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06-18-07, 10:26 PM
As my third ever race, competed in a 62 km RR on Saturday. Convinced the organisers to bump me to C Grade (Aussie equivalent of Cat 3), as I've been hanging well with those guys at our club practice crits and group rides). Total of about 25 guys racing.
Course was billed as "hilly" (perfect for my 5'10" 136 lb build), but turned out to just be a collection of about 6-7 sprinter's hills (<100m 10-12% grades), which aren't really my thing.
I figured I'd have a real bash at this race to try and show that I could kick it with th C Grade guys, rather than just sitting in the whole race.
In short:
5 km - went with a three-man break that lasted about 10 km - feeling good
10 km - attacked with one of the stronger riders for about 3-4 km - still feeling good
20 km - two team guys went off the front - I decided to go with them, lasted maybe 5 km
Sat in for a while to recover from the attacking, then attacked again at about 35-40 km mark, with one guy grabbing my wheel. That only lasted about 1 km, as the other guy wouldn't pull.
I was really starting to feel it on the "hills." I was working to the front of the pack on the flats, only to fade towards the back up every climb. Kept this up until about the 50 km mark, and found myself on the back, when a gap opened on the left side of the pack as we crested the last hill of the course. What the hell, I though, and off I went, solo. Got about 500 m away from the pack and held it for about 4 km before getting reeled in. Damn.
Sat in for the last few km's, ended up about third wheel going into the pack sprint, gave it a shot, but didn't have the legs, and finished toward the back of the pack. Still, I'm pretty happy with the result, seeing as I've only been riding for about 6 months. Plus, this will cement my position in C Grade for future races :)
Here's me at the beginning of my solo break, trying to put some space between me and the pack:
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/41/solobreaklo5.jpg
Course was billed as "hilly" (perfect for my 5'10" 136 lb build), but turned out to just be a collection of about 6-7 sprinter's hills (<100m 10-12% grades), which aren't really my thing.
I figured I'd have a real bash at this race to try and show that I could kick it with th C Grade guys, rather than just sitting in the whole race.
In short:
5 km - went with a three-man break that lasted about 10 km - feeling good
10 km - attacked with one of the stronger riders for about 3-4 km - still feeling good
20 km - two team guys went off the front - I decided to go with them, lasted maybe 5 km
Sat in for a while to recover from the attacking, then attacked again at about 35-40 km mark, with one guy grabbing my wheel. That only lasted about 1 km, as the other guy wouldn't pull.
I was really starting to feel it on the "hills." I was working to the front of the pack on the flats, only to fade towards the back up every climb. Kept this up until about the 50 km mark, and found myself on the back, when a gap opened on the left side of the pack as we crested the last hill of the course. What the hell, I though, and off I went, solo. Got about 500 m away from the pack and held it for about 4 km before getting reeled in. Damn.
Sat in for the last few km's, ended up about third wheel going into the pack sprint, gave it a shot, but didn't have the legs, and finished toward the back of the pack. Still, I'm pretty happy with the result, seeing as I've only been riding for about 6 months. Plus, this will cement my position in C Grade for future races :)
Here's me at the beginning of my solo break, trying to put some space between me and the pack:
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/41/solobreaklo5.jpg