climber7

if you're inexperienced, outside often feels safer (at least it did to me). people are leaning away from you instead of toward you, and if you screw up, you won't crash out the entire field. the problem is that if there's a crash near you in a turn and you're on the outside, you're much more likely to get pushed out or caught behind it, so it really isn't safer.

also, being near the front doesn't require you to be any stronger than being at the back - and, in fact, it's easier because you don't get "accordioned" as much. but you need to be comfortable in the field because there's more fighting for position up there. if you're still getting comfortable, just move around a little and get a feel for what it's like to be in the middle of things.

TMonk

barrio logan crit cat 3/4: 4th, $100 and a couple pts.

The course is technical and hilly, which is good for me.

I had a bad start and spent the first 1/3 of the race trying to move up without much effort by filling in little gaps, etc.
The race was pretty well strung out and I soon realized I would have to jump up one of the hills to gain significant ground, which I did about halfway.

I spent a lot of time near the front and held my position well in the last couple laps, giving me a great spot to sprint from: 5th wheel, about 100m up a 4-5 grade from the top.

I had two choices:
1) Cut the corner sharper and jump immediately out of the draft
2) Swing wide and try to slingshot at a higher speed

I mistakenly chose 2), just like everyone else. It was enough to cause me to coast after 3 or 4 pedal strokes.
I crossed the line with plenty of sprint left but its aight.

agoodale

Nice work. That race always pays well.

I broke a spoke about 1/2 way but got back in with a new wheel. On my first lap back my teammate crashed hard into a tree on the backside of the course. I stopped for him.

TMonk

Is he ok?

I would have stopped too.

mattm

Nice job tmonk! Sounds like you've got that edge back.

$100 for 4th, damn! I guess Cali really is the dreamland they say it is.

mattm

Vance Creek RR Cat 3, 80-something miles - WON IT!

With a bunch of 2nd placings this season and an upgrade looming, I really wanted a W before I go.

Well I got it today! In a road race, no less. A hilly one at that.

Long story short we came up to the top of the ~3mi climb as a group, and I jumped from 4th wheel at about 200m and made a gap and held it. Boom, finally took a road race.

TMonk

ty. Ya my head was in the game today.

also, nice win.

TMonk

$1000 purse o0.

Enthalpic

Good job guys. My races today were fun but less rewarding (tt - meh; rr boxed in - same time). Need to make up 5s in tommorows crit to finish in the gc money.

TMonk

gl

echappist

well done

if you don't upgrade, i'm gonna snitch on you and make them force you to upgrade

agoodale

He was headed to urgent care under his own power last I heard. He got pushed into the curb, hit the ground, and then taco'd himself around the tree. It got him in the ribs pretty good but apparently he didn't break any.

caloso

Golden State Crit. Finished 7th in the E3 and 30-somethingth in the P123. The latter was the greater accomplishment for me. Aitch Ay Are Dee. Hard.

mattm

Thx!

TMonk

today I didn't crash at dana pt gp.

echappist

always a good thing

agoodale

Same here. Because I stayed home. My teammate got 2nd in the 30+ 3/4 in a breakaway. 3 of my other teammates crashed out. 1 broken collarbone, 1 broken frame, 1 trashed rear wheel.

I love that course but hate the race.

TMonk

I feel the same way.

shovelhd

Mystic Velo criterium, M55+. Same course I won on a few weeks ago. This time a strong local Masters club showed up en force in both of my races and made life difficult. The first half was pretty much a mark fest, with little breaks going only to get sucked up within a half lap, and I had a bullseye on my back. At that point I started to get nervous about a sprint finish, since nobody really tached themselves out for any effort, so I made my mind up to go after a late prime, which came with 9 to go. I stayed right on the wheel of the prime winner and then hit the gas, railed a few corners, and had a gap. I stayed out for a lap, with the gap staying about the same, 15s or so, while a solo rider who I knew was strong bridged up. We worked very well together and opened up the gap to about 30s, but I never really recovered 100%. Meanwhile the field was strung out and chasing like mad, but we held them off. On the final lap, he attacked and opened a 3 length gap. I have always been hesitant to go 100% to close a gap on the last lap, afraid of not making it and blowing up, so I never gave it everything to close it. That would cost me the win. One never stops learning about themselves and this stupid sport. Memo for next time. I finished 2nd about 4 lengths back, 39s on the field.

M45+. I don't know how many of you have done back-to-back races, but it is friggin' hard. I had 7 minutes to roll up to my truck, swap jerseys, swap bottles, down two gels, and get to the line. This race was understandably much faster and much more aggressive than the previous race. Every lap had at least one attack. They were relentless. The local team had 5-6 riders and they controlled everything. I got OTF twice with one of their riders but we were chased down each time by the field no matter how much work their teammates did to hold the field off. I was starting to fade with about 3 to go. It came down to a field sprint. I fought for wheels at the front, but when the pack hit the gas, I could not stay with the front, and just sat down, got into the speed bars, and jammed as hard as I could, expecting riders to pass me, but nobody did. I ended up 8th.

After 16 races in 9 weeks, I deserve a break. I'm taking the next two weekends off to just ride. My legs need it, and my head needs it. Looking at it objectively, the first third of my season exceeded my expectations. I'm OK with that.

Great to race with you bostongarden and CDR. CDR, your son is stunningly beautiful.

AzTallRider

Way to go, Shovel!

kleinboogie

Hey Tmonk and agoodale, what were your teams and numbers? I was the guy doing video and one of the ones taking pics. I have the crash at turn 4, lot's of video and the finish.

I also raced Barrio and DP, nothing to brag about but I showed up. Got some great footage and pics at Barrio. I just did DP and went home to drink beer.

adam_mac84

Cone Azalia Classic Road Race, first USAC race for me (on road, have 10+ CX races)
10.1 mile circuit, 4 miles of which are gravel.

It's a race of attrition (so I hear), myself and one of our masters racers decided to glue up some cheap Vittoria Rally tubulars on some box section rims... neither of us flatted.

It's hilarious to see a guy about every 200m standing at the side of the road in full kit out in the middle of this farm land staring at their wheel hoping it will magically re-inflate.

Anyhow, back to the race.

We pre-rode the course the night before. We do lots of gravel riding in the fall/winter, so I thought I'd have an advantage. The gravel has lots of potholes/ruts, so being through first is always good. Lets the guys behind have to brake check and spin back up, while you get to push along.

I met a team mate out there that I didn't know was racing, so I had some friendly fire in the race which was good. I told him that I was going to go on each gravel section and try to split the field. We were able to switch off since, after all it was the Cat 5 and nobody knew WTF was going on haha.

At one point, we had about 6 guys chasing a TRI guy who put about a minute into us, you should have seen the abomination that was our attempt at a rotating pace line!!! HAHA. I guess that's why there is a cat5

We started with maybe 25 racers... Ended with 5 in the lead group. My teammate took first, one guy crashed hard in the sprint, so I got to roll in +2s in 4th. I don't like to get involved in the sprints, so I decided I would have to try to be at the front and keep covering attacks and pushing the pace to beat the guys before we even got to the 200 to go, and in this race it worked.

I am on the far left, and my teammate is in the center:

agoodale

I'm CA Pools. TMonk is SPY+ Swamis. If you have video & pics I'd love to share them with my teammates.

shovelhd

Nice work, Gary.

kleinboogie

2012 Barrio Logan Cat 3/4 crash and finish.