Patterson Pass Road Race Cat 4 35+
The wind is usually a steady 20mph and this year it didn't disappoint. The main climb is straight into the wind. The climb takes about 20 minutes mostly cause it is into the head wind. From the top it is a non-technical descent down to Flynn road where there is a shorter climb, this time with a tail wind (5-8 min climb). Then you descend down to Altamont which is basically flat but with a tail wind where you can easily average 35mph. Finally the last leg is Midway road which has a nasty cross wind and a short 2 minute climb, quick descent and 2k flat run in to the finish. My pre-race plan was to be patient, force the pace on the second time up Patterson to make a selection, and then go for the final winning attack on Midway. I had 4 on our team in the race.
First time up Patterson, Ben, a strong rider attacked with his teammate setting false tempo. I bridged up to him and we climbed over the top together. The moto ref told us we had 30 seconds at the top of Flynn. We kept the pace up and were able to hold the gap all the way to the end of the lap. My teammates were disrupting the chase.
Second lap, Ben put in a lot of pace at the beginning of our second time up Patterson and I got dropped a bit for the first part of the climb. I clawed back and pulled us up the last 5 minutes of the climb. Down the descent onto flynn, I can see the group behind us, further back now, and shredded... looks like only 5 riders in the field are left. I'm starting to believe.
Coming down the Flynn descent we approached the really sharp left hander. I put on the brakes, and the wind hits me from the left and the rear wheel is locked and skidding all over the place. I try and control it, but I just can't get it back and then I low side crash into the corner. Ouch! FUDGE FUDGE FUDGE. I was doing so WELL, IT WAS PERFECT. Get Up! Get Back On The Bike You Idiot! I get up, I get going, everything seems fine, bike is working, body is working, but my rear end feels pretty raw.
Somehow I chase down Ben and we get back together on Altamont. We work together down Altamont and the moto ref tells us that there is 20 seconds to a single rider coming across the gap, and 20 more seconds to the field. We're going to do it!
We come up to the final small hill on Midway, and I decide to give it one good pull to get us to the finish. At the top, I look behind for Ben, but he isn't there. Down the hill I try and measure my efforts as fudgy advised me, and keep it at 80%. Full power for the last flat 2k. Then I put on the gas and sprinted the last 200m. Turns out I had more then 10 seconds at the finish. 
Cat3 Points: 17 / 20