Sanford Crit Race Report (or why you have to stay up front)
02-11-07, 02:02 PM
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pan y agua
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Sanford Crit Race Report (or why you have to stay up front)
Did the Sanford crit yesterday. First real race of the Florida season. Beuatiful day, sunny, low seventies, and picturesque setting along Lave Monroe.
Great turnout, inculding several teams from out of state (including a large contingent on the PEdal Power team from Lexington Kentucky)
My race, I start out up front for the first several laps. Pace stayed pretty hard all day. (only half the field finished) I ws not having a good day,and allowed myself to drift to the back. With about 3 laps to go, I decided I came to race, and had to start moving up. By the first turn on the next to last lap. I've gotten to about top third, when 3 guys in front of me go down. I came to a complete stop avoiding the crash, to watch the lead portion of the peloton pedal away. I tried to chase, but with the race heating up and less than a mile to go never got back on with the break formed by the wreck.
I know you have to be up front, but I didn't put out the work to do it, and it ended up costing me.
Still had a good day's training on a lovely day.
Great turnout, inculding several teams from out of state (including a large contingent on the PEdal Power team from Lexington Kentucky)
My race, I start out up front for the first several laps. Pace stayed pretty hard all day. (only half the field finished) I ws not having a good day,and allowed myself to drift to the back. With about 3 laps to go, I decided I came to race, and had to start moving up. By the first turn on the next to last lap. I've gotten to about top third, when 3 guys in front of me go down. I came to a complete stop avoiding the crash, to watch the lead portion of the peloton pedal away. I tried to chase, but with the race heating up and less than a mile to go never got back on with the break formed by the wreck.
I know you have to be up front, but I didn't put out the work to do it, and it ended up costing me.
Still had a good day's training on a lovely day.
02-11-07, 02:15 PM
#3
Aut Vincere Aut Mori
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Shiny side up, and lesson learned. When I look back on races I've finished well in, every time I'm in the top 5 or 10 in the last mile, I'm in the top 5 or 10 at the line...
I'd kill for a 70* day, and being able to ride my bike right about now.
I'd kill for a 70* day, and being able to ride my bike right about now.
02-11-07, 04:34 PM
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old & slow
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What's with people wrecking in front of you this year? At least you're getting all of this out of the way early in the season. 
Andy
Andy
02-11-07, 06:04 PM
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pan y agua
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Wrecks are going to happen, even moreso in lower categories. Farther you are up front, lower the odds they are going to be in front of you. Yesterday, I either wouldn't or couldn't pay the price to be in front of it. I'm still going over which one is correct.
02-11-07, 07:32 PM
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Two of my buddies got caught up in a Cat5 crash in the Lake Mary crit today, kinda sucked because the exact same thing happened to them; got slowed down to where they couldn't catch back up.
02-11-07, 08:31 PM
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Merlin,
I did the Cat 5 race, didn't see you, probably because I had the same experience as you, only earlier. I lined up in the back, a guy went up partway onto the curb in the first turn on (I think) the second lap. I slowed down to avoid the pileup, watched the field ride away, and spent about 20 laps sucking wind trying to catch up, to no avail. Finally got pulled.
Oh, and can I say, those cobblestones sucked? But hey, it's all valuable experience to me, I'm just trying to get the hang of this.
I did the Cat 5 race, didn't see you, probably because I had the same experience as you, only earlier.
I lined up in the back, a guy went up partway onto the curb in the first turn on (I think) the second lap. I slowed down to avoid the pileup, watched the field ride away, and spent about 20 laps sucking wind trying to catch up, to no avail. Finally got pulled.Oh, and can I say, those cobblestones sucked? But hey, it's all valuable experience to me, I'm just trying to get the hang of this.
02-11-07, 08:49 PM
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Originally Posted by KendallF
a guy went up partway onto the curb in the first turn on (I think) the second lap.
--Steve
