|
What Mark saw:
Category: 5
Result: Back of pack
I seriously considered not riding on Sunday as my legs were pretty shot from the day before but I still rode. The thing about tired legs is that they dont respond well to changes in tempo so i decided to hang around the back and spin as low a gear as possible to see if i could get any form back. I knew I could not muster up a brutal sprint so I planed to put in an attack with 5 to go.
5 to go took me by suprise and I was way too far back so I worked my way to the front. With 3 to go I was second in line and the guy in front sat up so I just attacked . Fortunately I had a team mate near the font so he blocked until the pack realized what was going on (Im sorry I am terrible with names). I stayed away on my own for about 1/2 a lap until some other guy came across to me but he went past me so hard I couldnt get on his wheel. I was soon back in the pack with 1 to go and just hung on the back until the finish. Great fun.
Back to top
|
|
What Ziggy saw:
Category: 5
Result: Did not finish
This sunday was doomed from the get-go. I started off late, missed Jeff and managed a very short warmup without proper stretch. Race was going well until the dude in front of me thought it wise to cut to the right as fast as he could while everyone else was going straight. My poor front wheel met his rear der. and I was through with five to go. Garry offered me his front, but Barry said no as we were at five to go. I was feeling pretty good too. Pisser!
Glad I didn't fall (although two teammates of another team weren't so lucky) and glad I don't have to pay for any fancy spokes. Jeff and Brian "I love coconut juice" Jensen, looked good and seemed to just get a bad spot for final selection.
Back to top
|
|
What Tim saw:
Category: 5
Result: Mid-pack
Huge 45 master field (49), with everyone I'd ever heard of: 3 USPS, Bart and Bob from AV, Brian McGuire, Mark Caldwell, etc, etc, Two major breaks which both succeeded had the field and me fighting for 14th. Really sloppy riding for a 45 race, but no wrecks. Although I couldn't have hung with either break, it didn't help that I been babying my knee for 6 weeks and the parking lot has been off limits, so I definitely was not up to snuff. Oh well, it was nice to get out there anyway and talk to Garry after his race and before mine started.
Back to top
|
|
What Mike M. saw:
Category: 5
Result: Mid-pack
This was my first race of the season! Carl, Mark, and I were in this race together, although I must say that I wasn't much use to either of them. Carl seemed like he was in the first 25% of the field the whole time. At one point he was pushing the pace with 4 or 5 others at the front. Most of the race, the pace was pretty steady with only a few aggressive jumps out of the corners. I ended up moving around in the field but was unable to stay in the front. As far as I know, only one person got dropped.
With 3 laps to go or so, Mark went off the front. I was stuck mid-field, but Carl was up at the front of the peloton blocking as well as was possible for one person. We were all together again by the last lap and set up for a field sprint. It got dicey on the backstretch when a few overzealous riders decided to sweep the corners instead of holding their lines. (Hold your lines, gentlemen!) All in all great fun! I'm really looking forward to the next race!
Back to top
|
|
What Jeff saw:
Category: 5
Result: Mid-pack
Summary: I got 22nd. I was able to attack and move around in the pack with ease, but sleep deprivation and too much riding on Saturday ensured that I wouldn't have a sprint in the end.
Wente was really the first race where I've raced with any of you wonderful folks. Ziggy and Brian and I agreed to stay together but in practice it was a lot harder than expected.
This pack was a lot nicer than the pack at Landpark. As far as I could tell, there wasn't much braking and the pace was moderate compared to Landpark where there was a lot of braking and the pace was slow.
I mostly kept within the front of the pack. It was very strange how the group would follow the inside of the course even though sometimes it was much shorter to cut the corner through the left side of the road. This was a great place to jump places. On the 2nd to last lap, I jumped from the back to the top 10 without having to surge.
People around me sounded nervous, lots of shouting of holding lines, but I didn't really find anything scary about the group since I'd gone to the race school. I touched wheels, elbows, and even handlebars. Not a worry. At one point, I looked behind me and saw some fellow pointing me out to his neighbor, "Watch out for that fellow! He's dangerous." I took it a bit personally but I really couldn't tell that my line was particularly bad. Anyone else notice?
There was a small attempted breakaway with me, another guy from the race school, and some BBC fellow. We were well organized but the break wasn't decisive at all and we aborted. I'm not sure that 3 people is enough to make a successful run.
The day before I did a tune-up ride and I think I went a bit too fast. I felt good but I didn't have the discipline to keep my enthusiasm in check. My legs were a bit tired the night before and 6 hours of sleep didn't do it for me. I knew I wouldn't have a sprint so I scanned the group for some strong looking fellows and prayed that I'd be lucky to find someone to pull me up.
Approaching the final corner I was at about 8th place, I made the mistake of being on the outside and turned really wide as the entire pack slid past me. I had no cover AND I had to sprint on my own. 22nd at the end.
Lessons learned: The tune-up right the day before was a good idea since I made some cleat position improvements. However, the speed was too high and I got tired. Also, more sleep will improve my performance.
Back to top
|
|
What Garry saw:
Category: 3
Result: Mid-pack
I rode the senior 3 only and was determined to ride sensibly considering my abysmal lack of form. So I hung around the back of the pack for many a lap chatting with some old friends. The pace was high and all attempts at breakaways were chased down which is pretty normal for the 3's and for this circuit. Unlike the 5's, my group used the whole width of the road and thus it was inevitable to be riding the bot dots. no matter, they are only 1/4" high and I had low gears. I had decided to follow one of either two riders at the finish, but with 85 guys all thinking they could get a placing the pack was like a well stirred stew. One second you are exactly were you want to be, the next you are way off the wheel and on the wrong side of the pack.
With two to go I was in the top 15 on my preferred lead out. With 1 1/2 to go I was mid pack and struggling to find a way through. The pace was too slow, the big teams were riding like lemons and it was getting scary. Anyway I finished mid pack, and my preferred lead out, well he won!. About 80 starters and an average of 27 mph, but only a top speed of 35. Not fast enough to make it safe.
Back to top
|
