Originally Posted by ntnyln

Raced 3 times this weekend. First was the Bunny Hop Crit, a .86 mi technical loop on an autonomous car testing course. Last year was the first year using this course and I went off early and got caught with one to go. This year, no one got away. I did the 3/4 first and in a repeat of almost every other race report, I blew it on the technical turns and lost too many positions going into the final and ended up 13/46 after a half hearted sprint. Next up was the 35/45+ open field. Raced together but scored separately. This was just a lot of horsepower and when it came to the finish, the 1's and 2's dominated. I was the first 3 over the line in, wait for it...13th. My coach happened to be there for these races and we talked afterwards. He gave the obvious, but correct feedback that fitness isn't the issue but if I'm going to keep blowing the finish then I need to find another way to win and not worry about placing last if it doesn't work.

So fast forward to today and Ride Sally Ride Crit. I was going to race the 35+ 3/4 and then 3's later and use this weekend as a big training block for A race and stage race in June. The course is a .86 mi 3 corner circuit with a very small rise heading to a turn about 200m from the finish. Rather than timed, the race was 32 laps (20 mi). We started out easy enough and a few laps in 3 guys got about 10 sec on the group. On lap 5 two guys decide to bridge up and no one reacted, so I went too. Gotta find a different way to win. They had closed the gap and started easing up as I got to them and I went straight to the front and put in a big dig to try and keep it going. The gap opened and we were off. By about lap 10, we were 4 and by lap 12 or 13, we were 3. We just kept at it. Soon we had 35 sec (laps were about 1:25) and someone was trying to bridge. We just kept going but then the gap times were getting smaller and we started thinking we were going to get caught. We realized that they were now counting down to us lapping the field. By about lap 20 we could see them and we caught them by lap 26. Two of us went straight to the front to keep out of trouble. It was kind of cool that some of the guys realized who we were and let up get up there. The breakmate that was in front of me went to the front and started pulling with 2 to go. On turn 2 of lap 31, someone hits me from behind and almost pushes me through the corner, but I stayed upright and made it through the corner but not without my heart pounding out of my chest. As we head towards the final turn, the pace really picks up for the field sprint and my breakmates get left behind. I roll across the line with a modest sprint, my first W in ages and my first lapped field. Needless to say, I was cooked and just went home.