Originally Posted by
nitropowered
450m out is way too early to sprint. Its a gamble being anywhere in a sprint. Sometimes it works out when you are up front, other times it better to be a little farther back.
That was a weird race. My pre-race
goal was to be 5th coming out of that last turn due to the distance and the headwind. If rider #1 craps out 100 meters in, and rider #2 craps out 200 meters in, and rider #3 craps out 300 meters in, and rider #4 craps out 400 meters in, I'm in good position to jump the last 50 meters plus or minus.
As it turned out I was in 4th place coming out of the turn. So I was pretty close to where I wanted to be.
About 50 meters out of the turn rider #1 stands up and jumps. Riders #2 and #3 sit up in confusion. I hesitate, then realize the #1 guy is getting away, so I jump too.
It seemed like a friggin' e-t-e-r-n-i-t-y before I could even see the finish line, much less cross it. But as it turned out, rider #1 took first, and I took second. And everyone else who hesitated a little too long ended up finishing behind us.
Now, to all you guys who posted that 450 meters out, into a headwind, is too far out to start your sprint, I AGREE with you. Problem is, rider #1 apparently didn't think so. The element of surprise is very important in bike racing.
Sometimes things don't turn out as planned, but in bike races you often have to improvise and do what you have to do, whether the timing is a little less than perfect or not.
Bob