Got to the race nice and early and got a good structured warm up in.
My main goal (besides winning) was to get a good start. Last race here I lined up near the back and I could never really find a good place on the course to move up easily.
I lined up near the front. I was maybe 10 or 15 from the front. When the race started I got into gear and moved up a few spaces.
On the initial descent I saw my mark go by me so I hopped on his wheel and weaved through to get even closer to the front.
On the climb my mark took off and I went with him. We went by everyone and kept accelerating until we got to the descent. We flew down the hill with people in tow and got through the corner oh so smooth. I was feeling good. Good enough that I even too a short 60 second or so pull.
For the next couple laps Im feeling good and kicking myself for not making it a priority to start in the front and stay there. At one point crossing the start/finish the official yells out a time. I thought she said 5 seconds but the guy next to me said it was 25 seconds and then started to ask how many people we had. I had no idea what was going on because I quickly looked behind me and there seemed to be plently of people there. Maybe the race got broken in too or something.
anyways... We are probably only 5-7 laps in at this point. Im still in the top 10 and then someone attacks on the hill and everyone in front of me goes too. I stand to go to but after a short effort i cant go anymore. Because I was so far up i was still able to get to the top well inside the pack but people kept passing me before I got to the descent. I dont know what happened here. I dont know if I was totally blown (i think i was) or if I mentally gave up when i saw the pack going by me. In any case I let myself get gapped on the descent and I was unable to reattach after the resulting corner. I thought I would then be able to catch up when everyone hit the climb but I couldnt.
so after that I took a free lap and made a piss poor reentry and blew myself up again trying to catch back on. I rolled solo for a few more laps then called it a day.
oh well. at least it wasnt another total failure.
oh and my mark went on to win the race.
DrPete
05-23-07, 07:12 PM
Oh, I see how it is... :D
Lithuania
05-23-07, 07:28 PM
Oh, I see how it is... :D
oh yeah duh!
Big thanks to pete for letting me use his PT wheels. I didnt think of it at the time but I probably cornered better then ever on those tires he is always hyping!
thanks man!
i didnt want to bring up the fact that I used your equipment for a bad performance! ;) :D
zimbo
05-23-07, 07:28 PM
oh and my mark went on to win the race.
That, to me, is a success story. How did you know to mark the guy?
Since you have a ride file (big ups to Pete!) it would be interesting to see what happened leading up to the point at which you were blown.
He he he. That sounded funny.
--Steve
Lithuania
05-23-07, 07:31 PM
That, to me, is a success story. How did you know to mark the guy?
--Steve
Because I am kind of friends with him and ive been racing with him since we were 5s and he seemed to dominate those. Hes completed the ironman numerous times so I knew he was strong. plus his name is Win so how could you not follow him!
i think this was his first race as a 4
Lithuania
05-23-07, 07:36 PM
here is the race file at your request steve. I think i blew up somewhere between 1:13 and 1:15
The only thing that is really noticeable to me is I hit a pretty high HR at 185. In the last few weeks I think ive only managed to hit 180 tops.
maybe im still feeling the affects of being hit by the car on monday
gogoturtle
05-23-07, 07:41 PM
At one point crossing the start/finish the official yells out a time. I thought she said 5 seconds but the guy next to me said it was 25 seconds and then started to ask how many people we had. I had no idea what was going on because I quickly looked behind me and there seemed to be plently of people there. Maybe the race got broken in too or something.
She was giving you the time to the three guys off the front. They got to a high of 25 seconds, then eventually roped in. They were off for about the first 5-6 laps.
Lithuania
05-23-07, 07:43 PM
She was giving you the time to the three guys off the front. They got to a high of 25 seconds, then eventually roped in. They were off for about the first 5-6 laps.
ah haha that makes sense now. The A race caught us so fast its hard to tell whats going on up the road at times.
DrPete
05-23-07, 07:43 PM
Congrats to you, riskus, for getting back into it after getting whacked by a car. 100 hard guy points to you.
I actually thought the break was gonna stick--it was 30-plus seconds by my count at the turn, but I think the confusion of the A field passing led to them getting reeled in.
And thanks, riskus, for briefly taking over my road guard responsibilities. :beer:
NoRacer
05-23-07, 08:23 PM
Steve, nice talking with you again. You did great considering the accident a couple of days ago.
Pete, someday we're going to formally meet. It'd be my pleasure. Maybe I'll try to make the Monday ride.
DrPete
05-23-07, 08:50 PM
Steve, nice talking with you again. You did great considering the accident a couple of days ago.
Pete, someday we're going to formally meet. It'd be my pleasure. Maybe I'll try to make the Monday ride.
We'd love to have ya, man! Come on down! One more team to add to the list too!
blanqui
05-24-07, 11:09 AM
Congrats to you, riskus, for getting back into it after getting whacked by a car. 100 hard guy points to you.
I actually thought the break was gonna stick--it was 30-plus seconds by my count at the turn, but I think the confusion of the A field passing led to them getting reeled in.
And thanks, riskus, for briefly taking over my road guard responsibilities. :beer:
I was one of the guys in the break away. 'Twas me and two Capital Hill guys, one of whom was very very strong (the same guy I think who almost reeled in the winning break on the last lap). We worked fairly well together I think but the strong Capital Hill guy was blowing me and and the other fella out a bit on the climb. I don't know if we would have stayed away or not. I felt pretty strong and I thought we might be able to hold/minimally increase the lead by taking risks in the turn. Since there were about 8 Capital Hill guys in the race did any of them help chase us down? I also thought that the A race lapping may have helped us get caught, but please don't think I'm saying we had it locked besides that.
It was a great race and well organized. I'm looking forward to a few more.
Lithuania
05-24-07, 11:14 AM
I counted 13 capital hill guys in the race. I dont think any of them were chasing you down either. I know I was in the front a good bit and so was another unattached guy. I believe some ncvc guys were working too.
waterrockets
05-24-07, 11:21 AM
Good job Riskus. You're doing better than me at knowing who to mark. I only know like three of the really strong guys (if I see them in the pack), and it really costs me.
Regarding your tactics, I guess to do better, don't take those pulls, but to get better, do what you did :beer:
zimbo
05-24-07, 11:22 AM
I know I was in the front a good bit and so was another unattached guy.
So you were actually working at the front of this race? Ummmm.... why?
--Steve
Lithuania
05-24-07, 11:41 AM
So you were actually working at the front of this race? Ummmm.... why?
--Steve
I was only in theee front once and for 60s secs tops and my wattage was well under 200 during that time frame.
By being in the front I meant in the top 5 so I knew who was in front of me etc.
gogoturtle
05-24-07, 11:46 AM
I counted 13 capital hill guys in the race. I dont think any of them were chasing you down either. I know I was in the front a good bit and so was another unattached guy. I believe some ncvc guys were working too.
Rumor has it that the B field used the A field to catch that break-i.e. the guys at the front latched onto the A field as it passed. Any truth to this?
Lithuania
05-24-07, 11:53 AM
I dont think that is true. It was right on the hill when I blew up that I think we caught the break and it only a few seconds later that the A race passed. I wasnt even up the hill all the way when they went by.
cmh
05-24-07, 11:54 AM
so after that I took a free lap and made a piss poor reentry and blew myself up again trying to catch back on. I rolled solo for a few more laps then called it a day.
Congrats to you, riskus, for getting back into it after getting whacked by a car. 100 hard guy points to you.
Huh? What happened? Whacked by a car!
When I read your original post I thought maybe you just cheated since you didn't explain why you took the free lap. I thought 'First Cypress cheats, then we find out Zabel cheated, now riskus!! What is this world coming to?' :)
Lithuania
05-24-07, 11:56 AM
Huh? What happened? Whacked by a car!
When I read your original post I thought maybe you just cheated since you didn't explain why you took the free lap. I thought 'First Cypress cheats, then we find out Zabel cheated, now riskus!! What is this world coming to?' :)
haha this is just a training series so you can hop on whenever really as long as you dont contest anything. I just wanted to ride with the group a little more and work on some stuff since there was a lot of the race left. When I failed at reentry i didnt have the nerve to try again.
I was hit by a car on monday not during the race.
DrPete
05-24-07, 12:43 PM
Rumor has it that the B field used the A field to catch that break-i.e. the guys at the front latched onto the A field as it passed. Any truth to this?
There was some dispute with a small group of B riders who attacked right as the A group was pulling away--different breakaway group IIRC. The placings were upheld after a chat with the officials.
blanqui
05-24-07, 01:03 PM
There was some dispute with a small group of B riders who attacked right as the A group was pulling away--different breakaway group IIRC. The placings were upheld after a chat with the officials.
That attack was not the first time the As lapped the Bs; it was the second time we were lapped.
Lithuania
05-24-07, 01:07 PM
i couldnt believe how soon the As lapped us.
zimbo
05-24-07, 01:27 PM
I was only in theee front once and for 60s secs tops and my wattage was well under 200 during that time frame. By being in the front I meant in the top 5 so I knew who was in front of me etc.