Wanted to do well (ie: podium), felt great going into it, if a bit hesitant about the course that appeared harder the longer I looked at it. Started off well, sat in the top 10 for many laps as was my goal/strategy, but struggled to stay there for very long and about 15 minutes in lost 10-15 spots per lap just trying to recover on the backside until I got gapped and the field was a long way off. Still I was surprised at the number of riders coming up from behind me after I sat up. Also surprised that the field basically held the vicious pace for the rest of the race. Sam and Jake did a hell of a job in one hell of a race.

In retrospect, worked way too hard during the past couple of weeks and underestimated the course/field. I’m not powerful enough at the moment and was not rested enough to do well on a course like this.

Somewhat Disappointing

First crit I ever finished, mostly flat (though the backstretch pitches a little bit more than I remember). I wanted to do really well, but I wasn’t feeling the magic going in or coming out.

This was still a struggle. Started off fine, and rode in the top 5-10 for the first half of the race. Eased up for the mid-race lull but cornerswarm and some hard attacks on the backstretch kept the race hard throughout.

They ended us almost 10 minutes early which really threw off my timing, and 5 laps was not enough time for me to get far enough up front and recover for a sprint.

Narrowly avoided some bell lap carnage that split the top 10 from the rest of the group. I sat up and rolled in at 23rd after the main sprint. Only improved by one spot from last year, didn’t really have a lot of fun in this race though I expected to and wanted to do well: kind of disappointing.

Disappointment

This was my first race. I wanted to do well, but considering my time off for injury I had toned down my ambitions from podium to top-ten. I got a horrible start: junior in front of my couldn’t clip in and I bobbled over his rear wheel and had to unclip. By the time I got going I had to make up a quarter lap gap.

Got on and dangled on the back for another 6-7 laps when a rider spontaneously combusted in toward the end of the pack gapping me with another few riders. I worked with DBC junior Cody and we got back on briefly but I couldn’t handle the accordian on the hairpin after another couple laps. Worked together with a Metromint in the same spot until we got pulled with 9 laps to go.

Expectations

From the course description and Jake’s recon I expected another Brisbane Circuit Race where I surprised myself and was able to hang and even stay up front for all the climbs except the final lap.

Reality

The CCCR hill is quite a bit longer and pitches up steeper at the finish. This was fine for the first 5 laps until some harder attacks went off and I started running out of pack to drift back through. The reality is by July the Elite 4 field is a lot more fit than in April and I didn’t have the climbing shape for the faster laps.

Closing Gaps

I managed to get back on after getting dropped at 5 to go, similarly at 4 to, again getting slightly gapped just before the finish. I’d make my way back toward the front on the backstretch, but with 3 to go I ran out of gas to move up and got shot off the back early into the climb. Rode a solo lap and then traded pulls with a BBC master who was racing later. He gave me the win when we got close to the finish.

Result, DFL+whoever got dropped+1.

Goals

Top ten, realistic podium shot, pick up any easy primes if I happen to be in position.

Race

Crappy starting position behind a Cal rider who rode like a cracked out chipmunk the whole race, but made an effort and got into the top 10 within half a lap. Bounced back and forth between the top 5 and the top 15. I kept a close eye on my potential rides to the finish line, Maurice, Milroy, and a couple of other strong riders like the more wily 3rd pillar guys who came out in force for this race.

Crash

All was good going into the bell lap, had a decent top 15 position that I improved by taking good lines in the first couple of corners. Going into the soft library turns I was 7th or 8th wheel when I saw something somewhat surreal.

To the side of me I see Milroy take the first corner but continue through the apex shouldering a rider straight through the gutter and over the curb, like a hockey player body checking an opponent. Then he jumped back in without losing a position like nothing happened. This looked deliberate to me, but was so strange that I couldn’t believe it at the moment, and in retrospect it could have been a bar tangle or something like that.

When he jumped back in, it may have been coincidence but all hell seemed to break lose as some chain reaction took out three riders to the side and front of me as riders began attacking for the sprint.

I dodged all three riders, the first on the inside, the second outside, and the third inside as they skated to the curb. I was clear and didn’t seem to have lost any ground and little speed, but dodging the last rider inside sent me straight through a grate in the gutter and I caught my pedal on the curb. From there it was a hop, skip, and a jump headfirst into a “No Parking” sign post.

My Kingdom for a Hay Bail

A $3 hay bail would have saved me a trip to the hospital and probably a $100 helmet and $300 bike computer, but no such luck. As Ben said, “We have a pretty strange hobby, don’t we?”

Going into the last corners I had a fantastic position, and was primed and fresh for the sprint, whereas some of the other riders up front had more recently attacked to get there and seemed to be flagging. Seth, who took 4th, was behind me going into that as far as I could tell at that point. I had a podium spot pegged. No dice though. Pretty bummed, but I guess I should be lucky to have come out of it in one piece. As DP said, it wasn’t by luck I was in the position I was in going into the last corners, so I’ll be there next time.

Course

Crazy fast and technical course with reasonable to great pavement.

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Crew

Solid crit crew: Jake, Sam, Seth and myself. However given the course this would have to be everyone for themselves until the final few laps. “Teamwork starts with guarding your own position.”

Race

Got a funky start from the official – she walked back to the end of the course and then from the back of the field blew the whistle without any warning (and almost 10 minutes late).

Fortunately I was at the front and ready to go. I jumped to 5th wheel and stayed there, fighting for my position around the Crazy P every lap, for the next 10 minutes or so. Apparently I don’t have the top end power for jumping around such tight turns (160s, 180s, etc…) and I started to get fatigued and dehydrated in the heat (even at 8:30am and while drinking constantly).

Lost a position here and there and gained back less positions than I lost as I covered gaps that opened in front riders directly ahead of me. As I lost more positions I had to work harder. My race was effectively over once I hit -20 or so and hesitated to burn the matches necessary to get back into the top ten (didn’t have many matches left to burn after jumping hard out of that Crazy P ever 60 seconds for 20-25 minutes).

Reflection

Finally a super technical course with a 180-degree type turn and good conditions (no wind, no rain, but hot) to show that I’m not quite there in terms of power to put in such a huge jump every minute. The only way I could have stayed in the race was to stay top 5-10 the entire race, and even 10th wheel would have been pushing it. Kudos to Sam for getting to the front and staying there, to Seth to making it all the way to the front from the back by the end of the race, and to Jake for hanging in there until the finish.

Toughest crit yet, even harder than Brisbane in the wind.

Summary

Mostly stretched out, fast, a little windy, easy course. Top 10-15 most of the race. Took the second cash prime. Got a little lazy just before the lap cards went up. Jake finds me with 4 to go, we move up, sit top 10-15. We come through the last corner together as planned, I tell Jake to gun it, I come around at what I think is the last second, but ends up being a little late. We passed a couple of riders in the sprint, both narrowly getting into the top ten, Jake 9th, me 10th.

Details…

Course

Another standard four corner course, some curve to the roads, decent pavement. A bit windy by the time we got started at 1:05pm, maybe a factor, considering we shelled nearly 20 riders by the finish. Relatively long finish straightaway, 350-400m sprint, enough room to change things after the last corner.

Crew

Just me and Jake.

Goals

Top ten and either take the 2nd prime or deliver Jake to the 2nd prime.

Race

Started okay, weaved in and out of the 10-20 riders who had no business being up front, sat in top 15. For the first half of the race I watched and covered as riders would go off the front here and there, even before the first prime. We let two riders off the front for the first prime. Godspeed was doing a good job of controlling the front, working together more than I have ever seen from them before. Dragged the pack around a little myself watching the couple of guys dangling up ahead.

Second prime bell rings and I start looking for Jake on the backstretch. Couldn’t find him as an attack went off on the outside after corner three. I cover another attack on the inside of corner four and hop on a wheel. BBC guy takes off on the outside, I take another wheel to the gutter and then jump at 100m to narrowly win the Dash for Cash™ prime.

Sit back in, ignore the next three primes, just covering the attacks enough to stay top 20 comfortably. I got a little lazy before the lap cards went up, and should have been top ten when the countdown began. Took me too long to get together with Jake and close to the top ten.

The Finish

We came around the last corner, Jake a little far inside, me through the middle watching for the loose bricks. I hopped back on his wheel, and off we went. We passed a few riders in the sprint. I thought I came around him and another rider to snag 7th or 8th, but I think I confused a ridge in the road immediately after the finish line for the finish line itself -the official confirmed that Jake and I took 9th and 10th respectively and I made a little fuss for nothing.

Not quite as good as I would have liked, but respectable. Goals accomplished. Two consecutive top tens and races where I took the 2nd prime. As Kate put it, “consistent.”

Summary

Flat, fast, easy. Big crew. Felt awful after Mt. Hamilton. Took a prime and got 7th. Best race yet.

Details…

Warm-up

Felt awful after yesterday (Mt. Hamilton), seriously reconsidering lining up, I could barely turn the pedals over on the trainer.

Course

Fast flat easy, no rain, no wind. 90 degree corner, shallow corner, long sweeper, and 90 degrees going into a fairly quick homestretch.

Crew

2pies, James, Nole, Jake, Ryan, Sam.

Race

Good start up front with Nole, Stephen, and Jake. Nole goes with a early Third Pillar break and I sit up front with other Third Pillar riders to block. Pack gets wise and the break is successful for about 30 seconds. Nice try but the course is too fast and easy for a break. Nole sits back in and I drag the pack with unsure legs through the next two corners.

Fast forward about 20 minutes and one prime. Bell goes off for another prime and the pack surges. Sam attacks on the long sweeping back stretch and gets some to burn out early. I move to the front thinking of attacking after the prime but then James asks if I want this one and off we go. He gave me a ferocious leadout around the final corner to launch me for the second prime.

I kept spinning through corner one wondering if I was done, but I recovered soon enough. Fast forward, Jake snatches up the 3rd prime, then with three to go I start looking for my spot with no clear goals for the finish.

I jump up the gutter to head to the front at two to go and fight for my spot top 20 or so as some riders start getting shed left an right and others swarm the corners. Bell lap and it’s a little strung out, I try to get up ahead of Nole to give him some kind of leadout but I was uncommitted, not to mention dodging riders that went too early. I’m set up top 15-20 going hot into the last corner and gun it hoping for a top ten.

Result

7th/65 and a $50 gift card to The Grill (James, I owe you dinner). Best result yet, first cat 4 top ten, pretty happy considering I felt like garbage after yesterday’s four and half hour debacle, and I was kinda bummed out after the Golden State Crit on Saturday.

French Toast

I also just had post-race French toast-without a doubt the best way to finish three days of racing.

Short story: I got popped like a party favor at mile five. Spent the next 10 miles with a Team Oakland rider, trading pulls, pacing, and chatting it up. Let him go ahead in the last stretch to the summit as I sat up to eat. Spent the next 40 miles alone.

First 20 miles a blast, love that climb. The descent was cold. Miles 30-40 were no fun at all, damn you Ammon, the last 20 miles were awesome, thanks Ammon!

Result: DFL. Verdict: I’d do it again, if for nothing but the donuts. Donut Wheel owns.

Course

Pretty tricky, even trickier in the rain. A lot like Brisbane, but replace wind with rain. Short homestretch, hard left, 180, sweeping left to hard right, another couple of sweeping stretches into right turns and a 200m sprint out of the corner.

Crew

Seth, Sam, and I. Felt awesome lining up, even okay with the rain after watching a bunch of juniors wipe out in the 180.

Race

Got a decent start, stayed top 10-15 for the first half of the race, but had to work hard to do so, the jump out of the slow started to 180 hurt, and the cold/wet didn’t help much.

Crash

Decided to sit back, catch a little break. Bad idea. Boom, first corner riders starting at 7th wheel go down, dominoes across the entire width of the field. Sam and Seth and many others manage to sneak through pretty quickly and get back in the reforming pack. As soon as I get to the crash riders start standing up, reinforcing the wall. Takes me a lot of time and a huge effort to get back onto the end of the pack. I dangle there for another few laps before losing them in the 180.

No Man’s Land

I time trial off the back for a while until the crashed/restarted group catches up to me, I sit in for the remainder of the race. We trade pulls, avoid being lapped/pulled, paceline to an one-lap early finish. I take second in our bunch sprint.

Result: DFL + 8 or 9. No camera, they only picked the top 10 riders. Kind of lame but understandable.