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Copperopolis Road Race
Saturday 26th March, 2005
Official results, Course details
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Reports by:
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What German saw:
Category: 5
Result: Did not finish
Not too much to say. My bike decided to not continue climbing and broke its chain in lap 2 at the end of the summit. Got rescued by a old couple who were following the race. Basically, bad luck became my best friend is my guess. Hopefully, it will get away soon, went home with good legs but very dissapointed.
It is a very hard course but beautiful overall. I will do it again next year.
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What Richard saw:
Category: 3
Result: Off the back
For all you cat 5 riders out there, the secret for getting German to
turn up on time seems to be to pick him up yourself. Chris and German
arrived at about 5:20 at Garry's place and we were on the road at 5:28
this morning, heading into the dawn on our way to our date with Destiny.
Accompanying me on this quest in the Volvo were Garry and Ziggy to
complete the 3's team, Chris and German rode together and a lack of a
third bike race on Chris's vehicle had Donn also driving to make up the
5's team. Matt Idler was our sole crusader in the cat 4 event.
Our arrival was timed perfectly. We got there before the queue for the
portapotties existed! Once registered, we had plenty of time for our
preparations and warm-ups. We correctly judged that events would run
roughly 10 minutes late and got to the start just before the Pro/1/2
race departed. The 3's group was probably about 60 guys, and the usual
joshing regarding the road surface was exchanged with the starter. And
then we were off, 4 laps of the brutal course ahead of us.
The course was as bumpy as I remembered, but my revised position seems
to be more comfortable over the bumps. Onto the climb the first time and
we aren't taking it easy. My HR is up over LT on the lower slopes, but I
am feeling comfortable. At the bend in the steep section there is a
rider who has a problem and causes a slowing. Bugger - I had to dig deep
to get back up to speed, sending my HR through the roof.
I am now close to my max and know that I am on borrowed time. But I also
know that the top is close. It didn't come in time and I am popped. I
let myself recover and then try to limit the losses. Near the top I am
able to up the pace again, close the gap to a single rider ahead and we
then work together to get back on in less than a mile once over the top.
Time to hide in the bunch and rest. Garry and Ziggy were somewhere
behind me - I wasn't sure how far back.
The roads had quite a number of patches of small gravel, one of which I
think caused a crash on this section after the climb. I think his front
wheel went on to something soft and turned his bars bringing him
straight down. It was remarkable that no one else was taken down.
Once we had turned for home, Ziggy appears in the group followed not
long after by Garry. Splendid, we are all together again, but it is
clear that they had had a long chase. On to the second climb and I stay
with the group over the top. The descent was as bumpy as usual with an
added "terrain feature" near the top. I had to ride straight over this
berm of earth. Fortunately I had enough warning, was able to get some
big air and land it cleanly. Dangerous.
The descent strung the field out, but we regrouped on the rollers to the
finish. Once onto the main climb a second time I had a harder time. The
field strung out and on the steep section, the gaps opened. I ended up
on the second chase group. We worked ok together and were making up
ground. On the biggest of the rollers after the top, I kept the pressure
on and got to the top to discover that I had left the others. Choice -
do I wait or do I try to get across? I decided to persist.
One of the others came across to me and we worked together chasing. Some
of the first chase group made it across. We passed those who didn't. The
group was tantalisingly close at times, but we didn't get the gap to
under about 45 seconds. Once on to the second climb it was clear that we
weren't going to catch them.
Third lap and my companion stops at the feed zone. I continue and
struggle up the climb. I am joined by a Village Peddler rider near the
top and shortly afterwards the lead group of the 4's passes. We jump on
the back and get to watch the closing stages of their race from one of
the best vantage points possible. Up the second hill we hang back so as
not to disturb their race and then scream down the descent.
Final lap and there are 3 of us riding together, chatting when we can
and grimacing when required. Up the climb the 4th time really began to
hurt. We struggled round and enjoyed our final charge down the hill. I
made a point of contesting the resulting 2-up sprint to the finish.
And that was Copperopolis. The annual festival of pain on a bicycle is
over for another year. My climbing is better than last year. It still
isn't good enough, but I did ride the full distance and the world of
hurt only really started with a vengeance on the fourth lap, rather than
the third last year.
Whilst riding the third lap I came up with a cunning plan. Would it be
possible for me to get to LA tomorrow to see some of the World Track
Championships? Well, after some well-placed phone calls, I have tracked
down an unused ticket, booked a flight down and have a ride back (no
cheap seats back available) all arranged. Isn't that cool...
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What Matt I. saw:
Category: 4
Result: Mid-pack
The race was pretty uneventful from the start.
The roads were just as advertised-bad and it got worse as the race went
on. I don't think there is but just a very small section that is good-it
was just before the finish line.
I probably had the right bike, the roubaix pro with the gimmicky zertz
inserts for vibration damping. On the decent after the second hill, man
that road just about took off both my arms. I was glad to have anything
gimmicky if it helped even a little bit.
The first two laps, most of pack stayed togther, and there wasn't
anythig going on. No attacks or anything. I managed to stay with the
group up the climbs on the first two laps, but everything fell apart on
the last lap. There were some attacks going off by some team, I can't
remember who they were. I really had to dig deep but couldn't stay and
it was so close to the last crest of the first hill.
I thought my race was over when I got to the flat plateau and found
myself out there all alone, I just about decided to throw in the towel
when another sycip cat 4 guy came up behind me and asked me if I wanted
company. I said "sure" and we proceeded to just spin easy. It wasn't
long before we spied some cat 4's up the road. He asked if I wanted to
catch them and I nodded in agreement. We caught the small group of 5. It
didn't take long but some guy with a maies beer jersey took off with me
right on his wheel. I don't know what he was thinking, but I slowed and
waited for the others.
To my amazement, only the sycip guy who wanted to
join me was on my wheel. We both decided to go at tempo to see if we
could make up some places. He pulled on the flats and I pulled on the
short rollers. When we got to the 2nd climb, he started having trouble
and blew up. I was on my own again. I caught another AV rider on the 2nd
climb and passed him. Down the decent I went, it was so much easier
without the pack. I was able to see everything.
Got to the last nice part before the finish and saw two more AV riders.
Passed them and rode to the finish. I thin the AV riders were doing work
for the others on their team.
Judging by my place going up the big climb on the last lap, I put my
self anywhere from 15th-25th place. I reallly am not sure.
This was an awesome race, and while I had problems with the last big
climb just beofre the top, I am somewhat satisfied with how I did. At
least I know I need some more volume (miles) in my legs and better ME
(muscular endurance) for those sustained climbs.
It was very nice to see a good FFBC turnout!
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What Donn saw:
Category: 5
Result: Off the back
It was German, Chris and I representing the Cat 5's. After a decent warm-up, we
lined up and off we went. The first few miles miles of horrendous road before the
feed zone filtered out those with inaquedate tires as evidenced by several flats in
the first few minutes of the race.
At the first climb, the group started to break up. I was able to stay with the lead
group of about 12 or so riders. We summited and I felt pretty good. The pace on the
ascent was hard, but seemed reasonable. On the plateau, I was still feeling OK, in
fact I felt I was recovering from the hill. As we went through the gate and onto the
flatish straight away, the group put the hammer down and suddenly I was struggling
to hang on the back. Before we reached the turn, I was toast and dropped off. For
the remainder of the first lap, I tried to join a few small groups of Cat 5 stragglers but
was unable to hang on. I rattled down the descent. Just after the descent, Chris
passed me but I was in no condition to try to work with him and watched him ride
off.
Somehow, the second lap felt much better. Still alone, i just worked to pick off riders
ahead and managed to reel in a number of other soloists from various categories.
Upon cresting the hill, I could see Chris in the distance so that provided me with
some inspiration. I caught him on the same flatish straight away before the sharp
turn, but this time Chris was in no condition, so I continued on solo.
The third lap just sucked. Heading up the road before the feed zone, I couldn't see
anyone in front or behind, and for a short time I felt like the only person on the
planet, pedalling for some absurd reason. Finally I make it to the feed zone where I
take more bottles and Garry shouts encouragement, which certainly helped. Both
calves and quads are now at the verge of cramping, so I just try to maintain pace
below cramping level to get this thing over with. I finish most of my water (bottles 5
and 6 of the day) and keep on trudging. On the second lap, I had noticed a half-full
bottle of orange drink lying on the road near the rollers before the final climb. So now
I'm hoping that bottle is still there, and the hope of finding this lost bottle keeps me
going. I get to the rollers, and there it is, my salvation. I stop and grab the bottle and
down the hot orange goodness. Up the final climb, I'm cheering myself on (out loud
mind you), and finally, the descent and the finish.
Copperopolis is fun in the same way that hitting yourself with a hammer is fun...it
feels great when you stop. Well, I must not be too smart because I'm already
looking forward to the 2006 race.
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What Garry saw:
Category: 3
Result: Did not finish
Well, it went almost exactly as I thought it would, not has good as I HOPED it would. The Cat 3 team have been training hard and I personally have been doing consistent off bike work to improve on my upper body strength and core condition. Morale was good, the only downer being Zig's ill health of late.
Once again my warm up on the trainer was cut short, my rear tyre shedding rubber. Attempts to raise the HR into Z5 proved impossible, Z4 was barely achieved. Not a good omen. Still, better than nothing.
Managed to link up with Gaelan, and thus his dad, who volunteered to take our spare bottles for hand up in the feed zone. Thanks Tim.
Big group, maybe 60-70 strong rolled out, all was good up the minor slopes past the FZ, and then on to the climb proper. I was about 3/4 back from the front of the peloton, I thought I was good to climb with the group up to the top. Anyway, we start ascending the steeper section, it must be around 8-9% and gaps are appearing. Ziggy and RB were a few riders ahead, Ziggy was sliding back and RB was maintaining position. I was tracking Ziggy, sliding back as well. A brief look over my shoulder confirmed that I was not the only one with a gravity problem, maybe 10 riders were gapped. The holes got bigger and I was out the back, and frustratingly my HR was not even above LT, there must have been a form problem.
Over the top and I link up with two riders and we catch Ziggy on the plateau before the farm. We start to work well on the long straight at the head of the lake and are closing down on the remains of the peloton. Ziggy asked the pertinent question "Do we really want to catch them, only to get spanked again on the climb?" Of course we do!. The 4 reduce to three in the chase, Ziggy, Sean from the Thirsty Bear team and I keeping a good tempo. When we get to about 200 yards from the back of the group, Thirsty Bear and Zig power over a small rise and I cannot follow, and they make the junction. I am now on my own but manage to make contact after another 5 minutes chasing.
We get to the second climb and once again my legs just have nothing in them, not even enough to make it painful, so I slip out the back and just ride tempo. Ziggy has troubles as well and is dropped, and not surprisingly I link up with the TB rider again. One more time around the circuit and I am done, the legs are empty.
It is a real bummer to have the fitness, but no condition. Over training maybe, or just Copperopolis is not my sort of race.
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