Reports by:

• Tim
• Landon

Category: E4
Result: DNF
Teammates: Landon

I arrived at the high school at 7AM after taking an interesting route to the course: ca-17-> black rd - > skyline -> alpine -> pescadero rd. After reg'ing, I got in a 25 minute warm-up; then I hit the porto poties with 10 minutes till start time. By the time I finished, Casey was already giving the 4s their last rights -- so I started last wheel, again.

I tried to move up before the climbs started, but only made it to 50th. I made it over the first stage road climb with the group. Then we started the downhill. There were sketchy riders all over the place. I passed a few of them on the downhill, but still had to sprint to catch the group at the bottom.

I popped about halfway through the second climb of stage road. Fortunately, a couple other riders popped with me. Turning onto 84, a marshal said my little group of 6 were 30 seconds back. I figured we didn't have a chance of catching the field, but we got into a rotating pace-line and we worked pretty well together. We busted our butts and caught the pack just before making the turn onto pescadero creek rd. I guess I can thank Landon for driving the pace on 84. :) Well, as soon as we hit the pescadero rd, I went straight out the back.

Going over the top of the climb the Masters 45/55 caught me; I chilled at the back of their group until we got to the high school. I broke off from them on stage road and continued to debate whether I wanted to do another lap until we hit the first climb on stage road. After hitting this first incline, I turned around and went back to my car.

I'm a bit bummed about being dropped on Stage road, but pretty happy that my little chase group actually caught the pack, even though Landon said they were noodling.

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Category: E4
Result: 30ish
Teammates: Tim, Keith K

What a gorgeous day for a bike race! My day started at 6:20 when KK picked me up from Newark Java and we cruised out via 84 to Pescadero High School. Got ourselves parked, I left to go register and install myself in the ENORMOUS LINE that had formed before the porta-potties. Those tasks accomplished, I got myself a short warmup out of the road and just happened to be in the right place at the right time when E4 was called to the line...I got myself right up in the front behind the motorcycle.

The start was a mellow, neutral rollout through downtown Pescadero, and the pace really didn't kick much once we got through town and the race got underway. I guess the pack was still warming up, testing their legs, 'cause when the signs for the first prime started rolling past, there were no attacks. I looked back, and at 500m out upshifted and started pulling off the front. A couple guys went with, but with another upshift I was able to roll away from them and grab the prime. Score, thanks Larry and Tuesday night sprints, it was no contest! I easy spun and let myself be re-absorbed by the field, settling comfortably in among the front 1/3 or 1/4 of the group as we said hello to the first of the two short climbs on Stage Rd. I managed to hold my place through both climbs and enjoyed a very fast, smooth descent comfortably up near the front of the group, unhindered by the sounds of squirreliness behind me (frantic cries of 'SLOWING') at every corner. So much more fun being close to the front than hanging on at the back!

When the peloton turned onto 84, I was a few places back, but the group was pretty loose and rolling pretty slow and soon I found myself up at the front pulling. Not having any teammates (I didn't even realize Tim was somewhere in the field until after the race), I figured it unwise to burn my matches too early so I settled into a comfortable pace well below LT. The wind was nonexistant, the road was nice and clear, and I kept expecting someone to make a move or take my place since (I thought) I was going so slow but it just never happened. No matter, I thought, I'm not doing much work up here and it's certainly nice and relaxing to have a clear roadway in front of me.

The pace definitely cranked up at the turn up toward the feed zone and the climbers in the field really started putting the hurt on up Haskin's. I held on as long as I was able, but didn't overextend myself as I slowly began to lose places in the climb. I just kept the leaders in sight and kept myself at my hardest sustainable pace until we reached the top and started the long, very fast descent. I was able to catch several riders coming down, people coming into corners too hot trying to catch up or just getting sloppy and squirrely on the descent and ultimately losing too much speed. I caught the lead group again at some point coming down and sat on as we rolled through town once again. I looked for an opening, figuring I'd try for the second prime as well, since my legs felt all right, but just wasn't able to thread the needle up to the front and watched a couple guys with a pretty solid lead on the group fight it out about 20 seconds up the road.

Once again I found myself fighting to hold on with the climbers up the two shorties on Stage, and was able to find a nice smooth pocket between two large groups of riders on the descents. Back on 84 it was the same story as before...slow, casual pace, and I used the opportunity to make up my lost places. Waved to German (I think) as he rolled by going the opposite way toward the coast with a small group. Quickly found myself up at the front again, and figured the closer I was to the front, the further I'd have to slide back when Haskins reared its head again, limiting the amount of damage the now very climber-heavy field would do to me. So I pulled at a fairly mellow pace, saved what I had left, and when we turned toward the feed zone and the final climb I rode my race, and they rode theirs. I lost a number of places, but didn't blow my wad trying to chase down the leaders, instead starting the hill a little slow and gradually ramping up the tempo. I caught a number of riders as they were shelled off the rapidly thinning lead group, and when the 200m sign arrived I was up out of the saddle in the big ring giving every little bit I had left to catch maybe 2 or 3 more and finish strong maybe a minute or so off the winners.

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