Reports by:

• German
• Matt I.
• Donn
• Ziggy
• Garry

Category: 5
Result: Did not finish

Beautiful day again, couldn't ask for more, except for a little bit of luck!!!

I got to the race at about 8:30 AM with the valuable company of Mike N, who kindly rode to my home and helped me out to prepare for this amazing race. I got an excellent warm up in my trainer and adjusted my bike accordingly.

When the race started I was at the front of the peloton. Lap one started and I was positioned in the first 15 riders, the pace was fast as expected, but everything was going well including my heart rate. Then by lap 2, I maintained my position in between the first 15 riders, I was still feeling great and was starting to move up towards the front in the first ten, but the unfortunate came in lap 3 right before the main climb; my chain felt off and got stocked with the front and rear derailleur, I got off the bike, set the chain on place and continued towards the main climb, losing valuable positions and time!!! Then, while descending, there we go again, the chain again!!!...It fell off again and at this point it got really stuck with the front derailleur to the point that I couldn't even move the pedals. I was so upset!!! So I decided to roll towards the finish line and announced my retirement from the race.

What a shame!!! I was felling great and strong and was well positioned!! But once again for the third time this year, a mechanical problem came in the hills. It seems like my bike presents problems when I put so much power on it, especially, while climbing tough hills, anyway, I am planning on replacing both, front and rear derailleur to see if the problem gets finally fixed. The chain and cassette are brand new so these shouldn't be the problem. I am hoping to see better days on the road and I am looking forward to the combined 4/5 category at the Golden State criterium on 5/15 in Rancho Cordova, I have to do something over there!!

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Category: 4
Result: Mid-pack

This was my second year doing cat's hill. Last year was in the 5's and a decent placing-but I really struggled on the hill in the final laps last year. This year my concern was the hill again.

I knew I was a bit doomed when I got to the starting line. I was placed in the middle-to back on the starting line. Not a good place I thought. Going off on the whistle, I was clipped in perfectly and the surge was on. This was a big field, about 85 riders, so going into the corners it was pretty tight. The first time up the hill I elected to try the 39x21 and went up the hill with no problems.

The pack was so huge that I could see the front of the pack going into the next turn onto Bachman when I made the turn onto Belmont! So, I was going to see if I can just hang in the pack and move up in the final laps. Going up the hill a few more times, I experimented with a bigger gear, a 39x19 and found it a bit hard, so the 39x21 worked best. I actually felt stronger each time on the hill and knew I would be okay with the hill for the rest of the race. Now my priority was to see if I could move up.

There was a crash on the corner of Tait and Bean and I was able to go around it. It took out some people in the near corner. Later there was a crash on the hill, I guess a missed shift, I was lucky to avoid any of those happenings. One thing I completely forgot to do was check the lap cards. I was so focused on trying to get ahead or stay involved with the pack-i noticed 2 laps remaining! Whew, time flew.

This is one thing about cat's hill, its NOT a race where you can "move up" I found it really really hard to move up and was just chasing individuals strung out in the pack. It was frustrating, and I rolled in with the pack at the finish. I have no idea of my placing, but I would guess anywhere between 30 and 50. It was a fun race, I really like the course and its very challenging.

My HR averaged 175 for the whole race, and maxed out at 197, it was intese right from the gun. Next year, I'm going to push and shove my way to the front of the start line!!

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Category: 4
Result: Back of pack

I had signed up for this race and Berkeley Hills some time ago, but as race week approached my wife asked me to pick one race. So I planned on skipping Cat's Hill and just doing BH. Well, on Friday my wife had a change of heart and I got the go-ahead to do both races. Thanks Michele, you rock!

Anyway, when i previewed the course last week with the team, i knew this race would kick my butt. Sure enough, it did. I was OK for about 4 laps, but then began drifting back with each lap. By lap 8 i was just hoping I could hang on and not get lapped or pulled from the race. Thanks for all the encouragement on the hill guys! I don't know who was there cheering but it was very appreciated. I managed to make it to the final lap and couldn't see the pack behind me so I knew I would at least finish. I think I finished last or next-to-last.

I had to head home right after the race so I didn't get a chance to see Garry and Brian race or chat with the other team mates there, but again, thanks for the encouragement.

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Category: 3
Result: Mid-pack

As I am the reigning SuperChamp of the Cat 3's, I felt it my duty to make my presence felt at the annual Cat's Hill Classic. This year I would have Garry Birch by my side as Lieutenant Playa and all around Ass Kicker should the Fat Punk try to start stuff again today.

My tune-up on Friday sucked so I was worried that things were gonna go bad with the legs on the big day. Saturday's warm-up was equally as suck, and I was in semi-panic mode as Garry tried to calm me down by showing Angie (FFBC's unofficial Wine Taster Supreme), and I how to properly ride off a set of rollers (as opposed to not paying attention and riding off the side, which GB is far too experienced to ever do).

We get to the staging area and are in about third row when the gates drop. I sprint and nip a coupla chumps to the starting line and manage a front row spot. Barry Orlando said some stuff about neutral pits, free laps, total laps, and something about starting on the whistle. Whistle blows and off we go, sprinting like it's the final lap. We go up the hill and down the hill, I'm rushing to get to the front as I had managed to screw up my fantastic rock star front row starting position and was about 15 riders back.

So anyway, we get to the hill the second time and I'm in 4th wheel, a good place to go if you want to stay out of trouble. The three ahead of me casually start making their way up the hill, while I rocket up the damn thing. I pass one guy and the front two have split and are now side-by side when suddenly they all run out of gas. I'm still planning on splitting the front two cuz there's not much else to do as the guy I had passed (Nate Shaw) was just behind me and blocking my exit to the left, when suddenly the two ahead come together with my front wheel inbetween them. Remember, I'm going faster than them, so shit happens really fast. I've got a rear derailleur coming my way and typically when this happens I calmly move out of it's way, but for whatever reason, that just wasn't gonna happen this time.

About a half dozen spokes get ripped or broken from my front wheel, the thing tacoe's (folds in half), stops spinning, and me and the Orbea do some acrobatics. I think some Punkass ran into the brotha while he was down (probably jealous cuz I was SuperChamp and he wasn't), I think it was a McGuire guy. So anyhow, I pop up and try to ride the bike down the hill but the thing isn't going anywhere so I shoulder the bastard and start hoofing it.

I guess the crash happened past the crest of the hill because I ran for a second thinking I was running down hill, then suddenly the road tilted downard and I go "Oh shit" and start running faster down the hill. Right, so I'm bookin' full stride down the hill, through the vendors area and through some vendors booths as I dodge spectators, change both wheels, adjust my shifters and bars and set off with a still 15 degrees crooked stem to rejoin the race as they come around.

I'm not sure if I lost a lap here or not. Adrenalin fueled my return to the head of the pack. I roared up the hill cussing and swearing (Chris said he could hear me all the way up the hill), for the slower chumps to get out of my way. I managed to make it back to the front of the action, only to die as soon as my heart caught up with my legs.

I spent the rest of the race trying to get my legs and head back into the game, giving up on several occasions as things just weren't going my way. Garry provided much support, yelling at me and generally giving me hell for allowing myself to slip to the back of the pack. I followed him around for a lap or two to let the leggies rest and to try to get my shit straight. I rode away from him only to be held up by the slower pack on the hill.

This is the most frustrating part of this race. Having the legs to do something about it, only to be caught up by a pack of slower riders who didn't. Each ascent of the hill basically started at zero and sapped the shit out of your legs until you had no more. Not so good for my head. At about three to go, I looked up the road at the number of riders ahead of me and decided that I wasn't gonna win and sat up.

A handful of riders passed me by when I suddenly did a little bit of an inventory of my remaining strength and decided I'd give it one more go. So I now had two laps to do something good. One lap was spent trying to move up on the outside. This didn't do anything but piss me off. Final lap through and I blast up the inside on the finishing straight to within 5 or 10 wheels from the front. Problem with this is that I was on the inside with riders steering tight on the right hand turn, so I had to slow, losing maybe 10 spots.

Up and over the hill I get another handful of spots but the descent is balls to the wall and I only manage two more spots. Into the finishing sprint, a few riders gave up and I sprinted past them to finish 15th on the day. Not my best result at The Hill, and probably could have been a bit better had I gotten my head together sooner.

My winnings for the day: A destroyed front wheel, an out-of-true rear wheel, a crooked stem, torn bar tape, some road rash on my forearm and a small gash on my hip that looks to be deep enough to leave yet another ugly Keloid. Oh, and I'm also really pissed that I didn't win.

Thanks to Jason, Mike, German, Garry (beat these Punks!), Chris, Angie, Biker Bob and Linda for the beer, and whomever else helped and subsequently got yelled at by me.

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Category: 3
Result: Mid-pack

Last year I was really amped for the crit of the year, and was promptly shown the back door after 3 laps, and pulled after 6. I was led to believe that I was in good form by the coach and that it was all doable. That was not how it happened in '04.

My approach this year was more based upon what I did training wise about 5-6 years ago and I was hoping that this would prove a better approach. Also, not really excited about the event, so consequently I slept a lot better the night before. (yes, even though I have been racing for over 20 years, I still get the night before jitters on occasion). In fact I was so relaxed, I forgot to bring my race front wheel.

Ziggy has been flying recently, he stood a good chance of winning, and I was happy to race as the Cat 3 super league main mans domestique. We had arranged ahead of time to meet in Los Gatos, so that we could have a communal warm up, and I could borrow his rollers. We got together about 2 1/4 hours before our scheduled start, Zig introduced Angie, his girlfriend, and then off to registration and see the Cat 5's start there race. Anyway, I'm rambling on here.

Zig and I had a good 45-50 minute warm up with a couple of efforts up to LT and then off to claim our front row spot on the staging area grid. Unfortunately, we were superceded by 30 other blokes. All bastards, all of them. The bar went down, and Ziggy attacks immediately down the left, his legs spinning like a maniac. What a move, and all to get on to the front row at the start line.

Whistle goes and I am near the back of the 80 strong field. Up the hill for the first time, now is the moment of truth and...........thanks be to Allah and Anquetueil, the legs and lungs are all responding. Over the top and still good and moving forward. And so it was for the next lap and then on lap 3 ( think it was 3), there is Ziggy walking towards me with a face like thunder. What the crap, I am now the MAN.

Each time up the hill was really solid, tried to move up a couple of times, but it took me out of my ever so cozy comfort zone, so I aborted all of that sort of thinking. Then I see Zig again, sliding backwards way too fast. A few gentle words of encouragement and some cajoling and he is back in the fray. That happened several times. The usual antics are going on upon the slopes of the hill, some clowns going onto the hill in the big ring, some slipping gears on the gradient, others de-cleating. All fun and games. My plan to give myself a bike length in front of me, to accommodate any emergencies paid off twice, with plenty of time to make some moves around the guys going backwards.

Up the hill for the 19th time, and a twinge of cramp and a big push to stay with the group and into the last lap, just OTB, but Bernard Stonas, ex FFBC and now with AV is a doable target ahead and I take him on the line. Good idea Richard. So, I finished in the 3's, I felt really good on the hill and thoroughly deserved my desert that night with dinner.

Thanks to all the verbal encouragement, I definitely heard RB, German and Chris, and I know there was others willing us on up the hill. A big thank you, it really helps.

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