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Cyclovets Road Race pro1/2 - lessons learned.?.
Ok here's a race report from the cyclovets pro 1/2 race, but only because I like to share my suffering with others and delay my taxes...
Anyway, field was relatively small. I'd say less then 40. Conditions were sunny but very windy. We were set to ride 3 laps 67 miles. Lets just say I was happy it wasn't snowing this time!
I had two costly mistakes on the first lap. Firstly, I hit the only freaking pothole on the decent 12 minutes into the race. Initially I was pleasantly surprised that I still had air in my tire and I was still rubber side down. This happiness was short lived when I was riding on my rim 2 minutes later... I pulled over to get a front wheel from the follow truck, only to get yelled at by the officials for not being all the way off the road. I watched the pack flow off into the distance without me. The wheel change took entirely too long and they managed to find a wheel even heavier then the one I flatted!?! At this point morale was low, thinking about my 135 lbs chasing the pack on this long decent didn't help. I contemplated riding back to the start to ask for my entry fee back! At any rate somehow I managed to chase back to the pack right at the start of the climb (they must have been riding the breaks the whole way down the hill!).
The climb on the first lap was uneventful (and slow, thankfully) until the feedzone at which point I mistakenly tossed my FULL water bottle instead of my empty one!! All I can say is I must have still been in oxygen debt from my chase back onto the pack.
Ok onto the second lap. I followed a few attacks during the 'longer steep' section at the bottom of the hill. These attacks eventually formed a group of 7 (I only really recognized one lagrange rider from the local rides, Livingston?). After the climb 7 riders turned out to be too many as we worked extremely poorly together. I was actually surprised we weren't getting caught. Everyone was trying to skip pulls, yell at each other etc. A good time had by all.
We eventually caught the lone Nytro rider that was off the front. He joined our group. I was feeling great until the start of the climb on the last lap (I think I was under nourished, its amazing what you forget to do after not racing for a while...)
Ok third time up the climb. Another flurry of attacks and I couldn't even stand up to respond in fear of cramping up... I watched the group of 7 and then 6 crawl away. I looked down at the PT 260 Watts, not good. At this point I laughed to myself and kept peddling. A mile later I noticed the attacks had stopped and I was inching my way back to the group (This is going to be a very long climb I remember thinking). Eventually I caught the group again. pounded another GU and finished the last dribbles of water in my bottle. We turned onto the old highway only to get dropped in an analogous manner 2 or 3 miles from the finish. I crawled home for 7th place ahead of the pack. At least I got to watch the finish unfold in the distance...
All in all a humbling experience. I saw John Abate? before the race it would be great to hear a race report from his race. Until next time...ok back to taxes :(
Anyway, field was relatively small. I'd say less then 40. Conditions were sunny but very windy. We were set to ride 3 laps 67 miles. Lets just say I was happy it wasn't snowing this time!
I had two costly mistakes on the first lap. Firstly, I hit the only freaking pothole on the decent 12 minutes into the race. Initially I was pleasantly surprised that I still had air in my tire and I was still rubber side down. This happiness was short lived when I was riding on my rim 2 minutes later... I pulled over to get a front wheel from the follow truck, only to get yelled at by the officials for not being all the way off the road. I watched the pack flow off into the distance without me. The wheel change took entirely too long and they managed to find a wheel even heavier then the one I flatted!?! At this point morale was low, thinking about my 135 lbs chasing the pack on this long decent didn't help. I contemplated riding back to the start to ask for my entry fee back! At any rate somehow I managed to chase back to the pack right at the start of the climb (they must have been riding the breaks the whole way down the hill!).
The climb on the first lap was uneventful (and slow, thankfully) until the feedzone at which point I mistakenly tossed my FULL water bottle instead of my empty one!! All I can say is I must have still been in oxygen debt from my chase back onto the pack.
Ok onto the second lap. I followed a few attacks during the 'longer steep' section at the bottom of the hill. These attacks eventually formed a group of 7 (I only really recognized one lagrange rider from the local rides, Livingston?). After the climb 7 riders turned out to be too many as we worked extremely poorly together. I was actually surprised we weren't getting caught. Everyone was trying to skip pulls, yell at each other etc. A good time had by all.
We eventually caught the lone Nytro rider that was off the front. He joined our group. I was feeling great until the start of the climb on the last lap (I think I was under nourished, its amazing what you forget to do after not racing for a while...)
Ok third time up the climb. Another flurry of attacks and I couldn't even stand up to respond in fear of cramping up... I watched the group of 7 and then 6 crawl away. I looked down at the PT 260 Watts, not good. At this point I laughed to myself and kept peddling. A mile later I noticed the attacks had stopped and I was inching my way back to the group (This is going to be a very long climb I remember thinking). Eventually I caught the group again. pounded another GU and finished the last dribbles of water in my bottle. We turned onto the old highway only to get dropped in an analogous manner 2 or 3 miles from the finish. I crawled home for 7th place ahead of the pack. At least I got to watch the finish unfold in the distance...
All in all a humbling experience. I saw John Abate? before the race it would be great to hear a race report from his race. Until next time...ok back to taxes :(
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bikes that stood out for me @ 2009 Interbike
bikes that stood out for me @ 2009 Interbike
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Love the front end of this TT bike.... electronic shifting... forgetaboutit....
battery and transmitter under the seat
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