller climbs to crest about 200-300 meters from the line. The last mile is a total mess of pot holes. You either want to be on the outside on the yellow line, or on the inside near the edge. First time through I'm on the inside. As the group hits the first roller, it stalls, and I'm forced onto the gravel on the edge... a little cyclocross practice, but it takes me up into the group. I'm sitting in about half way back as we make the first approach to the start finish. Brett is planning the finish already, where do we need to start to string this out and do something good?
I actually hit the lap button as we cross the line: Lap time 21:04 for an average close to 23.1 mph.
Lap 2:
These may blend together. Mostly the field seemed to stay together here until we hit the climb on Quick road where a StarkVelo guy got a nice gap. The field basically sat back and watched. I was starting to feel better on the climb... not front of the field better, but I was coming around.
Time: 21:25:0 for an average of 22.7 mph.
Lap 3:
The Stark guy held the field off pretty much through the lap. As we climbed Quick road again, Brett was talking to another Stark rider, asking if he could hold it for the rest of the race... mmmm I don't think so. He was impressive though. At the top of the climb, it was pretty obvious he was coming back.
Third time coming in, Brett is talking about tactics with Tom. I'm on his wheel. Looking around, we've still got everyone in the field, even though it looks like the field is down in the 30's now. We decide we want to be near the front at the top of the hill... then we can organize the train for the finish.
On the first two laps, I was thinking of helping out the team when possible. On the third lap I decided to try and watch two guys and see if I could just keep tabs on them, since I expected them to be in at the finish. Mehul from PDQ... I knew he could sprint, but wasn't sure of his climbing. The other guy was Phil Hines. At Blossom, Brett had put me on a man to man with Phil.... and I'd seen him jump away from the master's field at Valley City with three to five miles to go and hold them off for a second place. Phil was playing an interesting game. He'd sit at the back of the field... I mean total back with no one behind him for the whole lap. Then on the climb, he'd jump to the front and set the pace to the rollers. Then drop back through the field and repeat. I was reminded that he had done the same thing at Zoar... and almost jumped the field there for the win... he still ended up fourth there. Definitely someone to watch.
Time: 21.21.1 for an average of 22.8 mph.
Lap 4:
When we caught the StarkVelo rider, another break went. This time it was about 6 guys including Jason! The break looked good with just about every major team represented. We've got a free ride now, as we don't have to chase. Very nice! Brett and I drop back to conserve and talk the final tactics. I dropped back further to give Brain the story....and Phil is back there. I have a few words with him, he's really concerned about this break. I'm happy with it, cause I need the rest before the finish. I'd really like to do something good today.
Funny how fast the race face can change... at River road the break came back. Then another StarkVelo rider goes off the front before the climb and gets a nice gap. In the middle of the climb, a Trizilla rider jumps and joins him... easy as you please. The field watches them connect, and then they work together to the start finish.
Lap 5:
As we cross the start finish, someone calls out 30 seconds to the front two. 30 seconds... now I'm getting concerned. So much for the free ride. I'm near the front, a Trizilla and a StarkVelo rider are also up front... and no one cares. I start moving up... I may not have legs for the finish, but if we don't bring these guys back, it won't matter.
As I'm moving to the front, I hear a guy call the Summit riders to the front to start working to bring this back. Nothing against Summit, but I've never seen them work as a team before... inside, I don't expect to see many up here helping.
So, I start to pull. I look back, and Doug from Summit is there. OK, pull through. On his wheel is a Trizilla... nope, you are not welcome here. I fall in behind Doug. It looks like it's just the two of us. Doug pulls off, and I let him know it's just me and him right now. Brett shows up and takes us onto Steels Corners. As we make the turn, the field does it's roll, and a Trizilla guy tries to insert himself again. The three of us organize, and shut him out. We work well, and make the turn onto the back, again a Trizilla tries to muscle in, and I move him out of the working line.
Then Tom comes up to help, but it's tough to organize a smooth chase. We're all getting nervous, so we tend to pull a little to hard as we get to the front. Brett, Tom, Jason and I all end up doing our work... but it seems we're not getting much help from the other teams. Granted StarkVelo and Trizilla are now in the best seat in the house, they decide to let us do what we will... which doesn't seem to be making much of a dent. We can still see the break, but they do not seem to be getting much closer.
On the decent, it's Jason and I again... and I don't care about the turn at the bottom this time, we've got to bring those two back, and I know I've got the control to rail that turn. As I hit River, I open a gap to the field. Not huge, but they aren't on my wheel anymore. I see the two make the turn onto Quick, and I start counting... they are still 30 seconds up on me, and I've got about 10+ to the field. I decide I'm not going to sit up, because I'm sure they'll bring me back on the climb. I need the gap so I don't pop off the back before the top.
Sure enough, I hit the hill, and it's time to just survive.... and I'm not doing a very good job. Fortunately, it looks like the field is pulling the two back in also. I'm fading through the whole field when I see a split up ahead of me... uh oh. Not good. Then it opens more... there goes the race! And I'm back here! A couple of guys get to the front, and we start to work to bring it back... Damn if I didn't have to work so hard chasing... I wouldn't be here! Come on, we can bring this back. Then I'm pulling, and Summit Doug is behind me... giving encouragement. I have him pull through, and I sit on his wheel for a minute giving encouragement... and we're almost there... and I pull through... and we're back. with about 4 miles to the finish. I've got to recover! WHAT In about 4 miles! Not good!
Brett is there, also pretty peaked... fortunately the field is again slightly stalled. There are two guys up the road though. Are they still away? It turns out to be a different two, but it doesn't matter to me. I just want to get to the finish.
Then I see Phil make a move up the outside... and I don't think, I just jump onto his wheel. He pulls me all the way to the front of the pack, and pulls a gap. And I still haven't thought, I just went. Phil knows I'm here, and I think he wants me to pull through... just as we're coming into the rollers before the finish. THEN I started to think. 2 miles to the finish... Phil can do this... I'm sucking wind! I just said "I've got nothing left man... I can't help. You can make it but you've got to go now. I'll let you go!"
So he goes! Pulls by the front two before the top of the first roller. Now he just needs to hold off the field over the second rise and he's got it. I am move backwards to the field. I'm on the front, but not for long. We wind up a bit going down the roller, and again imake up some space at the bottom of the last rise... only to get swarmed before the top. Cresting the top I'm on Brett's wheel and let him know, but we're both spent... we both rolled through somewhere at the back of the main field. I'm over the top in time to see Phil raise his arms for the V though.
post
I didn't hit the computer button until after we'd done a mile at some very slow pace... but I got a 22.3 average for 42 miles. I figure it was much closer to 23 though considering how the first three laps went, and how slow I was on that last mile.
Turns out Jeff was in a position to help Tom out in the finish... not enough, though Tom did end up 8th. Jeff and Brian were behind Brett and I at the end though, and I'm not sure where Jason was. So, again the team worked hard for the race, though our results are a bit thin. Props to Tom for again working the race hard and still having enough left for a top 10.
I'm mixed on my performance. I'm glad that I was on the winning move. It seems I can see who to follow on the group rides, because I know the riders. But come the weekend, I don't have the right people to follow... this time, I was there. If I wouldn't have "thought", I may have been able to go further... probably not though. This time I followed the right move, but didn't have the legs to finish it. Lot's of excuses... "if only I hadn't..." whatever. I guess it's always better to have worked and have an effect on how the race plays out then to sit in all day saving it for the end, and still not get the V. It's a bit frustrating, but we came out to race... and race we did!
With the road season over, time to hang up the road wheels... or convert them because now it's time for Cyclocross... I've got an intro/shameless plug for the SBR Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge on October 16th. My first cross race will be the BioWheels UCI race at Harbin Park, Cincinatti on October 9th. So my first 'cross race of the year will be the biggest 'cross event I've attended... should be fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment