did the Crit on Saturday, road race on sunday. Both days I was probably a little impatient. Had teamates for the first time this year, and when I found my self up front with teamates late in both races I got excited, with mixed results.
In the crit my teamate and I were up front with 2 and 1/2 to go ,and the pack setlting into that lull before setting up for the sprint. We decided to go and I took off. Unfortunately, he didn't get on my wheel. But I did get alone solo, stringing the race out, and got to sit in as others chased. I got caught, and pretty much gassed myself chasing a counter attack (finishing 19th in the pack with nothing leftfor the sprint), but my teamate ended up taking the sprint for the win.
Today, the RR was brutal. 30mph winds. Despite the fact that an early break had zero chance of success in the conditions, people kept attacking, and in typical Cat 5 form, the whole pack chased down every one. the net effect was a blistering pace. ( we caught, passed and distanced the cat 4 field, which was a little brighter group.)
With 5 k to go again found myself up front with a teamate, and we decided to attack. Unfortunately, I cramped aftr about 500 meters, and that was the end of my race. He went bck to the pack and took 8th in the field sprint.
A little more patience and my personal results might have been better, but at leas teh team batted .500.
wrote4luck
04-15-07, 06:20 PM
I had an interesting weekend as well. At the crit, I got a crappy spot while staging and got stuck at the end of an 80+ group of Cat 4s. I was in the race for 31 min, during which I got knocked onto the sidewalk, hit a hay bail, bridged a 50ft gap, and burned completely out to the point where my skin was blood red and my heart rate was above 200. The road race today went much better. I stayed toward the front the entire race, and got 25th. I got blocked by guys who burnt out too early, but a local Tampa guy won so that was cool. My first Cat 4 weekend could've been worse I guess.
Snap
04-16-07, 05:09 AM
I raced both days, too. I had a couple of bad races before these, so I went in with the lofty goals of field finishes in both races (4's).
Crit went pretty well, I hung in until probably 6 to go when I came off the back. I'm sure I spent way too much time and energy in the back and the race would have been easier for me if I had at least stayed further up in the field. Pace seemed fast, but not brutal. I figured out a couple of things I need to train for, so not too bad.
Road Race the weather was crap in the morning, a front came through with rain and winds. The rain left before the 5 race but the wind stayed hard all day. With my lofty goal in mind I pretty much stayed mid pack all day. The pace was really up and down. The 5's passed through right after we rolled out for the start and we got restarted and had a pretty nice race for the rest of the time. Came down to a field sprint where I picked off a bunch of people who didn't realize how important it was to sprint for 30th. :D
Met a few people, might have found a team, watched some racing, raced ok. I don't hate my bike anymore. Good weekend.
GatorFL
04-16-07, 06:27 AM
I felt like I raced well until I got unlucky in the last couple minutes of both races. In the crit I was hanging out up front the whole time (my teammates got crashed out) and was about 5th or so coming into the last lap, but in the last turn before the last lap one guy (deuchebag) tried to pass on the inside, came in too hot, and sketched wide into the guy in front of me causing him to run into the wall and making a few of us slow waaaay down. I went from 5th (great position for the sprint) to about 30th (bad position for anything) and only had one lap to make it back up. Didn't happen....finished 25th.
Road race, same thing. Hung out up front and had great positioning coming into the last mile. I get SHOULDER CHECKED by some latin guy and pushed over the yellow line into the wind. I try to fight my way back into the draft, but I can't make it and the sprint becomes on big clusterf*ck resulting in pretty much nothing. No teammates today (big, free concert in Gainesville...haha). Happy thoughts...at least I didn't crash.
MDcatV
04-16-07, 06:57 AM
I raced both days, too. I had a couple of bad races before these, so I went in with the lofty goals of field finishes in both races (4's).
Crit went pretty well, I hung in until probably 6 to go when I came off the back. I'm sure I spent way too much time and energy in the back and the race would have been easier for me if I had at least stayed further up in the field. Pace seemed fast, but not brutal. I figured out a couple of things I need to train for, so not too bad.
Road Race the weather was crap in the morning, a front came through with rain and winds. The rain left before the 5 race but the wind stayed hard all day. With my lofty goal in mind I pretty much stayed mid pack all day. The pace was really up and down. The 5's passed through right after we rolled out for the start and we got restarted and had a pretty nice race for the rest of the time. Came down to a field sprint where I picked off a bunch of people who didn't realize how important it was to sprint for 30th. :D
Met a few people, might have found a team, watched some racing, raced ok. I don't hate my bike anymore. Good weekend.
If you're not in contention for money or BAR points, dont sprint. It accomplishes nothing other than making you a hazard to yourself and to others.
merlinextraligh
04-16-07, 07:38 AM
If you're not in contention for money or BAR points, dont sprint. It accomplishes nothing other than making you a hazard to yourself and to others.
Florida Points Series races give points 25 deep. Florida Cup 35 deep, and top 25 matters for Upgrades (IIRC) so there's soemthing to work for at 30th.
MDcatV
04-16-07, 07:59 AM
Florida Points Series races give points 25 deep. Florida Cup 35 deep, and top 25 matters for Upgrades (IIRC) so there's soemthing to work for at 30th.
I dont believe top 25 applies to upgrades. Cat 4 to 3 is awarded by USCF points (top 6), cumulative top 10s, or some # of "pack" finishes. Whoever administers your florida points/cup series must get kickbacks from the local ER.
merlinextraligh
04-16-07, 08:01 AM
I dont believe top 25 applies to upgrades. Cat 4 to 3 is awarded by USCF points (top 6), cumulative top 10s, or some # of "pack" finishes. Whoever administers your florida points/cup series must get kickbacks from the local ER.
your right. It's 20 pack finishes in races with at least 50 participants.
Snap
04-16-07, 05:13 PM
If you're not in contention for money or BAR points, dont sprint. It accomplishes nothing other than making you a hazard to yourself and to others.
Yea, ok. :rolleyes: The road kinda opened up when the real sprint went to the left. I had a lot of room and was just basically rolling past all of the people that went early and blew up, which of course is no hazard either. No shoulder banging sprint action. I'm sure plenty of guys try and sprint hard for a place from mid pack, I just not one of them. I'm one of those that had to work today.
KendallF
04-17-07, 12:57 PM
Sounds like a good race. I flat weenied out of racing Sunday. I was absolutely beat Saturday, woke up to thunder, lightning and rain Sunday morning, and said "Screw it". Turned the alarm clock off. :) Then, of course, it cleared up about the time the 5 race went off, and I felt like a dumb*ss for not showing...
merlinextraligh
04-17-07, 01:26 PM
Sounds like a good race. I flat weenied out of racing Sunday. I was absolutely beat Saturday, woke up to thunder, lightning and rain Sunday morning, and said "Screw it". Turned the alarm clock off. :) Then, of course, it cleared up about the time the 5 race went off, and I felt like a dumb*ss for not showing...
I checked the weather channel on line and the forecast was 80% chance of severe weather that morning. I almost went back to bed, but decided to drive down just in case, and we got lucky. Wind was brutal, but that was it.