"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - TT Nats report

As requested by Senor Rockets.

First of, freaking long drive from Texas to Pennsylvania. Total of 5 days driving, 10 states (we came back a different way that we went), and a LOT of bugs -- my bike needs to be scrubbed (again), and my car's bumper has dents from bugs in it everywhere.

Highlights of the trip include my 2 year old car's air conditioning dying on the way back (in Texas, no less -- BOO MAZDA!), my bike breaking the day before the race requiring a complete new front derailleur cabling, and much much more. As a side note, Dr. Pete -- I believe I saw that Cheerwine girl who's picture you love to post.

To cut to the point, my race sucked. I was gunning for a top half finish, and came in well short of that (84th out of 89 with a time of 35:36). I knew I wasn't going to win, but knew I could do better than that. I rode a very textbook race, but felt at the end like I only gave it 90%, which is a feeling that really sucks and has me down right now. My turnarounds were sub-par, and I probably lost another 15s there, on top of the tons of time I lost by just riding a very conservative pace. I figure I was at least 10-15W short of what I could have done (if we want to extrapolate, that's a big difference in time). I felt good, but I just don't have the experience at longer TT's (everything i've done up until now has been 8 miles or shorter -- this one was nearly double that at 14). My FTP is my strength, but it's hard to map that to a number without testing, and the test here just came in a little late, so I held back too much.

Anyways, i'm sitting on top of my game in a full taper right now (both for nationals last Friday and the upcoming State Age-based championships), so i'm gonna take out my frustrations at the local TT Tuesday night by hopefully coming up with a new PR.

If you want to read more, click on the link of my website at the bottom, i'll probably get around to writing that tomorrow, as well as putting up some pics.

84th is better than 89th. Kudos for showing up. Now train hard, and kick some a** at the Texas championships.

Yeah, I can see how the change in distance would throw your pacing. I've screwed myself over that way in the past too.

Have fun at the age-based! I'm looking forward to you hitting a few Tuesday Nighters after this... have your coach come out and join us too lol -- as if I'm not dying enough already as it is.

UT don't discount the travel and stress of the trip, these things have an effect on performance especially a lone performance like TT. You'll make up for it tomorrow night, I'll be there as well if I don't have to work.

The fact that you did this @ the Nationals greatly mitigates the 'I suck' factor. I agree. Kudos for showing up. They should have awarded you 20 places just for the length of your drive. That's amazing.

UT don't discount the travel and stress of the trip, these things have an effect on performance especially a lone performance like TT. You'll make up for it tomorrow night, I'll be there as well if I don't have to work.

Too bad, I'm off to Denver tomorrow. Good luck guys, and tear it up!

Have fun in Denver! See you tomorrow, EDR!

Chalk it up to experience. Some of us don't respond well to putting too much stock in one race. How much did you race leading up to Nats?

84th best in the whole country! that's not too bad

Are you in the U23 category? I'm in the JM17-18 and was only able to do the TT. 90th place. That BLOWS.

5 days!!!

I drove from Texas to NH in 3. Newbzor!!! :D

The important thing about the experience it sounds like is that you know what you could have done differently, so you can use that to improve for next time.

Yes to the U23 bit. Wish i would've known there were other BF'ers there... Would have given me a reason to stick around (which I wanted).

5 days total driving -- 3 up, 2 back. I forced the easier trip up because I didn't want to be dead when I got there.

Yes to the U23 bit. Wish i would've known there were other BF'ers there... Would have given me a reason to stick around (which I wanted).

5 days total driving -- 3 up, 2 back. I forced the easier trip up because I didn't want to be dead when I got there.
It's alright, I barely stuck around too. My coach's son began some sort of hockey camp the next day I think in Canada. I think bassplayinbiker went too, I didn't see him either.

::EDIT:: How long was your TT course?

24k. Out-back-out-back. That many turnarounds SUCKED.

I finished 80th, dont feel too bad, it was a supre tough course with some of the best U23's in the country and the world

Also agreed, I was not prepared for those turnarounds, plus, it was really windy when I went out and the gusts from the side were not good for the fat tri-spoke front/disc rear combo of mine.
Did I mention that the turnarounds sucked?
One thing that was really cool was how it was on a highway. It was really surreal to be riding your ass off and see cars on the other side looking at you.

I was there. I got a flat which delayed my official time to 43 mins. Pissed me off so bad.

There was a major crash in the 17-18 road race that took out 30 kids. Two were lifeflighted out.

One of our riding buddies took first in Junior 13-14 TT and the Crit. It kills me everytime he blows by me on a ride. Just not right for a 14 year old kid to be as fast as he is. Congrats Ben!!

Your time is better than my 20K so think about how much faster you are than me :)

I was there. I got a flat which delayed my official time to 43 mins. Pissed me off so bad.

There was a major crash in the 17-18 road race that took out 30 kids. Two were lifeflighted out.

I saw a quick blurb on the crash, but no follow up. Do you know any more details about the accident (i.e., are the two who were airlifted ok?)?

I cannot verify this, but word around the campfire is that some kid could've lost his eye.

I rode the course a few hours after the race. I found many broken helmets, parts of carbon things, part of a headset, and blood stains on the road.

I should've taken pics.

I cannot verify this, but word around the campfire is that some kid could've lost his eye.

I rode the course a few hours after the race. I found many broken helmets, parts of carbon things, part of a headset, and blood stains on the road.

I should've taken pics.

Justin Williams was one of the kids that was lifeflighted. He is a good kid that is constantly hanging around my stepdaughter at the races. I have not spoken to him directly but my wife heard from a close friend that spoke with his parents and they said that he should be ok and back on the bike in a week. He suffered a deep cut to his thigh and lost a lot of blood. He went to L'Abitibi with his team to watch and support them. I was in Pennsylvania for the masters (30+) races and had a good talk with Justin on Thursday night. He was excited as he had made the track team for Junior worlds and was told that if he finished the road race and did good in the criterium (which was almost a given) he could have a chance for the road team as well. I haven't found out how the accident is going to affect him for worlds but losing a lot of blood and being off the bike for a week can't be too good. I'm hoping for the best for him.

there was definetly lots of carnage. I really feel bad for the kids who crashed, they were done before the race was even really started. The major crash occurred about 3 mi from the start line.

I think they need to make it mandatory for juniors to qualify nationals so that expirenced riders dont get seriously hurt because of overly crowded fields and squirrly inexpirenced riders.

I'm pretty sure they do have to qualify by being Cat 3 or higher.

I'm pretty sure they do have to qualify by being Cat 3 or higher.

Yes and no.

Yes because you have to be a cat-3.
No because I know a few specific kids who used alterior means to become a cat-3.

I think you need to qualify at a regional level to go to nationals, not just everyone who is a 3.

there was definetly lots of carnage. I really feel bad for the kids who crashed, they were done before the race was even really started. The major crash occurred about 3 mi from the start line.

I think they need to make it mandatory for juniors to qualify nationals so that expirenced riders dont get seriously hurt because of overly crowded fields and squirrly inexpirenced riders.

Justin is actually a 1, I believe. He is at least a 2 and does well in Pro/1-2 races in socal. He has won at least one 2s only crit this year. He is a little wild but come on he's a sprinter. From what I have heard he may have been the first one to go down, but a lot of good riders do crash. I raced down that same descent, also in the rain and didn't find it to be dangerous, but different things happen in different races.

I dont mean that all 30 of the kids who crashed were all squirrles, I meant that there was probbly one screw-up who had to accidently take out all those other kids.

Did they crash on that 60 mph descent?