Category: 3
Result: Back of pack

First off, the customary complaint about getting up early - YUK! But I did it, and was down to pick up Jorge in Sunnyvale shortly after 5am. On our way through Dublin we stopped by Garry's place to pick him up as he was going to provide feed zone service for us.

We got to the race HQ a little late, but still in time for a short warm-up which proved sufficient for me before we were off at 8am. Roll-out was fairly close to time which was a pleasant surprise.

The promenade was pretty steady and the racing started immediately we got to the course with some breakaway attempts made heading towards the feed zone. I was attentive near the front early on and followed a wheel up to a small group which was beginning to look promising. But it wasn't to be.

I made a point of being in the front 15 or so going into the bumpy section on 4 of the 5 laps, the only time being on lap 4 where it was clear that the bunch wasn't going to let a break get too far later in the race. As we rode the bumps, I tended to slip backwards, something I knew I would have to avoid on the final lap.

On lap 1, a small group got established on the bumps and grew to 9 as some riders bridged across. This group survived 2 laps, but on the bumps on lap 3 was reeled in pretty quickly. After this break was caught, there were no further long-lived breakaways.

Garry was in the feed zone on lap 3 and attempted to hand me a bottle with the bunch charging through at 25+ mph. It didn't work and the bottle went flying. This procedure was successfully replicated on lap 4. Finally on lap 5 Garry had made his was further up the hill and we finally connected successfully.

On the final run-in, I again got myself into reasonable position approaching the bumps with the strong intention of staying there in preparation for the finish. But even though I tried, I didn't have the legs and slipped backwards to around 30th as we approached the final turn.

Round the turn with the win going up the road and the crucial sprint for 20th place ensued. Two riders came together in the middle of the pack, separated to their respective sides, each taking a rider to their outside down with them. This resulted in simultaneous, symmetrical crashes on both sides of the bunch involving 3 or 4 riders.

Naturally I slowed looking for a safe path which did appear in the centre of the road and I got through the crash safely, if markedly slowed. Then some idiot behind me decides to shout at me for slowing down to avoid the crash and causing him to slow his sprint for 37th place!

I rolled in towards the back of the bunch happy to be still upright and satisfied that I would had been mid-pack had the crash not delayed me.

So today marked a first for me: my first pack finish in a cat 3 road race. In all the others I have either flatted (Snelling & San Ardo 05), worked hard and been popped (McLane 05) or been popped and got a flat (Winters 05). The top-end speed and strength is not there yet as demonstrated by my inability to defend my position in the final 3 miles, but it is early season.

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