Jono's accounting from the recent Wente Road Race is below. It proved to be another cracking edition with the peleton shattered into the final climb before the finish.
Also, we got a new member to the Elite Team after long time Alto Velo member, Bo Hebenstreit, finally upgraded to Cat 2. He's going to be a great addition to the team and we're looking forward to racing with him this season and beyond. This was his first race with the team and he rode very well throughout.
==============================================
Wente Wineries RR
27 April 2008
PRO 1/2
81miles
Start List 105 riders
Webcor AV: Jono Coulter 23rd, Bo Hebenstreit, 30th Dominic Giampaolo, 34th Peter Cazalet 40th
Winner: Adam Switters -ROCK Racing
2nd: Roman Kilun -Healthnet
3rd: James Matthis -California Giant
Gently rotating windmill fans and airy blue skies caused Webcor Jono to be smiling for the 2008 running of this Norcal Classic, the Wente Vineyards RR.
Five laps of an undulating course with smooth roads and 6 ascents of a 1.3 km berg atop which the finish is situated makes for some fast paced, gutter to gutter action and lots of scrambling, attacking, chasing and regrouping.
Once again our resident strongman Dominic took it upon himself to monitor the front of the race, tacking onto all the moves that looked dangerous and driving the peleton up and over the many inclines that punctuated the course and the riders lungs.
On lap one and two there were pileups on the long left hander at the end of the descent, Dom even managed to use his BMX bandit skills to run over him "I clearly recall seeing my front wheel pop up and go over his seat post and his legs..." and stay upright. After a fairly mellow first ascent of the climb, lap two was ballistic, according to Dominics powertap data (which records ballistic levels often), and after a few laps of single file, attacking and regrouping a sneaky break including Pat Briggs (Cal Giant) Craig Upton (Above Cat Racing) and a couple of others jammed down the road. The chase that ensued was inevitably quite fast, and the bunch was whittled down to about 50 with three climbs to go. Crucially, Dom and Bo were still patrolling the front end, riding super solid while down in the middle of the pack Webcor Jono was surfing wheels and trying to stay out of the wind. Third to last time up the climb and its only 35 guys over the top, a little bit later we lose Dom and Bo but they fight on the descent to be among only a handful to get back on. The break reaches its maximum lead of 2:45.
Just prior to the second to last ascent, Kristian Kearney of Z Team launches, as does a Metromint. I promise myself to go with the next move. It's Adam Switters from ROCK. I don't go, thinking SURELY Cal giant will chase... They don't. Everyone gesticulates at each other to take up the slack. Second to last time up the climb Kilun (Healthnet), Jesse Anthony and James Mattis (Cal Giant) drill it, bottom to top. They separate from the chase which is now down to 16 guys. Up and over the top, down the windy undulations, through the crosswind section the chase is single file. The leaders are at 1min 45, 1min 30, 1min 15, Pat Briggs has dropped off them to help Jesse and James pull up to a winning position. It's a shootout. They are 30 seconds in front of us. Switters and Kearney are somewhere in the void.
Out on the highway the final time its all in sight, everything from 1st to 25th is up for grabs, although first is a dot in the distance 1min 15 away and I'm hedging my bets on that being closed by my chase companions and me drilling the hilltop finish. I'm spinning, feeling great, thinking it will all be back together, I don't pull through, only cover when attacks go.
Fifth wheel at the bottom of the climb, the chase has failed, Switters has his hands in the air, our group is racing for 9th. Halfway up the climb I'm useless, the other guys are just better than me. I'm 23rd. Unbelievably, Bo comes in solo about 90 seconds later, he did that half lap by himself and only lost a bit, in his first Pro 1/2 race! and within another 90 seconds, Dom. He probably put out more power than anyone in the whole peleton today. Soon after the second split comes in and Pete Cazalet is there. Its all the Webcor AV guys in the front half of the race, even if i can't deliver today we showed how solid we are in a pretty tough Pro 1/2 race. Nice work out there lads!!
Jono
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Race Report: W/AV Elite Team at Madera SR
Madera Stage Race, P/1/2
11-13 April 2008
Team: Matt Beebe, Peter Cazalet, Chris Crawford, Neil Harrington, Rob MacNeill
Field: ~50
Weather: Hot and Sunny
The Webcor/Alto Velo Elite Team hit up the Madera Stage Race this past weekend. On the whole, we got some decent stage results and the team rode well together. The field was unusually stacked for the regularly low-key Madera Stage Race. There were a couple pros (Bissell, BMC) and some of the better amateurs from the district in our race of about 50 riders.
We put in solid efforts during the back-to-back time trials, but we weren't in GC contention. So, the team focused on stage placings for the following crit and road races. The team rode really well together during the crit, with all members taking an active part in following moves and staying in the action. We ended up placing 2 in the top-10 on the stage through some good teamwork. For the road race, Rob went with the long break (starting about 1 or 2 miles into the 85 mile race), which ultimately turned into the winning break. Unfortunately, Rob didn't have the endurance just yet for the all day break and came back after half distance. Neil and Peter hung tough with the pack and Neil scored a respectable 11th on the stage. We don't have GC placings--not holding our breath--but we weren't in the top-10, so it doesn't matter! Overall, it was a good weekend of racing from the Green Team. We rode some hard miles, we all stayed upright and finished, and we did some good team bonding.
Here's a stage by stage accounting from each stage's best place finisher.
Rob's reports from the Stage 1 & 2 TT's:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage 1: Ben Hur ITT
Course: 10-mile rolling course with a 10-12 minute climb toward the end
Result: 17th for Rob, 33:32
Executive summary: got to start, warmed up, rode as fast as possible on TT bike while wearing pointy helmet, cooled down.
Longer version:
Beebe and I drove over Friday morning and got to staging with plenty of time to get the gear sorted, warm up and all that. Unlike past years, I chose to ride a full TT setup for this race against the clock with lots of rollers and an extended climb. In years past I compromised by running a road bike with clip-ons and light/aero wheels but the course has some very fast sections and most of the 30+ minutes is spent down low so I decided to give my slightly heavier but more aero setup a try. So, TT bike, disc rear, 58 mm carbon front, TT helmet, skinsuit, shoe covers, aero bottle, and all that.
My approach for the time trial was to ride steady hard on the flattish sections, attack the rollers, recover on the descents and lock it into a steady-hard rhythm on the main climb. And, of course, finish strong. That's about how it went. My pacing strategy was good for the course, though I ran into some motivational issues after getting passed by my 1-minute guy and eventual winner, James Mattis. It was a few minutes before I refocused and got back on track. Something to work on...
In the end, I put in a decent time and a personal best on the course. The competition was really tough this year though and I ended up 17th.
Stage 2: Sharon ITT
Course: 10-mile flat loop
Result: 12th for Rob, 22:53
Executive summary: same as Stage 1.
This stage was the morning after Stage 1. Our cushy 11:15 AM start time allowed us to get there early and recon the course before finishing off the warm-up on our trainers. The approach and decision process is even easier than the first TT since the course is flat and steady. Obviously a full TT setup is preferred on the course. Also, the pacing strategy is straightforward: go steady-hard the whole way and build to a strong finish, ideally crossing the line cross-eyed and near blackout :)
My race went pretty well. The pacing strategy and equipment choices were good enough for another personal best on the course, which netted me 12th for the stage. After the 2nd TT, we cooled down, fueled up, and headed to the afternoon criterium.
Neil's report from the Stage 3 Crit:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage 3: Madera Criterium
Course: 1 mile flat 4-corner loop, 70 minutes (31 miles)
Result: 6th for Neil, 9th for Rob, pack finish for the other guys
Arriving at the criterium about an hour before race time, the radio station was proudly proclaiming that it was 95 degrees in the City of Madera. Having completed 2 stages of the 4 stage road race, the goal was to survive any major attacks and to try to get a stage a win for the Webcor/Alto Velo Mens Team.
As I pulled up to the line, not having previously finished a mass start cat 2 race, I was uneasy about how this was going to shake out. Seventy minutes of racing in the hot central valley heat, and before we even started my legs were already starting to revolt. The NCNCA officials had spent all day in the sun and they were as anxious as we were to get this rolling - we took off without incident and immediately the attacks started. The whole team was active at the front and getting in breaks for the entire race.
Looking around in the peloton all the GC contenders were in the mix so the break had little chance to stick. The race was a nice mixture of aggressiveness and mellow. It seemed like an attack would last just long enough for it to really hurt and then it would let up. At the end the peloton did not let any break get away.
With 5 laps to go I was anxious to get into a position to fight for the sprint. In the closing laps, Rob came around me and asked how I felt. I had to be honest I told him I felt good, but I lacked any "pop."
With just over two laps to go Joel Robertson starts drilling it, I react instinctively and jump on his wheel. He has a well earned reputation for his TT abilities within the peloton, so I figured his was a good wheel to follow, we passed the official's booth and they were ringing the bell. I was hoping the peloton was going to swarm. As we turned the corner, I saw that he had strung out the field. I was hoping he would have the legs to finish this off.
As we rounded corner three my legs filled with the burn of lactic acid. Into corner three Rob passed me (after some help moving up from Peter) and I jumped on his wheel. I let him know I was behind him. He picked up the pace and aggressively started to sprint for the final leadout after turn 4. There were people sprinting all over the place, as Rob slowed I passed him and sprinted in. It was good enough for sixth place. Rob doing a great lead out and not stopping, sprinted in for 9th place. The rest of the guys finished safely in the pack after riding a great race.
Neil's report from the Stage 4 Road Race:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage 4: Daulton Road Race
Course: ~85 miles, 5 laps of flat to rolling circuit with a super rough pave section (but it's fun, especially when the race is held on the same day as Paris-Roubaix)
Result: 11th for Neil, pack for Peter, OTB but finished for Rob, BB and Chris
5:45 am comes around really quick after 3 stages in two days. Fortunately, we were across the street from an excellent diner and a Starbucks. Each team member chose their breakfast of champions (mine was a huge stack of pancakes!) for the 85 mile, 5 lap course with "rollers" and infamous pave on the backside.
Discussing strategy over eggs, hasbrowns, coffee, and pancakes while the waitress rushed us our check we sumized that a break was going to happen pretty quickly and that our team wanted to be in it. When that happened we could send someone to bridge. A pretty simple strategy, and all we needed was our legs to cooperate with our minds.
The rollout was calm - I spent most of it debating the nutritional qualities of twinkies with guys in the peloton. Joel Robertson literally rolled off the front. When he was 50 or so yards away Rob sprinted up to get in to the break. That break turned out to be *the* break. Matt had great position and started blocking immediately, I joined him and Chris and Peter joined in behind me.
Mattis immediately sent his men (and woman, Kathleen Curri Mattis) to reign in The Joel. We were getting feedback the CalGiant team let Joel dangle 45 seconds or so in front of the peloton. Coming into the back section after 2.5 laps I saw Rob had rejoined the group. He had put forth a great effort to catch the break, and I was hoping he could make it stick. Sadly, it wasn't going to be his day. As we approached the rollers I tried a break. My legs thought otherwise. The group contained only me, and I only spread out the peloton. When my "break" was caught, Bissell rider Scott Zwizanski took advantage and jammed up the hill laying out the horsepower. I was lucky not to pop as I chased to get back into someones draft
I hung in the top 1/3 of the group as we passed and the bell lap went off. In the feed zone I grabbed my last water bottle and settle into 7th (ish) position. The CalGiant team had been at the front all day controlling the pace and was not going to slow down. Small attacks were made, but nothing serious. I didn't realize there was still the attack up the road. I could have sworn I saw Joel in the peloton. I was feeling gassed from the 3 days and feeling a little bit of heat exhaustion.
On the pave- several juniors made an attempt to break - everyone took this as their chance, but no one had the legs, Chris Tucker took off on a 2.5 mile flyer (OUCH!) and we all settled back down. I was content to sit in and wait for the second of three rollers before I took off.
As we reached the top of the first hill it was 'all systems go' the entire road was filled with racers. There were no wheels to be followed everyone was in full sprinting mode. My only thoughts were "this feels like a Sunday A ride up Sandhill -- but twice as long!"
As we sprinted into the finish line after 3.5 hours of racing all you can do is do is dig deep and hope the muscle memory is there. I sprinted passed BPG for 6th place in the field sprint, which relegated my 11th overall in the road race. Happy to finish strongly in the pack I road very slowly to the parking lot where a gallon of water, some strawberries, and lots of sunburned people awaited.
11-13 April 2008
Team: Matt Beebe, Peter Cazalet, Chris Crawford, Neil Harrington, Rob MacNeill
Field: ~50
Weather: Hot and Sunny
The Webcor/Alto Velo Elite Team hit up the Madera Stage Race this past weekend. On the whole, we got some decent stage results and the team rode well together. The field was unusually stacked for the regularly low-key Madera Stage Race. There were a couple pros (Bissell, BMC) and some of the better amateurs from the district in our race of about 50 riders.
We put in solid efforts during the back-to-back time trials, but we weren't in GC contention. So, the team focused on stage placings for the following crit and road races. The team rode really well together during the crit, with all members taking an active part in following moves and staying in the action. We ended up placing 2 in the top-10 on the stage through some good teamwork. For the road race, Rob went with the long break (starting about 1 or 2 miles into the 85 mile race), which ultimately turned into the winning break. Unfortunately, Rob didn't have the endurance just yet for the all day break and came back after half distance. Neil and Peter hung tough with the pack and Neil scored a respectable 11th on the stage. We don't have GC placings--not holding our breath--but we weren't in the top-10, so it doesn't matter! Overall, it was a good weekend of racing from the Green Team. We rode some hard miles, we all stayed upright and finished, and we did some good team bonding.
Here's a stage by stage accounting from each stage's best place finisher.
Rob's reports from the Stage 1 & 2 TT's:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage 1: Ben Hur ITT
Course: 10-mile rolling course with a 10-12 minute climb toward the end
Result: 17th for Rob, 33:32
Executive summary: got to start, warmed up, rode as fast as possible on TT bike while wearing pointy helmet, cooled down.
Longer version:
Beebe and I drove over Friday morning and got to staging with plenty of time to get the gear sorted, warm up and all that. Unlike past years, I chose to ride a full TT setup for this race against the clock with lots of rollers and an extended climb. In years past I compromised by running a road bike with clip-ons and light/aero wheels but the course has some very fast sections and most of the 30+ minutes is spent down low so I decided to give my slightly heavier but more aero setup a try. So, TT bike, disc rear, 58 mm carbon front, TT helmet, skinsuit, shoe covers, aero bottle, and all that.
My approach for the time trial was to ride steady hard on the flattish sections, attack the rollers, recover on the descents and lock it into a steady-hard rhythm on the main climb. And, of course, finish strong. That's about how it went. My pacing strategy was good for the course, though I ran into some motivational issues after getting passed by my 1-minute guy and eventual winner, James Mattis. It was a few minutes before I refocused and got back on track. Something to work on...
In the end, I put in a decent time and a personal best on the course. The competition was really tough this year though and I ended up 17th.
Stage 2: Sharon ITT
Course: 10-mile flat loop
Result: 12th for Rob, 22:53
Executive summary: same as Stage 1.
This stage was the morning after Stage 1. Our cushy 11:15 AM start time allowed us to get there early and recon the course before finishing off the warm-up on our trainers. The approach and decision process is even easier than the first TT since the course is flat and steady. Obviously a full TT setup is preferred on the course. Also, the pacing strategy is straightforward: go steady-hard the whole way and build to a strong finish, ideally crossing the line cross-eyed and near blackout :)
My race went pretty well. The pacing strategy and equipment choices were good enough for another personal best on the course, which netted me 12th for the stage. After the 2nd TT, we cooled down, fueled up, and headed to the afternoon criterium.
Neil's report from the Stage 3 Crit:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage 3: Madera Criterium
Course: 1 mile flat 4-corner loop, 70 minutes (31 miles)
Result: 6th for Neil, 9th for Rob, pack finish for the other guys
Arriving at the criterium about an hour before race time, the radio station was proudly proclaiming that it was 95 degrees in the City of Madera. Having completed 2 stages of the 4 stage road race, the goal was to survive any major attacks and to try to get a stage a win for the Webcor/Alto Velo Mens Team.
As I pulled up to the line, not having previously finished a mass start cat 2 race, I was uneasy about how this was going to shake out. Seventy minutes of racing in the hot central valley heat, and before we even started my legs were already starting to revolt. The NCNCA officials had spent all day in the sun and they were as anxious as we were to get this rolling - we took off without incident and immediately the attacks started. The whole team was active at the front and getting in breaks for the entire race.
Looking around in the peloton all the GC contenders were in the mix so the break had little chance to stick. The race was a nice mixture of aggressiveness and mellow. It seemed like an attack would last just long enough for it to really hurt and then it would let up. At the end the peloton did not let any break get away.
With 5 laps to go I was anxious to get into a position to fight for the sprint. In the closing laps, Rob came around me and asked how I felt. I had to be honest I told him I felt good, but I lacked any "pop."
With just over two laps to go Joel Robertson starts drilling it, I react instinctively and jump on his wheel. He has a well earned reputation for his TT abilities within the peloton, so I figured his was a good wheel to follow, we passed the official's booth and they were ringing the bell. I was hoping the peloton was going to swarm. As we turned the corner, I saw that he had strung out the field. I was hoping he would have the legs to finish this off.
As we rounded corner three my legs filled with the burn of lactic acid. Into corner three Rob passed me (after some help moving up from Peter) and I jumped on his wheel. I let him know I was behind him. He picked up the pace and aggressively started to sprint for the final leadout after turn 4. There were people sprinting all over the place, as Rob slowed I passed him and sprinted in. It was good enough for sixth place. Rob doing a great lead out and not stopping, sprinted in for 9th place. The rest of the guys finished safely in the pack after riding a great race.
Neil's report from the Stage 4 Road Race:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage 4: Daulton Road Race
Course: ~85 miles, 5 laps of flat to rolling circuit with a super rough pave section (but it's fun, especially when the race is held on the same day as Paris-Roubaix)
Result: 11th for Neil, pack for Peter, OTB but finished for Rob, BB and Chris
5:45 am comes around really quick after 3 stages in two days. Fortunately, we were across the street from an excellent diner and a Starbucks. Each team member chose their breakfast of champions (mine was a huge stack of pancakes!) for the 85 mile, 5 lap course with "rollers" and infamous pave on the backside.
Discussing strategy over eggs, hasbrowns, coffee, and pancakes while the waitress rushed us our check we sumized that a break was going to happen pretty quickly and that our team wanted to be in it. When that happened we could send someone to bridge. A pretty simple strategy, and all we needed was our legs to cooperate with our minds.
The rollout was calm - I spent most of it debating the nutritional qualities of twinkies with guys in the peloton. Joel Robertson literally rolled off the front. When he was 50 or so yards away Rob sprinted up to get in to the break. That break turned out to be *the* break. Matt had great position and started blocking immediately, I joined him and Chris and Peter joined in behind me.
Mattis immediately sent his men (and woman, Kathleen Curri Mattis) to reign in The Joel. We were getting feedback the CalGiant team let Joel dangle 45 seconds or so in front of the peloton. Coming into the back section after 2.5 laps I saw Rob had rejoined the group. He had put forth a great effort to catch the break, and I was hoping he could make it stick. Sadly, it wasn't going to be his day. As we approached the rollers I tried a break. My legs thought otherwise. The group contained only me, and I only spread out the peloton. When my "break" was caught, Bissell rider Scott Zwizanski took advantage and jammed up the hill laying out the horsepower. I was lucky not to pop as I chased to get back into someones draft
I hung in the top 1/3 of the group as we passed and the bell lap went off. In the feed zone I grabbed my last water bottle and settle into 7th (ish) position. The CalGiant team had been at the front all day controlling the pace and was not going to slow down. Small attacks were made, but nothing serious. I didn't realize there was still the attack up the road. I could have sworn I saw Joel in the peloton. I was feeling gassed from the 3 days and feeling a little bit of heat exhaustion.
On the pave- several juniors made an attempt to break - everyone took this as their chance, but no one had the legs, Chris Tucker took off on a 2.5 mile flyer (OUCH!) and we all settled back down. I was content to sit in and wait for the second of three rollers before I took off.
As we reached the top of the first hill it was 'all systems go' the entire road was filled with racers. There were no wheels to be followed everyone was in full sprinting mode. My only thoughts were "this feels like a Sunday A ride up Sandhill -- but twice as long!"
As we sprinted into the finish line after 3.5 hours of racing all you can do is do is dig deep and hope the muscle memory is there. I sprinted passed BPG for 6th place in the field sprint, which relegated my 11th overall in the road race. Happy to finish strongly in the pack I road very slowly to the parking lot where a gallon of water, some strawberries, and lots of sunburned people awaited.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Wards Ferry Road Race Report
Ted and Dominic ventured out to contest the Wards Ferry Road Race while some of the other guys were in Martinez. Below is Ted's report.
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Field: 15 - 20?
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Field: 15 - 20?
Laps: 5
Distance 60 miles
Placing: 3rd and 8th
Dominic emailed me the Thursday before Ward's Ferry, and since I hadn't seen him in awhile, wanted to do an out-of-town group ride with Christine racing in Redlands, decided to join Dominic for an early morning jaunt to Sonora.
As anticipated, we had a very small field. At least everyone came to race and the first lap was marked with multiple short-lived attacked, mostly animated by Andy-Jesse.
At the end of lap 2, Andy attacked again and an Above Category rider bridged across. As I scrambled for one of those questionable VP neutral feeds, Craig Upton (coach from Marin who raced on Navigators at one point and directed teh U.S. Women's Cycling Team in Australia a few weeks before) brdiged across to make the breakaway three riders.
For the next lap, our merry peloton rolled around with some tempo set by a red/blue team. I was thoroughly enjoying myself at the back, enjoying the pristine views and being amazed at how strenuous the course felt. Finally, Dominic couldn't stand it any more and started setting tempo. Since my legs hadn't yet woken up 40 or so miles into the race, and being a bit racing rusty, I told Dominic to get off the front and promptly surged on one particularly long roller, accidentally dropping Dominic in the process and disrupting the chase. Simply no excuse for this behavior, and I'm sure Dominic didn't appreciate "the thank you" for his efforts.
I sat up and we shortly regrouped after that. I should note that I was keeping tabs on both Chris Lieto and Dave Galvin (BMC) who were lurking in the back. Chris would occasionally take some graceful pulls at the front. Dominic proceeded to pull in-earnest, and rode his brains out for what seemed like a full lap. However, with a lap left, and the break nowhere to be seen, we heard the gap was at 2 minutes.
Yikes. that meant the race was more or less over, but I proceeded to try and get things going by starting be more active. I got Chris pulling as well. On the longer climb a few miles from the s/f, I rode hard and caused a split w/ Lieto, and Dave Galvin. Two others bridged up and we were off. One one of the other protracted rollers, Chris, myself ,and an EMC rider split off and achieved a gap on Dave the other rider. On the right hairpin, the BMC rider unfortunately went down leaving Chris and I by ourselves with 5 or so miles remaining.
Chris began taking shorter and less strong pulls, making me wonder if he was going to jump me. With three significant rollers left on the run-in to the finish, I noticed our slackening pace had caused the group behind to be close on our heels. I attacked Chris on the next roller and soloed in for 3rd.
Thanks to Dominic, we had a nice team effort, great conversations, on this beautiful Ward's Ferry ride.
At least that day I wasn't wondering "what the hell am I doing out here."
-Ted
Martinez and Santa Cruz Crit Reports
A couple of hard crits went down this past weekend. Dominic and Rob give the details from the Santa Cruz and Martinez events.
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Dominic's Santa Cruz Crit Report
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Santa Cruz Crit, Pro/1/2
50 laps
April 6, 2008
Field: 75+
Teammates: James Badia, Neil Harrington, Matt Beebe, Rob MacNeill
Normally the best finisher on the team writes the report... in this case however none of us finished - I just happened to be the last one to drop out.
For me this race is a good workout to prepare for the brutality of Cat's Hill. Counting this year I've done it three times in P/1/2 and only finished once (last year).
The Santa Cruz Crit is not an easy race where you can really help out your teammates. Either you get over the hill with the group or you slip back each lap until you're off the back chasing on over the top (or even worse, on the descent and backside). Once that happens it's only a matter of time until you're permanently off the back. It's crucial to maintain good position near the front of the bunch, spin up the hill and don't get swarmed. And oh yeah, do it 50 times in a row while avoiding the snarl of traffic and occasional crashes in the hairpin turn.
Before the start I told Neil "whatever you do, hang in there for at least the first 15 minutes as things usually settle down after that". This year I was wrong. The first 15 minutes were hard but almost mellow compared to previous years (15% easier according to the power numbers). Things just never let up and my peak 10 min and 20 min power came about 35 minutes into the race. Sorry about that Neil.
The race started off aggressively and we all tried to maintain a good spot near the front. I saw James, Rob and Neil near the head end of the pack. A break quickly formed and Neil tried to bridge up. Unfortunately he didn't make it and came back to the pack. Rob tried to follow a BPG rider across but they also didn't make it. I was just trying to stay protected and out of trouble. The break lasted probably 10-15 laps but it too came back together. Some counters ensued but any thoughts I had of getting in a break were not backed by sufficient pedaling force to get my sorry butt up to where it needed to be.
After about 50 minutes of racing I realized that the pack was considerably reduced since when I looked over my shoulder I found out that I was tail gunning. I resolved to move up and spent quite a bit of energy to do so. Gaps were opening up all the time and you had to close quite a few just to stay in the game. James closed several of these and I think those efforts cost him. At one point I closed a few of these as well and dug deep in the hopes that it would help James stay in contention. Then James returned the favor thinking it would help me stay in contention. That's about the best kind of team work you can have in this race. Sadly the effort caused James to blow and despite my trying to grunt encouragement as we assailed the hill for the 26th or 27th time, James didn't make it.
Realizing I was the only AV rider left kinda took the wind out of my sails. I'm not sure why but I assumed that I'd be working for someone else. At that point I was still at the wrong end of the pack and had fallen into the trap of chasing back on over the top and on the descent. That lasted about another 2 or 3 laps and then I came off and called it a day. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to suck it up and get back on especially after watching Lauren's determination and grit when she solo'ed in for the win in the Women's 1/2/3 race.
Looking at the power data is kind of interesting: I spent 16+ minutes in Zone 6 (i.e. above VO2max which for me is 400w), only 5 minutes in Zone 5 (355-400w) and the bulk of the time in Z1 or 2. Rob also reported spending over 16 minutes in Z6. Basically the race was either full-on or not with little in between. That's typical of P/1/2 races.
Also it's not too surprising that I came off as the day before at Ward's Ferry I had 24+ minutes in Z6 and 17+ minutes in Z5. I don't know if there is any theory regarding the amount of time you can spend over threshold on consecutive days but I think I found out my current limits. I suppose if I had wanted to do better at Santa Cruz I should not have raced Wards Ferry the day before.
Thanks for reading,
--dominic
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Rob's Martinez Crit Report
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Martinez Criterium, Pro/1/2
75 minutes
April 5, 2008
Result: ~30th of 75 or so
Teammates: James Badia, Neil Harrington
The Martinez course is a fun clockwise L-shaped circuit with some linked corners, dodgy pavement, and a short hill after a long start-finish straight. This was a first time race for me and Neil, but James had raced the year before. Our 75 minute race had some big money on offer ($7500) so it drew out lots of fast guys and fast racing. It seemed like Rock Racing sent half their team to the race. There was a lone Bissell pro as well. Then there was the other usual NorCal suspects from Cal Giant, BPG, Z-Team, Davis, and so on.
As expected, we started off in a flurry of speed and kept at it full-stick for a long while. I focused on surfing the pack and trying to move up into the sweet spot. There was a lot of jockeying for position and lots of bunching then accelerating after every turn so maintaining position was tough. Without a lot of diligence, it's easy to drift backward. At some point early in the race, Neil was taken out leading into a fast turn at the base of the hill. He went to take a free lap but they let him in off the back and he struggled to latch on. Eventually Neil pulled out. That left James and I in green. James was looking comfortable in the pack and was riding strong, getting in a short lived break early on.
About 20 minutes into the race, a breakaway with some Rock, Giant, and BPG representation got off. Just as James and I were talking about covering it, another Rock jumped with a another Cal Giant and I latched on. Through the chicane, Rock must've gotten the radio call to sit up. Cal Giant sat up with him but I jumped again through the turns and got good separation. I chased really hard for about a lap and as I was getting close, the lone Bissell rider had tried to bridge as well. The pack clearly didn't want him in the break so they chased him hard and it all came back together. After that, I was pretty gassed for while. I don't have the top end quite yet to do that repeatedly or to be able to recover quickly from the hard efforts. As I sought shelter in the pack, THE break went off. This one had the right mix of horsepower and representation: 2 Rocks (including Bahati), Reaney from CalGiant, the Bissell guy and a BPG rider. Their gap grew and shrank and grew again throughout the rest of the race. From what I hear, the second Rock Racing guy took a flyer and held it to the line while Reaney beat Bahati for 2nd.
I was in a bit of survival mode for the 2nd half of the race. With about 15 minutes left to go, I got a flat and had a nice 1-2 minute rest before sprinting back in. There were a couple of nervous crashes in the last couple of laps that had me even less eager to get in the mix. James was up in good position but it turns out he had some trouble with his rear wheel. The skewer came loose so he couldn't contest the sprint. I sprinted out of the last corner for the heck of it, though I was well back at that point, finishing somewhere around 30th. It was a bummer that James had mechanical problems at the end. He was racing strong and smart all race, I'm sure he would've finished well.
My fitness is coming around slowly. At least I feel like I'm on the upswing and surviving races like this can only help for other races down the road. Looking at my power numbers, I spent about 25 minutes in Z6+, about 20 minutes Z3-5, and the rest in Z1-2. The normalized power was right around threshold for the 75 minutes. That's hard racin!
Thanks for reading,
-Rob
----------------------------------------------------
Dominic's Santa Cruz Crit Report
----------------------------------------------------
Santa Cruz Crit, Pro/1/2
50 laps
April 6, 2008
Field: 75+
Teammates: James Badia, Neil Harrington, Matt Beebe, Rob MacNeill
Normally the best finisher on the team writes the report... in this case however none of us finished - I just happened to be the last one to drop out.
For me this race is a good workout to prepare for the brutality of Cat's Hill. Counting this year I've done it three times in P/1/2 and only finished once (last year).
The Santa Cruz Crit is not an easy race where you can really help out your teammates. Either you get over the hill with the group or you slip back each lap until you're off the back chasing on over the top (or even worse, on the descent and backside). Once that happens it's only a matter of time until you're permanently off the back. It's crucial to maintain good position near the front of the bunch, spin up the hill and don't get swarmed. And oh yeah, do it 50 times in a row while avoiding the snarl of traffic and occasional crashes in the hairpin turn.
Before the start I told Neil "whatever you do, hang in there for at least the first 15 minutes as things usually settle down after that". This year I was wrong. The first 15 minutes were hard but almost mellow compared to previous years (15% easier according to the power numbers). Things just never let up and my peak 10 min and 20 min power came about 35 minutes into the race. Sorry about that Neil.
The race started off aggressively and we all tried to maintain a good spot near the front. I saw James, Rob and Neil near the head end of the pack. A break quickly formed and Neil tried to bridge up. Unfortunately he didn't make it and came back to the pack. Rob tried to follow a BPG rider across but they also didn't make it. I was just trying to stay protected and out of trouble. The break lasted probably 10-15 laps but it too came back together. Some counters ensued but any thoughts I had of getting in a break were not backed by sufficient pedaling force to get my sorry butt up to where it needed to be.
After about 50 minutes of racing I realized that the pack was considerably reduced since when I looked over my shoulder I found out that I was tail gunning. I resolved to move up and spent quite a bit of energy to do so. Gaps were opening up all the time and you had to close quite a few just to stay in the game. James closed several of these and I think those efforts cost him. At one point I closed a few of these as well and dug deep in the hopes that it would help James stay in contention. Then James returned the favor thinking it would help me stay in contention. That's about the best kind of team work you can have in this race. Sadly the effort caused James to blow and despite my trying to grunt encouragement as we assailed the hill for the 26th or 27th time, James didn't make it.
Realizing I was the only AV rider left kinda took the wind out of my sails. I'm not sure why but I assumed that I'd be working for someone else. At that point I was still at the wrong end of the pack and had fallen into the trap of chasing back on over the top and on the descent. That lasted about another 2 or 3 laps and then I came off and called it a day. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to suck it up and get back on especially after watching Lauren's determination and grit when she solo'ed in for the win in the Women's 1/2/3 race.
Looking at the power data is kind of interesting: I spent 16+ minutes in Zone 6 (i.e. above VO2max which for me is 400w), only 5 minutes in Zone 5 (355-400w) and the bulk of the time in Z1 or 2. Rob also reported spending over 16 minutes in Z6. Basically the race was either full-on or not with little in between. That's typical of P/1/2 races.
Also it's not too surprising that I came off as the day before at Ward's Ferry I had 24+ minutes in Z6 and 17+ minutes in Z5. I don't know if there is any theory regarding the amount of time you can spend over threshold on consecutive days but I think I found out my current limits. I suppose if I had wanted to do better at Santa Cruz I should not have raced Wards Ferry the day before.
Thanks for reading,
--dominic
----------------------------------------------------
Rob's Martinez Crit Report
----------------------------------------------------
Martinez Criterium, Pro/1/2
75 minutes
April 5, 2008
Result: ~30th of 75 or so
Teammates: James Badia, Neil Harrington
The Martinez course is a fun clockwise L-shaped circuit with some linked corners, dodgy pavement, and a short hill after a long start-finish straight. This was a first time race for me and Neil, but James had raced the year before. Our 75 minute race had some big money on offer ($7500) so it drew out lots of fast guys and fast racing. It seemed like Rock Racing sent half their team to the race. There was a lone Bissell pro as well. Then there was the other usual NorCal suspects from Cal Giant, BPG, Z-Team, Davis, and so on.
As expected, we started off in a flurry of speed and kept at it full-stick for a long while. I focused on surfing the pack and trying to move up into the sweet spot. There was a lot of jockeying for position and lots of bunching then accelerating after every turn so maintaining position was tough. Without a lot of diligence, it's easy to drift backward. At some point early in the race, Neil was taken out leading into a fast turn at the base of the hill. He went to take a free lap but they let him in off the back and he struggled to latch on. Eventually Neil pulled out. That left James and I in green. James was looking comfortable in the pack and was riding strong, getting in a short lived break early on.
About 20 minutes into the race, a breakaway with some Rock, Giant, and BPG representation got off. Just as James and I were talking about covering it, another Rock jumped with a another Cal Giant and I latched on. Through the chicane, Rock must've gotten the radio call to sit up. Cal Giant sat up with him but I jumped again through the turns and got good separation. I chased really hard for about a lap and as I was getting close, the lone Bissell rider had tried to bridge as well. The pack clearly didn't want him in the break so they chased him hard and it all came back together. After that, I was pretty gassed for while. I don't have the top end quite yet to do that repeatedly or to be able to recover quickly from the hard efforts. As I sought shelter in the pack, THE break went off. This one had the right mix of horsepower and representation: 2 Rocks (including Bahati), Reaney from CalGiant, the Bissell guy and a BPG rider. Their gap grew and shrank and grew again throughout the rest of the race. From what I hear, the second Rock Racing guy took a flyer and held it to the line while Reaney beat Bahati for 2nd.
I was in a bit of survival mode for the 2nd half of the race. With about 15 minutes left to go, I got a flat and had a nice 1-2 minute rest before sprinting back in. There were a couple of nervous crashes in the last couple of laps that had me even less eager to get in the mix. James was up in good position but it turns out he had some trouble with his rear wheel. The skewer came loose so he couldn't contest the sprint. I sprinted out of the last corner for the heck of it, though I was well back at that point, finishing somewhere around 30th. It was a bummer that James had mechanical problems at the end. He was racing strong and smart all race, I'm sure he would've finished well.
My fitness is coming around slowly. At least I feel like I'm on the upswing and surviving races like this can only help for other races down the road. Looking at my power numbers, I spent about 25 minutes in Z6+, about 20 minutes Z3-5, and the rest in Z1-2. The normalized power was right around threshold for the 75 minutes. That's hard racin!
Thanks for reading,
-Rob
The MTB Files: Round 2, Fountain Hills, AZ
Aroussen raced the latest round of the NMBS (National Mountain Bike Series). Another poor starting position on the grid and some further bad luck didn't do him any favors but he soldiered on and had a respectable ride, all things considered. Below is his report. Good reading!
---------------------------------------------------
Fountain Hills, McDowell Mountain, Arizona
Rider: Aroussen Laflamme
Cat: Pro
Finishing Position: 63rd of 92
Course: 10 miles per laps
Laps: 3
Weather: Sunny, breezy and warm (88F)
The second race of the NMBS series adopted the stage race format with a super D race on Friday, a short track on Saturday and the XC race on Sunday. I was not able to participate to the super D on Friday so I opted to do only the XC race with fresh legs. The problem was that this has put me dead last on the start.
This was particularly a problem for this race since the very long lap was mostly a single track except for the 500 feet of the start-finish area. My strategy was the same as usual; start as hard as possible without being involved in a crash. And a crash there has been a couple of riders in front of me. This event has stopped my somewhat good start, putting me close to the end of the infinite tail of the charging bulls.
I have spent half a lap trying to pass people, losing a lot of energy doing so, often for nothing since the twist and turns of this course were so numerous and so tight that every pass was an epic adventure and a threat for my tires. In this aggressive mode, trying to gain every second possible, I was cutting every corner, taking unfamiliar path. After a rocky descent, I have taken the inside of a turn, letting my double suspension do the work to absorb the hidden rocks in the bushes.
But that was not enough; in a control slide I have sliced my front tire that began to lift dust all over the place, spraying the Stan's no tube latex liquid on the ground with a rattlesnake sound. Familiar with this situation, I have tried to put the tire in the sand to stop the hemorrhage. But nothing to do, even after having put some more air in the tire, it refused to seal. Right next to me was another guy in the same situation. Soon we are two of us putting a tube in our tires, inflating and leaving the scene promptly, leaving behind us the burning sensation of the desert sun.
The other guy has had the chance to have another set of tubeless wheels at the pit zone, not me. During the second lap, while I was pushing hard to regain the lost ground, I compressed totally the front suspension and tire in a small dip, just enough to feel the rim hitting the ground. Immediately I knew that I had just punctured the tube. Surprisingly, the tire remain inflated to about 15 lbs, just enough to continue to ride my bike slowly for the remaining ¾ of the lap toward the pit zone.
This has been an interesting experience since I was not losing so much ground, pushing hard on the climb, an riding softly on the descent, which is totally new for me but certainly useful. Nonetheless, my speed was not fast enough to remain in contention and I have been pulled from the race before the last lap and the so desperately needed pit zone. I have received the 63rd place for my effort, leading Ryan Trebon who has been forced to abandon after three flat. In fact, almost 1/3 of the riders haven't finished the race mostly due to punctures.
This is sad because despite my cold-sinusitis condition I was feeling quite in good shape for this amazing race. Better luck next time at the Sea Otter.
Thanks to my sponsors Webcor-Alto Velo and Kona endurance
Thanks for reading
---------------------------------------------------
Fountain Hills, McDowell Mountain, Arizona
Rider: Aroussen Laflamme
Cat: Pro
Finishing Position: 63rd of 92
Course: 10 miles per laps
Laps: 3
Weather: Sunny, breezy and warm (88F)
The second race of the NMBS series adopted the stage race format with a super D race on Friday, a short track on Saturday and the XC race on Sunday. I was not able to participate to the super D on Friday so I opted to do only the XC race with fresh legs. The problem was that this has put me dead last on the start.
This was particularly a problem for this race since the very long lap was mostly a single track except for the 500 feet of the start-finish area. My strategy was the same as usual; start as hard as possible without being involved in a crash. And a crash there has been a couple of riders in front of me. This event has stopped my somewhat good start, putting me close to the end of the infinite tail of the charging bulls.
I have spent half a lap trying to pass people, losing a lot of energy doing so, often for nothing since the twist and turns of this course were so numerous and so tight that every pass was an epic adventure and a threat for my tires. In this aggressive mode, trying to gain every second possible, I was cutting every corner, taking unfamiliar path. After a rocky descent, I have taken the inside of a turn, letting my double suspension do the work to absorb the hidden rocks in the bushes.
But that was not enough; in a control slide I have sliced my front tire that began to lift dust all over the place, spraying the Stan's no tube latex liquid on the ground with a rattlesnake sound. Familiar with this situation, I have tried to put the tire in the sand to stop the hemorrhage. But nothing to do, even after having put some more air in the tire, it refused to seal. Right next to me was another guy in the same situation. Soon we are two of us putting a tube in our tires, inflating and leaving the scene promptly, leaving behind us the burning sensation of the desert sun.
The other guy has had the chance to have another set of tubeless wheels at the pit zone, not me. During the second lap, while I was pushing hard to regain the lost ground, I compressed totally the front suspension and tire in a small dip, just enough to feel the rim hitting the ground. Immediately I knew that I had just punctured the tube. Surprisingly, the tire remain inflated to about 15 lbs, just enough to continue to ride my bike slowly for the remaining ¾ of the lap toward the pit zone.
This has been an interesting experience since I was not losing so much ground, pushing hard on the climb, an riding softly on the descent, which is totally new for me but certainly useful. Nonetheless, my speed was not fast enough to remain in contention and I have been pulled from the race before the last lap and the so desperately needed pit zone. I have received the 63rd place for my effort, leading Ryan Trebon who has been forced to abandon after three flat. In fact, almost 1/3 of the riders haven't finished the race mostly due to punctures.
This is sad because despite my cold-sinusitis condition I was feeling quite in good shape for this amazing race. Better luck next time at the Sea Otter.
Thanks to my sponsors Webcor-Alto Velo and Kona endurance
Thanks for reading
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Brisbane Circ Race Report
Rand's report detailing a tough, windy race in the Brisbane hills is below. A lot of top pros showed up and Rand did very well to make the break and to get a top 10.
Full Results
--------------------------------------------------------
Brisbane Circuit Race
Brisbane, CA
3/30/08
Field: ~75
Teammates: Rob MacNeill, James Badia, Jono Coulter, Matt Beebe, Neil Harrington, Graham Simpson, Tore Nauta
This course is one of my favorites...its a shortish circuit, probably 2 miles long, with about 200 to 300 feet of climbing per lap and a ripping fast downhill. Traditionally, there is a stiff headwind up the climb, which held true this year.
The race promised to be hard, as BMC brought about 8 guys, and Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) and Roman Kilun (Healthnet) also showed up. It was one of the largest fields I have seen at Brisbane.
About 3 laps into the race, the pace picked up a lot and I found myself in a break of about 15 guys. 2 BMC riders attacked and got a big gap over the break. Our break was caught about halfway through, but then two laps later the pace got hectic again. I felt really good the whole time, and went with several attacks that resulted in another break forming, this one containing about 10 riders including the remainder of the BMC team, Roman, Fred Rodriguez, and a few other
riders. I want to thank all of my teammates for spending the day keeping my breakaways safe from the clutches of the pack...great job.
I played the finale a bit poorly, as I failed to make it into a chase group of three that got off the front of the break, and I ended up finishing 10th overall. Not a great result, but not too bad either considering the strong field. Rob MacNeill sprinted hard for 3rd in the bunch sprint, and most of our guys finished strong (Rob 16th, Jono 21st, Tore 28th, James 34th, Neil 52nd). Overall, it was a great team effort, and I think we all communicated well and executed well. Thanks again to my fellow P/1/2 teammates.
Full Results
--------------------------------------------------------
Brisbane Circuit Race
Brisbane, CA
3/30/08
Field: ~75
Teammates: Rob MacNeill, James Badia, Jono Coulter, Matt Beebe, Neil Harrington, Graham Simpson, Tore Nauta
This course is one of my favorites...its a shortish circuit, probably 2 miles long, with about 200 to 300 feet of climbing per lap and a ripping fast downhill. Traditionally, there is a stiff headwind up the climb, which held true this year.
The race promised to be hard, as BMC brought about 8 guys, and Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) and Roman Kilun (Healthnet) also showed up. It was one of the largest fields I have seen at Brisbane.
About 3 laps into the race, the pace picked up a lot and I found myself in a break of about 15 guys. 2 BMC riders attacked and got a big gap over the break. Our break was caught about halfway through, but then two laps later the pace got hectic again. I felt really good the whole time, and went with several attacks that resulted in another break forming, this one containing about 10 riders including the remainder of the BMC team, Roman, Fred Rodriguez, and a few other
riders. I want to thank all of my teammates for spending the day keeping my breakaways safe from the clutches of the pack...great job.
I played the finale a bit poorly, as I failed to make it into a chase group of three that got off the front of the break, and I ended up finishing 10th overall. Not a great result, but not too bad either considering the strong field. Rob MacNeill sprinted hard for 3rd in the bunch sprint, and most of our guys finished strong (Rob 16th, Jono 21st, Tore 28th, James 34th, Neil 52nd). Overall, it was a great team effort, and I think we all communicated well and executed well. Thanks again to my fellow P/1/2 teammates.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The MTB Files: Round 1, Fontana
Our French Canadian mountain biker turned roadie, Aroussen, is still hitting up the dirt. He recently competed at the first big national race in Fontana, CA. Below is his report.
-----------------------------------------------------------
NMBS (national mountain bike series): Southridge Park, Fontana,
California
Rider: Aroussen Laflamme
Cat: Pro
Finishing Position: 44th Of 90
Course: 5 laps: 6 miles per laps
Weather: a lot of sunshine and warm temperature, windy condition
Race statistics: 2h27 minutes, 1369 meters of climbing, Avg speed
19,4 km/H
As the first race of the season for the MTBer, Fontana offers a lot
of climbing, loose dirt and tricky descents in the sand. Most of the
best rider of Canada and USA was there for the kick-off of the season
in what was a really amazing race.
At the start line, I was thinking about my strategy, back on the
sixth rows with more than 40 angry-for-victory men behind me. My plan
was to stay calm during the start, trying to keep my energy for this
2h+ race. Anyway, we will have to run since there's two steep and
loose climb awaiting a couple of hundred meters after the start. So
no crazy moves, just anticipated the moment the peloton will stop, so
I can dismounted my bike in advance and keep my momentum. In front of
me there a target (it's always good to have a target in those kind of
race), a Giant Berry guy name Chance Noble, and the guy from Canada,
Matthew Hadley.
Bang! The start… here we go… slower than I'm use to, but I'm in the
back. I have the inside of the first corner, wich is great but I need
to defend it. No crash, we're rolling. At the first little bumps and
turns, a stall… run, run, and go like a cyclocross guy. The first
climb begins, there's too much dust, and we can't see a rock! One guy
skip is wheel, it's time to run… run to the top, jump on the bike
again and here's the second steep, loose climb. This time I'm able to
remain on the bike. Since then, the peloton is stretch on one long,
very long line.
The race continues and I'm able to take some position on the first
couple of laps, being stronger on the flat, I try to recover. The
race is constituted of 4 climbs each separated by a technical and
singled-track descent. Hopefully for the other guy, we can pass on
the climbs. Hopefully for them too, we can't really pass on the
downhill.
Everything works great, starting 48th on the first lap, to 40th on
the 3rd lap I'm on my way for a top 35. But then every hope vanished
when I've decided to take a gel… a mistake I've sworn I would never
do again when I was a beginner. But with the road racing, it appears
to works well, so I decided to give it another try. Never again, and
this time is for real. Combined to the dehydration, it caused me so
many cramps during the 2 remaining laps that I was not able to climb
hard. Fighting this cruelly painful sensation, I've continued to
fight for a couple of position, being forced to let some people go
away while the cramp stopped.
At this time I needed my target, but unfortunately is far back, or he
has stopped. At the price of some painful cramps, I decided to join a
group of two guys on a flat section leading to the last real climb.
We have worked together until the last tricky descent, and then I've
took the lead toward the finish, negotiating the chicane well I been
able to outsprint my fellows cyclist for the 44th position.
Considering that I've ride my MTBike only 3 times before the race and
that I didn't manage my energy very well, I'm pretty much happy with
the result. The race was fun, the organization perfect, the weather
very nice, so this was a fantastic experience.
Thanks to my family, and my sponsors Webcor-Alto Velo and Kona
endurance
Thanks for reading.
Aroussen Laflamme
-----------------------------------------------------------
NMBS (national mountain bike series): Southridge Park, Fontana,
California
Rider: Aroussen Laflamme
Cat: Pro
Finishing Position: 44th Of 90
Course: 5 laps: 6 miles per laps
Weather: a lot of sunshine and warm temperature, windy condition
Race statistics: 2h27 minutes, 1369 meters of climbing, Avg speed
19,4 km/H
As the first race of the season for the MTBer, Fontana offers a lot
of climbing, loose dirt and tricky descents in the sand. Most of the
best rider of Canada and USA was there for the kick-off of the season
in what was a really amazing race.
At the start line, I was thinking about my strategy, back on the
sixth rows with more than 40 angry-for-victory men behind me. My plan
was to stay calm during the start, trying to keep my energy for this
2h+ race. Anyway, we will have to run since there's two steep and
loose climb awaiting a couple of hundred meters after the start. So
no crazy moves, just anticipated the moment the peloton will stop, so
I can dismounted my bike in advance and keep my momentum. In front of
me there a target (it's always good to have a target in those kind of
race), a Giant Berry guy name Chance Noble, and the guy from Canada,
Matthew Hadley.
Bang! The start… here we go… slower than I'm use to, but I'm in the
back. I have the inside of the first corner, wich is great but I need
to defend it. No crash, we're rolling. At the first little bumps and
turns, a stall… run, run, and go like a cyclocross guy. The first
climb begins, there's too much dust, and we can't see a rock! One guy
skip is wheel, it's time to run… run to the top, jump on the bike
again and here's the second steep, loose climb. This time I'm able to
remain on the bike. Since then, the peloton is stretch on one long,
very long line.
The race continues and I'm able to take some position on the first
couple of laps, being stronger on the flat, I try to recover. The
race is constituted of 4 climbs each separated by a technical and
singled-track descent. Hopefully for the other guy, we can pass on
the climbs. Hopefully for them too, we can't really pass on the
downhill.
Everything works great, starting 48th on the first lap, to 40th on
the 3rd lap I'm on my way for a top 35. But then every hope vanished
when I've decided to take a gel… a mistake I've sworn I would never
do again when I was a beginner. But with the road racing, it appears
to works well, so I decided to give it another try. Never again, and
this time is for real. Combined to the dehydration, it caused me so
many cramps during the 2 remaining laps that I was not able to climb
hard. Fighting this cruelly painful sensation, I've continued to
fight for a couple of position, being forced to let some people go
away while the cramp stopped.
At this time I needed my target, but unfortunately is far back, or he
has stopped. At the price of some painful cramps, I decided to join a
group of two guys on a flat section leading to the last real climb.
We have worked together until the last tricky descent, and then I've
took the lead toward the finish, negotiating the chicane well I been
able to outsprint my fellows cyclist for the 44th position.
Considering that I've ride my MTBike only 3 times before the race and
that I didn't manage my energy very well, I'm pretty much happy with
the result. The race was fun, the organization perfect, the weather
very nice, so this was a fantastic experience.
Thanks to my family, and my sponsors Webcor-Alto Velo and Kona
endurance
Thanks for reading.
Aroussen Laflamme
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