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04-03-05, 12:57 PM
Cold + Crash fest = Redlands Crit
Redlands criterium is known as one of the hardest if not the hardest in the United States and it has lived up to its reputation. The race was at 8:00 am but with the time change it was like 7 am. At the start of the race it was very cold for us in California, about 54 degrees. I came prepared for the cold but my body did not. I got to the race at 6:45 and did a good hour spinning warmup, sweat and all but my legs would not loosen up or feel warm. My trainer was also acting up which was bothering me. My stomach was also very upset for some reason and the weather in general was bothering me also.
We had 5 riders from Citrus Valley Velo (Healthnet) on the startline but I got stuck in the back because I arrived late from the warmup lap. The race course is just nasty to say the least. The roads are bad and the corners rediculously sharp in places. On the start of the race the front straightaway is almost 1/3 mile of decievinly long climbing. You then get to the nastiest crit corner I have ever seen. You literally do a 130 degree turn with a point in the center, at nearly 26 MPH+. I can say in all the races I saw (including the pro race yesterday) most of the crashes happen here. After that this is another very sharp right then another sharp right into a chicane thing that is very narrow and dangerous. Out of that leads into another very fast and narrow right to the startline and up the hill again.
At the wistle I took off and rode towards the back with a few people from our team. The pace was fast, into the first corner. The first corner was not too bad until we hit the end where all the bad pavement is. At that point I was rather comfortable where I was, not breathing too hard but my legs still were not warmed up very much and I was feeling sluggish. The first time up the full hill I knew that I would not last long, I was having trouble in the big ring up the hill and just was not feeling good at all.
We hit the second lap and all the sudden in the first corner (the nasty one) a guy from our team misjudged the corner and nearly lost control right in front of me. That slowed both of us down and put a small gap between us and the field. Togther we were able to get back on. Before I knew it though he was nowhere to be found, he must have been dropped. Fast forward 4 laps now to lap 6, about 12 minutes in. My lack of climbing power is not getting apparent as I am fading about halfway up the hill, but I am able to get back. This was my last lap...
In the chicane a rider got caught between the railing and the peloton and went down. He took down six other riders at the same time. Slightly off the back I missed the initial crash but was going so fast that I had to take evasive manuviours to avoid falling. I had to unclip and then slide sideways to avoid falling. By that time the pack had a 50 second lead and I had no chance to catch them. By the time I got to the start line I got pulled along with about 4 other riders. What made me mad was I think we could have caught the group but the rule was if you go 1 minute down you get pulled... stupid rule
:mad:
I guy who crashed broke both chainstays and the seat stay on his colognado and was knocked out cold on the track. He had to be rushed to the ER. Our team took the second spot and fifth, not bad but it could have been better... oh well... that is racing!
Funny thing is one the sun came up I felt great... now if the race could have been 2 hours later... oh well! Regarding the circumstaces I felt that I did better than before but it was just a nasty race. There is always next time... it does feel good to not be the first one dropped though...
In a few months I will be up to speed. It is coming , now my aerobic system is getting better but my power is lacking again...
Redlands criterium is known as one of the hardest if not the hardest in the United States and it has lived up to its reputation. The race was at 8:00 am but with the time change it was like 7 am. At the start of the race it was very cold for us in California, about 54 degrees. I came prepared for the cold but my body did not. I got to the race at 6:45 and did a good hour spinning warmup, sweat and all but my legs would not loosen up or feel warm. My trainer was also acting up which was bothering me. My stomach was also very upset for some reason and the weather in general was bothering me also.
We had 5 riders from Citrus Valley Velo (Healthnet) on the startline but I got stuck in the back because I arrived late from the warmup lap. The race course is just nasty to say the least. The roads are bad and the corners rediculously sharp in places. On the start of the race the front straightaway is almost 1/3 mile of decievinly long climbing. You then get to the nastiest crit corner I have ever seen. You literally do a 130 degree turn with a point in the center, at nearly 26 MPH+. I can say in all the races I saw (including the pro race yesterday) most of the crashes happen here. After that this is another very sharp right then another sharp right into a chicane thing that is very narrow and dangerous. Out of that leads into another very fast and narrow right to the startline and up the hill again.
At the wistle I took off and rode towards the back with a few people from our team. The pace was fast, into the first corner. The first corner was not too bad until we hit the end where all the bad pavement is. At that point I was rather comfortable where I was, not breathing too hard but my legs still were not warmed up very much and I was feeling sluggish. The first time up the full hill I knew that I would not last long, I was having trouble in the big ring up the hill and just was not feeling good at all.
We hit the second lap and all the sudden in the first corner (the nasty one) a guy from our team misjudged the corner and nearly lost control right in front of me. That slowed both of us down and put a small gap between us and the field. Togther we were able to get back on. Before I knew it though he was nowhere to be found, he must have been dropped. Fast forward 4 laps now to lap 6, about 12 minutes in. My lack of climbing power is not getting apparent as I am fading about halfway up the hill, but I am able to get back. This was my last lap...
In the chicane a rider got caught between the railing and the peloton and went down. He took down six other riders at the same time. Slightly off the back I missed the initial crash but was going so fast that I had to take evasive manuviours to avoid falling. I had to unclip and then slide sideways to avoid falling. By that time the pack had a 50 second lead and I had no chance to catch them. By the time I got to the start line I got pulled along with about 4 other riders. What made me mad was I think we could have caught the group but the rule was if you go 1 minute down you get pulled... stupid rule
:mad:
I guy who crashed broke both chainstays and the seat stay on his colognado and was knocked out cold on the track. He had to be rushed to the ER. Our team took the second spot and fifth, not bad but it could have been better... oh well... that is racing!
Funny thing is one the sun came up I felt great... now if the race could have been 2 hours later... oh well! Regarding the circumstaces I felt that I did better than before but it was just a nasty race. There is always next time... it does feel good to not be the first one dropped though...
In a few months I will be up to speed. It is coming , now my aerobic system is getting better but my power is lacking again...