Patterson Pass Race Report
08-12-07, 10:05 PM
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Patterson Pass Race Report
Waking up when the sun isn't even in the process of rising is not a fun thing for me. The race in Tracy today wasn't far enough away to warrant spending the night, so at 5am my alarm went off and the day began. I'm super nervous about this race. My life has almost completely revolved around it for the last 3 weeks, and to an extent, the entire race season. Patterson Pass is my A race. I register, put on arm/knee warmers. It gets hot almost instantly, I take them off. I do a 10-minute warmup, put some extra wheels in a black SUV and it's time to rock.
The course is 3 laps. Each one is 21ish miles. It goes like this. Headwind into BIG climb (1300ish feet),short descent, small climb, turn of death ( me ad chris both crashed on this corner during a pre-ride 2 weeks ago) then the LONG shallow descent with a tailwind, then the short roller up with a crosswind. Repeat. The wind today is super strong.
Start time is 8:15. I'm almost late because I found out about the wheel truck way late. We roll out at a slow pace. Nobody wants to work on a flat into such a strong headwind. That's fine with me.... i don't want to work either. The first climb is uneventful. The pace is good: steady enough to keep us breathing, but I don't think we're dropping anybody. This is good because at the top I have enough left to sprint so that I get to lead the descent. I get nervous descending behind people I don't trust. I do the same thing for the turn of death at the top of the second climb. I get to go through at my speed and all is good. The long shallow descent is AWESOME. Our pack was cruising at 30-40, and the tailwind is so strong that we drafting isn't very effective, so we're not having to ride super tight. We held 48mph for extended periods of time.
The second lap started of SUPER slow, and was slow up the climb. I pushed it a bit hoping to stir up some cooperation, but nobody else wanted to climb into the wind so it was back to normal speed. Apparently that was enough to get the group down to 15-20. Second climb and long downwind descent are uneventful. In the crosswind section I can't hold my bike steady while I'm eating (new carbon blingy wheels). I decide to jump up to the front so I can eat a GU without running into the guy next to me. By the time I've eaten I look back and have a 10 second gap. This has happened in this race a few times before so I just figure they'll catch up. It becomes clear that nobody wants to work hard to catch me, so I pull away. After a few minutes of this I can't see them when I look back. A minute more and I see one guy trying to bridge. His name is Jim, and we take turns pulling through the headwind and up the first climb. He fades a bit at the end of the second climb. I can see a group of 6 guys about 30 seconds back and I really don't want to get caught so I take off on my own. The next section is the super fast downwind descent, where the group won't have any advantage over an individual. I bury my head and go for it.
Now I'm soloing off the front at 40mph where the tailwind is so strong that the only noise I can hear is my tires singing on he pavement, and my wheels rushing with each pedal stroke.
Bliss. Pain. Nervousness that I won't be able to pull this off.
I can't see anybody behind me but we're going so fast that even a 10 second gap would be too far for me to see. I get back to the crosswind section with the riser and look back. I see a group of 6 guys and my heart sinks. They weren't there before so they must be gaining on me. If they're working together in this crosswind I'm not going to stand a chance. Both quads are hinting at cramping and I NEED to go faster. 2 minutes later the group passes me and I'm utterly destroyed mentally. I wanted this race SO badly. As they pass I glance over and notice that all of their numbers start with a 3. My number starts with a 2.
Redemption. I still have a chance to win this race.
The finish is only 2 or 3 minutes away. I shift up again, lower my cadence and grind it back to the finish line. Nobody knows I'm finishing, or they don't care, but I sure do. I give a little last effort to make sure I don't get passed out of nowhere and I cross the line alone, smiling and covered in my own special combination of sunscreen, salty dried sweat, and the snot rockets I was too tired to aim correctly. I am completely exhausted, very thirsty, and intensely happy. Jim crosses the line just 30 seconds after me. He had a second wind and is a good time trialist, so he made up a lot of ground in the tailwind section. I'm told later that there was another 2 man chase, and the lead group was down to 5 by the time they crossed the line.
First win as a 4... Hell, first top 10 except for that time trial last month.
I love bike racing.
The course is 3 laps. Each one is 21ish miles. It goes like this. Headwind into BIG climb (1300ish feet),short descent, small climb, turn of death ( me ad chris both crashed on this corner during a pre-ride 2 weeks ago) then the LONG shallow descent with a tailwind, then the short roller up with a crosswind. Repeat. The wind today is super strong.
Start time is 8:15. I'm almost late because I found out about the wheel truck way late. We roll out at a slow pace. Nobody wants to work on a flat into such a strong headwind. That's fine with me.... i don't want to work either. The first climb is uneventful. The pace is good: steady enough to keep us breathing, but I don't think we're dropping anybody. This is good because at the top I have enough left to sprint so that I get to lead the descent. I get nervous descending behind people I don't trust. I do the same thing for the turn of death at the top of the second climb. I get to go through at my speed and all is good. The long shallow descent is AWESOME. Our pack was cruising at 30-40, and the tailwind is so strong that we drafting isn't very effective, so we're not having to ride super tight. We held 48mph for extended periods of time.
The second lap started of SUPER slow, and was slow up the climb. I pushed it a bit hoping to stir up some cooperation, but nobody else wanted to climb into the wind so it was back to normal speed. Apparently that was enough to get the group down to 15-20. Second climb and long downwind descent are uneventful. In the crosswind section I can't hold my bike steady while I'm eating (new carbon blingy wheels). I decide to jump up to the front so I can eat a GU without running into the guy next to me. By the time I've eaten I look back and have a 10 second gap. This has happened in this race a few times before so I just figure they'll catch up. It becomes clear that nobody wants to work hard to catch me, so I pull away. After a few minutes of this I can't see them when I look back. A minute more and I see one guy trying to bridge. His name is Jim, and we take turns pulling through the headwind and up the first climb. He fades a bit at the end of the second climb. I can see a group of 6 guys about 30 seconds back and I really don't want to get caught so I take off on my own. The next section is the super fast downwind descent, where the group won't have any advantage over an individual. I bury my head and go for it.
Now I'm soloing off the front at 40mph where the tailwind is so strong that the only noise I can hear is my tires singing on he pavement, and my wheels rushing with each pedal stroke.
Bliss. Pain. Nervousness that I won't be able to pull this off.
I can't see anybody behind me but we're going so fast that even a 10 second gap would be too far for me to see. I get back to the crosswind section with the riser and look back. I see a group of 6 guys and my heart sinks. They weren't there before so they must be gaining on me. If they're working together in this crosswind I'm not going to stand a chance. Both quads are hinting at cramping and I NEED to go faster. 2 minutes later the group passes me and I'm utterly destroyed mentally. I wanted this race SO badly. As they pass I glance over and notice that all of their numbers start with a 3. My number starts with a 2.
Redemption. I still have a chance to win this race.
The finish is only 2 or 3 minutes away. I shift up again, lower my cadence and grind it back to the finish line. Nobody knows I'm finishing, or they don't care, but I sure do. I give a little last effort to make sure I don't get passed out of nowhere and I cross the line alone, smiling and covered in my own special combination of sunscreen, salty dried sweat, and the snot rockets I was too tired to aim correctly. I am completely exhausted, very thirsty, and intensely happy. Jim crosses the line just 30 seconds after me. He had a second wind and is a good time trialist, so he made up a lot of ground in the tailwind section. I'm told later that there was another 2 man chase, and the lead group was down to 5 by the time they crossed the line.
First win as a 4... Hell, first top 10 except for that time trial last month.
I love bike racing.
08-12-07, 10:20 PM
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Congrats. Sorry I didn't see you / introduce myself. There were a lot of people at the start line area.
What kit were you in? I was near the front for the first two laps before being shelled late in the game, so I might remember you. I found the descents to be almost as bad as the climb itself. The wind really was ridiculous. If you were to look at my bike at certain points, I would have been leaning halfway to the ground. My wheels have deep rims as well, and I was nearly blown over and off the course several times.
I should add that I finished 20something I think. I lost 3 spots in the final sprint. Caught and dropped some people on the last climb (the fun one imo), held them off on the descent, but was ultimately caught on the flats and outsprinted like its no one's business. What can I say, I'm small/slow.
Stopped at the In-n-Out in Livermore for a Double Double. That's almost as good as a podium.
What kit were you in? I was near the front for the first two laps before being shelled late in the game, so I might remember you. I found the descents to be almost as bad as the climb itself. The wind really was ridiculous. If you were to look at my bike at certain points, I would have been leaning halfway to the ground. My wheels have deep rims as well, and I was nearly blown over and off the course several times.
I should add that I finished 20something I think. I lost 3 spots in the final sprint. Caught and dropped some people on the last climb (the fun one imo), held them off on the descent, but was ultimately caught on the flats and outsprinted like its no one's business. What can I say, I'm small/slow.
Stopped at the In-n-Out in Livermore for a Double Double. That's almost as good as a podium.
Last edited by grebletie; 08-12-07 at 10:27 PM.
08-12-07, 10:22 PM
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Rockin dude! Congrats on the win. Top of the podium will make any weekend feel good.
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08-12-07, 11:06 PM
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greb, my team is called Dolce Vita. I was in an orange/white/blue kit riding a blue orbea.
My post-race innout was in pleasonton, but it was also quite awesome.
Does anybody know who was taking pictures that day? I saw a few guys w/ cameras, but i dunno if they have websites or if they were just friends/family of riders.
Thanks,
B.
My post-race innout was in pleasonton, but it was also quite awesome.
Does anybody know who was taking pictures that day? I saw a few guys w/ cameras, but i dunno if they have websites or if they were just friends/family of riders.
Thanks,
B.
08-12-07, 11:26 PM
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Nice. Congratulations! Any effort at all on the front Saturday was most worthy, and if you could pull it off, that's awesome.
For those who weren't there, it was ferociously windy. If your idea of fun is climbing 15% kickers into a gusting 20-30 MPH headwind, well, you would have wet yourself.
So a bit before the start of our last lap (45 open), when one of the Mean Green Climbing Machines (MGCM for short, they even share the same first name) took off solo, we figured with the horsepower in the pack (not to mention some weary legs from a 5 man break he/we were in that just had gotten gobbled up), there was no way it would stick. Plus we saw some team stuff being played out...
And frankly I have no idea how someone can even sit on a seat, let alone climb with balls that big. Perhaps the OP could enlighten us. Brian?
All I know is the wind farm guys were cleaning up.
Three best comments of the day:
1) "Would someone turn off the damn fans!"
2) "Don't run him down right away, let him suffer for a while".
The would be to the finish, a minute up on us. We got going a bit late. I got second thanks to a generous gimme from GWHBNAH, who took third with #2 MGCM in 4th.
And finally:
3) "We're going like 50" from GWHBNAH as we chased down Altamont with the tailwind. Thanks to the CHP for blocking traffic as we came through the intersection.
Great race all around, really sick fun with guys who are all class. Lots of attacking, counters, breaks, and just general mayhem, done right. Only would have been better if "Zoom" hadn't had an exploding derailluer on the first climb.
Epilogue:
For grins I rode an 18 mile TT the next day and won the 35+ 1/2/3. Unfortunately I had entered the 45+ Uber Geezer class so I only got 3rd. Zoom got 4th. It's heck getting old.
Good weekend for the BF boys, PizzaMan double podium'd also.
For those who weren't there, it was ferociously windy. If your idea of fun is climbing 15% kickers into a gusting 20-30 MPH headwind, well, you would have wet yourself.
So a bit before the start of our last lap (45 open), when one of the Mean Green Climbing Machines (MGCM for short, they even share the same first name) took off solo, we figured with the horsepower in the pack (not to mention some weary legs from a 5 man break he/we were in that just had gotten gobbled up), there was no way it would stick. Plus we saw some team stuff being played out...
And frankly I have no idea how someone can even sit on a seat, let alone climb with balls that big. Perhaps the OP could enlighten us. Brian?
All I know is the wind farm guys were cleaning up.
Three best comments of the day:
1) "Would someone turn off the damn fans!"
2) "Don't run him down right away, let him suffer for a while".
The would be to the finish, a minute up on us. We got going a bit late. I got second thanks to a generous gimme from GWHBNAH, who took third with #2 MGCM in 4th.
And finally:
3) "We're going like 50" from GWHBNAH as we chased down Altamont with the tailwind. Thanks to the CHP for blocking traffic as we came through the intersection.
Great race all around, really sick fun with guys who are all class. Lots of attacking, counters, breaks, and just general mayhem, done right. Only would have been better if "Zoom" hadn't had an exploding derailluer on the first climb.
Epilogue:
For grins I rode an 18 mile TT the next day and won the 35+ 1/2/3. Unfortunately I had entered the 45+ Uber Geezer class so I only got 3rd. Zoom got 4th. It's heck getting old.
Good weekend for the BF boys, PizzaMan double podium'd also.
Last edited by Racer Ex; 08-12-07 at 11:46 PM.
08-12-07, 11:27 PM
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greb, my team is called Dolce Vita. I was in an orange/white/blue kit riding a blue orbea.
My post-race innout was in pleasonton, but it was also quite awesome.
Does anybody know who was taking pictures that day? I saw a few guys w/ cameras, but i dunno if they have websites or if they were just friends/family of riders.
Thanks,
B.
My post-race innout was in pleasonton, but it was also quite awesome.
Does anybody know who was taking pictures that day? I saw a few guys w/ cameras, but i dunno if they have websites or if they were just friends/family of riders.
Thanks,
B.
08-13-07, 09:36 AM
#7
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Brian,
Congratulations and nice race report! I already knew the ending though since I saw the results after the race.
Those 50mph tail wind descents were a blast! I was in a 3 man break on the 2nd of 3 laps in the 35+ 1/2/3 race and even though we were rotating through I couldn't feel any draft benefit. My cadence in my 50-11 was in the 130-140 range!
It was a weekend of 2nd's for me and my team. I finished 2nd on Saturday and had teammates finish 2nd in the 35+ 4/5 and Elite 5 races, then on Sunday I came back and finished 2nd in the TT (by 0.8 seconds, I should have taken Vino's advice and borrowed that Disc wheel!)
Vino got me by 16 seconds in the TT. Congrats for your double podium too!
Congratulations and nice race report! I already knew the ending though since I saw the results after the race.
Those 50mph tail wind descents were a blast! I was in a 3 man break on the 2nd of 3 laps in the 35+ 1/2/3 race and even though we were rotating through I couldn't feel any draft benefit. My cadence in my 50-11 was in the 130-140 range!
It was a weekend of 2nd's for me and my team. I finished 2nd on Saturday and had teammates finish 2nd in the 35+ 4/5 and Elite 5 races, then on Sunday I came back and finished 2nd in the TT (by 0.8 seconds, I should have taken Vino's advice and borrowed that Disc wheel!)
Vino got me by 16 seconds in the TT. Congrats for your double podium too!
08-13-07, 11:09 AM
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Congratulations Brian. When you told me yesterday how you won, my mouth almost dropped. Killer way to win, imho.
08-14-07, 12:03 AM
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I did the esparto TT the next day too but with much less exciting results. My time was just under 46 min, enough to get 7th in my field of 15. It was my first flat TT and I just rode my bike in the drops, so not that horrible i'd think. Interesting that the older guys beat the younger ones...
08-14-07, 08:33 AM
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Great report! Congrats to you Brian and all of the Cali monsters (Racer, Pizza, etc). Remind me never to come out your way and race. eeeek.
08-14-07, 02:15 PM
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You guys are animals for doing both days and doing them well. I wish I had Esparto to do over again or another TT sometime this year to give it another go. I knew my aero position was uncomfortable, but looking at the pictures it was horrible positioning to boot! 
On the flip side, it'll be easy to beat next year. All I have to do is show up on time and not derail again (lame). How many ounces of body fluid does it take to buy a 10K TT bike?
On the flip side, it'll be easy to beat next year. All I have to do is show up on time and not derail again (lame). How many ounces of body fluid does it take to buy a 10K TT bike?
08-14-07, 02:58 PM
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Hi,
Nice reports and results (especially Brian). I used to drive up north to do that race pretty regularly in the 1980s since I could combine the race with a visit to my sister and friends and my birthday (always near Labor Day). Racer Ex's photos bring back a lot of memories -- some good, some bad.
Anyway, if I wasn't in Hawaii on vacation, I might have made the trek up there this year to commemorate my 50th. Maybe I'll go next year as a belated commemoration.
Nice reports and results (especially Brian). I used to drive up north to do that race pretty regularly in the 1980s since I could combine the race with a visit to my sister and friends and my birthday (always near Labor Day). Racer Ex's photos bring back a lot of memories -- some good, some bad.
Anyway, if I wasn't in Hawaii on vacation, I might have made the trek up there this year to commemorate my 50th. Maybe I'll go next year as a belated commemoration.
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Thanks.
Cleave
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Visit my blog at https://cleavesblant.wordpress.com/
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08-14-07, 09:41 PM
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I asked a stupid question and found my own answer.
08-15-07, 05:22 PM
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https://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...=105&scount=18
that's me in the orange, white and navy. Check out the new deep wheels, and the guads.
EX, is that you in the red VOS jersey in the pic at the finish?
that's me in the orange, white and navy. Check out the new deep wheels, and the guads.
EX, is that you in the red VOS jersey in the pic at the finish?
08-15-07, 06:16 PM
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https://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...=105&scount=21
Me on the far right with the yellow helmet. I need to work on my race face. That's literally how I look in every race picture, whether things are going hard or easy.
Me on the far right with the yellow helmet. I need to work on my race face. That's literally how I look in every race picture, whether things are going hard or easy.
08-15-07, 06:22 PM
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https://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...=105&scount=18
that's me in the orange, white and navy. Check out the new deep wheels, and the guads.
EX, is that you in the red VOS jersey in the pic at the finish?
that's me in the orange, white and navy. Check out the new deep wheels, and the guads.
EX, is that you in the red VOS jersey in the pic at the finish?
08-15-07, 07:08 PM
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https://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...=105&scount=18
that's me in the orange, white and navy. Check out the new deep wheels, and the guads.
EX, is that you in the red VOS jersey in the pic at the finish?
that's me in the orange, white and navy. Check out the new deep wheels, and the guads.
EX, is that you in the red VOS jersey in the pic at the finish?
Damn, you guys have some skinny arms and shoulders
08-15-07, 11:54 PM
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Nice shots of the finish. Fun to look through the series and see just how many different ways exhaustion is shown.
https://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...158&scount=119
More photographic evidence of my futile attempt to hold off the riders I dropped on the climb. I kept looking behind me, which was probably a mistake. I also hesitated before digging deep for a long, hard effort to the line. I had thoughts of going hard enough to make the chase difficult. In retrospect, I should have just gone as hard as possible, and to not die before the line.
Sort of demoralizing seeing two guys jump past year 50 yards to the line like you're standing still.
https://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...158&scount=119
More photographic evidence of my futile attempt to hold off the riders I dropped on the climb. I kept looking behind me, which was probably a mistake. I also hesitated before digging deep for a long, hard effort to the line. I had thoughts of going hard enough to make the chase difficult. In retrospect, I should have just gone as hard as possible, and to not die before the line.
Sort of demoralizing seeing two guys jump past year 50 yards to the line like you're standing still.
