Reports by:

• Keith K
• Garry

Category: M55+
Result: Off the back

I arrived in sufficient time for proper warm up and with a goal of staying with main pack throughout race. My category was combined with M45s and this made for a very crowded field. What a beautiful day to be out racing! Talked briefly with Garry, Richard, Carl, Pritpal, and Frank before race and admired our new kits.

Last year's race was very windy along first climb section, leading me to believe section was steeper that it really was. This year, this same section seemed almost flat. I stayed in back section of pack for first three miles, wanting to stay in contact with other riders in my category. Along back straight section, one rider went down and guy in front of me slammed on his brakes. I followed suit and skidded for about 10 yards! Was that burning rubber smell my wheel?

I remained upright and avoided the downed rider, but the field was moving away. I had the opportunity to move back into the field if I had of dug in and made the real effort. I didn't... While I finished the top portion of hill they moved across summit and into the flats, and then they didn't wait around. Long story short, rode the remainder of race solo. At least I know I didn't finish last.

Lessons learned and relearned.
I gained basic bike control skills in crash avoidance situations.
I squandered opportunity to hook up with teammate to rejoin pack.
It's important to attack last quarter of hill section if attempting to bridge.

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Category: 3
Result: Back of pack

50 Mile RR, 5X10 mile lap, raced the cat 3. Team mates, Carl, Richard and shock, Pritpal! Full field of 100 riders.

The lure of another flattish RR enticed me to go play with the Cat 3's at Zamora, a.k.a. the Bariani RR. Bariani is a bespoke Olive Oil manufacturer and and is an Italian business, so they have cycle racing in the veins.

The drive from my place was 1 1/2 hours, so to make a decent arrival for the 08:05 start, the plan was to leave mi casa at 05:30. Well, at 05:35 I get rudely awakened by Richard who called to tell me that he was outside with Carl and Pritpal and to get my lazy ass outta bed. Sorry guys, the usual story of set the alarm for 5:00 in the afternoon.

Anyway, we all pile into the Carl Anderson mobile race HQ vehicle and we make good time to Zamora, which is located up off I-505, north of Winters. We manage to get ourselves sorted out and to the line in good time with a minimal warm up. The guys had been telling me how in the three's race last year the wind had been brutal and shredded the field after the climb, so we all agreed that the best plan was to stay near the front as much as possible to be able to be in the action if the peloton was going to split.

Lap 1 and we are rolling along the frontage road adjacent to the freeway, heading north. Legs seem to be working fine and I spend some time seeing who is in the field. I spy some strong guys I know from Eastside, plus some AMD juniors and also the strong, strong riders who are racing with the IC3 team this year. These same people had put the hurt on in the Snelling RR and I made a mental note to keep tabs on them. A small group went off the front and I found myself rolling through on the front of the pack, and they soon came back on the east bound leg of the course. We turned south on to a slightly more bumpy and rolling section for the haul back to the race HQ zone, finish line and hill, where a KOM was to be contested. As we get close to the hill, Pritpal moved up to minimize any effect of the hill may have on his forward progress. His plan worked and he maintained contact.

Lap 2 and more of the same, I noticed that the IC3 riders where always at or near the front.

Lap 3 and two of the IC3 have pinged off the front with another couple of guys just through the start / finish line. The gap is small, maybe 15 seconds and it stays that way as we move on to the frontage road. I decide that it's time to make a move and although I am way back in the field I make a swift move to the front and then make a bridging effort to jump the gap. Once there I suck wheels for a minute and then join the rotation. As we make our way along the north leg, several others come across and we have a group of 7 working reasonably decently. Two from IC3, 1 from Eastside, 1 from AMD juniors, 1 from team swift, one other and me. I'm at the redline the whole time and my glances back show we have not made a huge impression. So I make a decision to sit up and wait for the pack. As they come by, they are in full chase mode and about 4 miles later the breakaway is absorbed. So I made the correct decision.

Lap 4 and some singles breakaway but all are brought back. I see RB and Carl briefly, but its serious business and we have to follow the centerline rule, so the pack is congested and concentration is high.

Lap 5 and just after we go by the start / finish a rider from the Team Oakland squad solos off. Half a lap later, one of the IC3 riders bridges up to him and the two maintain the gap all the way to the finish line where the IC3 rider takes it. The pack is not really hammering, so all the remaining riders feel they have a chance. We hit the hill for the last time, it's only 1 mile from the finish and riders are being spat out the back really fast, me included. I make another surge over the crest and I'm close to getting back on, just 50 yards separate me from the peloton. Just before the final left hander, 5 guys bite the dust, and then just after the right turn, with 500 to go, another clash of handlebars brings down 4 more. I roll past them and come in 40th out of the 100 starters.

I like the course, wish we could have the whole road to play on. The wind could be a huge factor on the course, but it was not too windy when we raced. All good training, and I made a move, so I actually raced a bit.

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