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What Matt I. saw:
Category: 4
Result: Off the back
I was really looking forward to this race. The course is really fun and
included a little bit of everything-flat road, rollers, twisty decents,
and some cilimbing.
I arrived with plenty of time and got some good parking nearby
registration. The first thing I did was get in the port o potty line.
Good thing I did because by the time I got out, the line was a mile
long. Registration was a breeze. They had the release forms all ready to
go, all I had to do was sign it. Very well organized.
Went back to the car to get ready, and I started having this feeling
like I forgot something, or something was missing. Aw damn. I left my
trainer at home. Okay, well I was gonna warm up on the roads. Ugh. No
problem.
I was really relaxed and got ready and hit the road to warm up, it
wasn't that bad and others had the same idea.
We got our call up and I spotted Donn and behind him was Chris. Great,
the three of us. Chris was on the waiting list and was the last person
taken.
We were off and after a short neutral section, there was a prime. I was
a bit surprised at how soon it was after the neutral section. It wasnt
but maybe a mile.
We hit the first 2 sections of climbing and the first was a bit hard
because I wasn't really properly warmed up. The second wasn't too bad
but not great either. Onto the flat section on hiway 84 we were all
together again. I was surpised that the pack was smaller already after
the first two climbs. I got started thinking about how to play out the
next hill and haskins climb. I was just gonna see how it goes. Going up
haskins wasn't too bad until the last 500meters. I starting getting
gapped and really had to really fight to stay in contact.
Going over the
top I found myself chasing the bunch. Not too far behind me were 6
others and we quickly formed a chase, and it worked well with everyone
doing pulls. It took a while to catch the bunch but we were all
relieved. I just wanted to sit in a rest. I was doing better and my legs
were starting to feel a lot better. Going back into the 2 small hills, I
was ready to be a bit more agressive. The 1st small hill was no problem
and going into the descent into the next hill I found myself in bad
position. While everyone was so strung out from the descent, they were
powering away at the front by the time I was just beginning my climb.
Ugh.
Getting to the top, I was chasing yet again. This time, there were
only 4 of us. More hard chasing and it took about 10 minutes to get back
to the pack. I was tired. Fortunately, this gave me time to rest and eat
before going up haskins. Unfortunately, it wasn't too long of a rest, we
were going up on the approach again. At the feed zone, a lot of people
were powering away, and I just stayed in the big ring trying to muscle
my way through it. Stayed with the pack up the first part of haskins
hill and then faded. I was content to ride at my own pace and see if I
could pass anyone.
I ended up getting a bit stronger as the climb went
on and passed two. At the top I put myself at anywhere from 25th to
40th. I was very satisfied with how I raced. I chased hard twice and
succeeded in getting back in contact. My climbing has improved a bit but
just need that extra oompth. When I get my 170mm cranks I think it'll be
easier on my legs. The 172.5's are a bit hard to turn over for me.
This is a great course and I enjoyed it! Kudos to Chris for such a great
race. I'll let him tell the story!
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What Mike N. saw:
Category: 5
Result: Off the back
I came to the race, had a long easy warm-up, and I'm sure the whole
cat 5 group was annoyed by the 15 minute delay. I was starting to
catch a cold on Thursday, and on race day there were still some
symptoms lingering (I coughed every couple of minutes during the
race).
The first two climbs on Stage Rd. were fine, but it was odd to see
everyone crossing the "center-line" on the single lane descent. There
weren't that many riders dropped by the time we came to 84. 84 was a
little painful on the small uphill sections, but I recovered on the
downhill sections.
Turning onto Pescadero Rd. I found myself near the
back of the pack on the long downhill before Haskins Hill. I knew it
would be optimal to be in the front, but I felt that I could manage
maneuvering through the slower riders because I did so on the Stage
Rd. climbs. Well I was wrong because flocks of riders came tumbling
down and I saw the main pack go away.
After getting through traffic,
I went at sustainable full throttle towards the pack. I was getting
closer, but the gap must have been 30 seconds. I noticed a group of 6
or 7 riders between me and pack, so I figured if I could descend fast
enough, I could catch the 7th, then draft and catch the sixth and
eventually to the pack. The problem was was that there were three
cars that were in front of me. So going on the descents I had an
awesome draft, but the cars were going too slow! It was so slow that
the riders that were dropped behind me caught up to me quickly. One
rider was a daredevil and crossed the center-line to try and pass the
van. He was on the left side of the road, on blind corners, for ten
seconds until he managed to pass the car, but there were two more
cars in front of him.
Eventually the descents started to flattened
out and the cars went away, and what was left was a pack of seven
riders. We catch up to the daredevil and a semi-paceline was going.
Because the road was still pointing downwards, I can't really take
any pulls, so I main stay in the back and occasionally go to the
second position. When it came to the flats, however, I took a few
pulls. On Stage rd, I noticed that there was only one other rider who
could climb as well as me. We still do pacelines along 84, but not a
lot of people want to work. I end up going to the front more often to
keep the pace going and try to tire people out so there won't be any
attacks on the flat sections.
When it came to Pescadero Rd. I did a
small attack right after the water feed, and on the descent I soft-
pedaled to let the pack try and get me. Then on the main climb, I
stay in the front across from another rider to try and block any
attacks. The other good climber ends up attack on the left side of
the road, and I wait a few seconds, then I jump it and grab onto his
wheel. I stayed behind him for a couple of minutes, saving any energy
from his draft. When it came to the steepest section of the climb, I
slowly upshifted to the middle ring, waited a couple of seconds, then
blasted off ahead of him. I quickly go back to rhythm and have a nice
gap of ~10 seconds.
I kept thinking that the finish was less than a
kilometer away, so I tried to ignore the pain and kept going. I pass
a couple of other racers and with 500m to go I see that they are
slowly creeping up towards me. At 200m I look back and see that they
won't make it in time. I start to cramp in the left calf, then the
right calf, so I slow down a bit and then give it one last push to
the finish. So even though I didn't get first overall, being in that
second pack was like another race in itself.
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What Jorge saw:
Category: 5
Result: Mid-pack
Got to the race with enough time to register,
nice to know that they even filled out the release
form for me and still had lots of time to say hi and
good luck to all the FFBC racers doing the race. Did
an ok 20 minute warm up just to get myself ready for
the quick climbs up stage road. The race started about
15 minutes late and the weather was overcast with
little wind which was good because I hated the windy
conditions when I did the pilarcitos stage race in the
same area months ago. Not being much of a climber my
goals for this race was simple, #1 stay near the front
up the climbs, #2 just lay everything going up the
climbs and try to stay with the pack and not get drop
on the first lap.
After a short promenade through town we where all
left to our worn devices and the racing finally begins
with the pace gradually increasing, a sprint prime
came up a couple of miles into it with a few riders
contesting it, seems like most wanted to save
themselves for the climbs ahead. I hit the first climb
mid pack and moved to second wheel as soon as we crest
the first hill on stage road cause I didn’t feel like
fighting for position on the downhill with a full pack
and I just love descending and hanging turns. Hit the
second climb and stayed around the top 15 all the way
to 84.
The pace on the first two climbs up stage road
wasn’t as quick as I thought it was going to be and I
had no problems holding my position with in the pack
and didn’t had to go all the way to the red zone
either. The pace on 84 wasn’t hard, probably around
the 22 mph range with an ICCC dude doing most of the
pace making and pulling. Hit the feed zone for the
first time with the pack riding tempo up the short
climb, with the major climb ahead nobody wanted to do
anything stupid and waited for the big one. This is
where all the fun begins, hit Haskins hill around the
top 15 with the pack riding a steady tempo which
gradually became harder and harder for me to hold. I
had to dig deep to hold my position all the way up the
hill which I was able to do and barely lost any places
but boy was I hurting. I keep my eye open for riders
going backwards and closed gaps as soon as they
opened, if that climb was mile longer I probably would
have gotten dropped.
Hit the top with a big sigh of relief that I
made it to the top with the lead pack and a bitchen
high speed descent with excellent pavement and long
sweeping turns to follow after. Hit the descent mid
pack and had to watch a few squirly riders that didn’t
know how to hold a line through a turn. There was a
general regrouping at the bottom of the descent with
the pace slowing down a lot which allowed people to
catch up and recover. At this point the peloton was
almost chopped in half and I took the chance to fuel
up with some power gels and drinks to ready myself for
the last time up stage road. Hit stage road with two
riders contesting the sprint prime and everyone
content to watch them go for it. The first climb came
with me sitting a little towards the back which I was
more content to do knowing that I didn’t have to work
my way around anyone cause everyone in this group was
strong enough to hold there own. I had to work a
little harder up the second climb up stage road and
had to dig deep to keep my position which I was able
to do going into 84 for the last time.
Hit 84 for the
last time with another big sigh of relief knowing we
were all homeward bound and grabbed a few more gels
and drinks to get some energy for the big finish.
Caught Fernando riding solo up the road and he took
the chance to jump in our group and we where able to
exchange a few words on how are races where going. I
was surprise to see zero attacks at this point of the
race I guess people where saving themselves for the
finish climb ahead. Hit the feed zone for the last
time with no attacks but people starting to fight for
position up front for the last time up Haskins hill.
Hit Haskins with attacks going right and left, tried
to go with the surge but quickly when to the red 200
meters into it, at this point my lungs and legs where
just killing me and I was more content to ride at my
own pace up the hill and finish. Lost about 2
positions up the hill and finished with the absolute
satisfaction that I did better than I hoped to do and
with the knowledge that I just need that extra bit of
fitness and I can be in contention for a top placing.
I average 20 mph the whole race with 2 hours 20
minutes to complete the distance and I think I
finished around the 20’s. Although crits are fun this
to me is what bicycle racing is all about and why I
started racing in the first place, races that push you
to the very limit that you feel wasted for the rest of
the day and get lots of seat time and not a 40 minute
warm up around a couple of streets.
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What Donn saw:
Category: 4
Result: Did not finish
Yet another disappointing result. Had a good warm-up and felt pretty good
going up Stage Rd climbs 1 and 2. Each climb put me near max but I never
felt I was in danger of blowing up. Reached Hwy 84 with the pack, where we
cruised for a while whilst everyone ate and drank. I moved up in the pack as
we approached Haskins Hill, then the racing began. I drifted back gradually
during the climb, but ultimately didn't think I was too far back at the summit. I
was about 20 seconds behind Chris at the top, so I thought if I can just catch
Chris I'll be fine.
Well, on the downhill I kept getting passed, and passed, and passed. At one
point I took a turn too wide and ended up in the gravel, barely managing to
avoid going into the trees. I hopped back onto the road, now even more
people pass me, and by the time I'm near the bottom of the hill I'm alone with
no one in sight. I saved myself the agony of a second solo lap and went
home.
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What Chris saw:
Category: 4
Result: 3rd
No report. Chris got 3rd place!
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