island rider

Hey ex are you one of the Hammer Nutrition "sponsored athletes?" https://www.hammernutrition.com/resou...e-sponsorship/

grolby

Haha, I'm working on getting the crashes out of my system. Ibuprofen is helping a bit (), my right lower back is still feeling kinda jacked, but based on improvement today from yesterday, should be okay in a couple days. I apparently had much smack talked about me at yesterday's hammer ride, since my teammate who initially crashed showed up, bandages and all. F me.

Your guy is definitely something. Scary-fast (and big) legs on that kid, and he's out sprinting some pretty big names. Stoopid talented people. I'll only ever be a total hack at this sport.

beatlebee 

Let me explain this better now. Going into the race I wanted to be more aggressive than I have been in the 5s. My teammate broke away and was far enough in front of us that I wanted to just drive the pace so that it wouldn't come down to a sprint and just try to eat up the others reserves. I felt this was my best bet at getting over the line first in the group I was riding in. All for naught with the flat.

waterrockets 

Congrats! All those stripes are looking good

rkwaki

He's something else isn't he? Been racing three years. You are correct that kid has some serious legs on him and I really believe that Hincapie Devo will pick him up for next year (probably take our other teammate back as well). What's great about him is he is so nice, humble and soft spoken (though I'm working on that with him). It will be neat to see how he does at Sunny King and Twilight as I told him he's doing the big show at Twilight (the boys are trying to get me to go down and party, drink and make an ass of myself).

Glad you're feeling better.

Racer Ex 

No. We are sponsored as a team.

globecanvas

tetonrider, such a bummer your race got ruined by a mechanical. When I saw your placing in the results I figured there had to be a story behind it. Good work to tough it out and not DNF. Did you consider trying to flag down a support vehicle and doing a field repair?

Think you'll come back next year?

merlinextraligh

First two races of the year, Sunday. St Augustine Road Race, Masters 50, felt strong, flatted with 6 miles to go.

Sunday afternoon, Mt Acosta Classic (3 hours of bridge repeats) 15th Overall, 3rd Masters 50.

merlinextraligh

Your job at that point was to make sure the break stayed away.

Several things you can do:1) get to the front and ride false tempo; 2) mark anyone trying to bridge, which will either discourage such efforts,or get you 2 guys in the break, 3) bridge solo, only of you can do so without towing anyone.

Pulling the pack wasn't the right move for the team.

Monkeyclaw

Tumacacori RR - Cat 4
Tuma is regarded by many as the hardest road race in AZ. It's a ~6 mile circuit with ~500 ft of climbing per lap, mostly in 4 sharp climbs in a row, and steady rollers through the rest of the course. The first hill is 0.75 miles and starts at an easy 3%, ending with a 12% bump. Hill two starts shortly after and is 0.2 miles at 11%. A short reprieve to get your breath, and hill 3 kicks in at 15.5% for 0.2 miles. The final hill is an easy 8.5% for 0.15 miles. Over the top you turn into a mild crosswind that picked up through the day. A few turns and rollers, and you're back to the hills. The roads are marginal at best, and on the climbs your back wheel bounces around so much that you're better off sitting to keep the weight on the back if possible. The cat 4 race was 7 laps.

Lap 1, I'm first off the line and try to keep it a little sane. My race goal is to stay in a good position and go for a top 5 finish. People trade half-hearted pulls in anticipation of the upcoming climbs. One person attacks and nobody shows interest in chasing. People recognize him from a race a few weeks ago where he did the same thing and eventually was caught and dropped. As we go over the climbs, I can already feel the hurt. I'm in the middle of a build phase, so I didn't get any rest before the race. That's what I tell myself anyway. I make it over the hill with the group, but we don't catch the solo break. I'm already trashed, my legs hurt and my heart is pounding. We dropped at least 3 (of ~28) people on the first lap.

Lap 2... The hills, oh these hills! More than once I hoped for a flat. There were no chase vehicles allowed on the course and my legs were burning. If I got a flat, I could honorably withdraw from the race. I led up a few of the climbs so that we would keep a steady pace and I could stay with the group. At some point Robert (Robabeatle) introduced himself, I'm not sure if it was the end of the first or second lap. The pace was fairly light at this time and I had caught my breath, so we chat it up a bit. It's his first race as a 4, so I was expecting someone a little more, uh, portly. Unfortunately he's some youngster that's cut like Peter Sagan or Tom Boonen. I guess I won't be smugly dropping him on the climbs. There's also a pesky junior who keeps attacking every chance he gets (he's a buddy of mine and probably has 50+ points but he's not upgrading until after Tour de Gila).

Lap something. My brain can no longer count that high. The winds are picking up and people are dropping like flies on the hills. I'm lucky to be hanging on to the group every climb. The attacking junior and one of Robert's teammates get away in a chase group (or is that another break?). Every hill is like a million needles stabbing deep into my thighs. Robert and I are the only ones working to bring back the break (or is he?). With a left crosswind, he's staying on the left side of the road giving everyone a free ride. When I get the chance, I tell him to go to the right and put everyone in the gutter. He proceeds to put everyone, including me, into the gutter. I don't have the breath to tell him to leave room for me! We continue to trade pulls in an attempt to bring people back. Putting everyone in the gutter has put the hurt on even more. Our group is getting smaller. At one point I ask Robert how he's doing. 'Doing fine!' he says with a smile. Since he's new, I believe him. More experienced riders know you only say you're doing well if you're hurting. He'll learn.

Lap who-gives-a-crap-because-it's-not-the-last-one. The 'peloton' is down to 5. Two of the guys had gotten away but we reeled them back in (not the junior and Robert's teammate. They were long gone.). One of them keeps attacking at the bottom of the climbs only to be captured by the top. I am hurting. Those needles in my thighs are now alternatively burning and freezing. I think to myself that this is the last time I'll be able to stay with them. I even tell one of the guys that this could be my last time with the group. He gives me some encouraging words and doesn't attack. That means he was hurting too. I stick to Robert's wheel, as he's a steady climber. Past the climbs, Robert and I continue working together with my new friend-who-didn't-attack. We've dropped one of the two guys from the captured break, and the attacker is now trying to suck wheels. We alternately put him in the gutter or make him pull through. He's hurting and I'm recovering a little. Then Robert gets a flat. He drops off, with no hope of ever catching us or even getting another wheel so he can finish the race. I give a little wave, wishing I could do more. Now we're down to 3 - friend-who-didn't-attack, the wheelsucker (formerly known as the attacker), and me.

Final lap. How do I know? Not sure. One thing I know is that I'm a little recovered. I just want to get over the climbs. Assuming no mechanicals, I can at least get 6th (because we never caught the early breaks). The pins in my thighs are now alternating hot and cold with jolts of electricity. I again lead up the climbs with the knowledge that this is the last time. I keep a solid pace, but the other two stay with me. My heart is exploding and my thighs threaten to lock up. Every time I stand to climb, my rear wheel slips and skips on the uneven ground. Rocks shoot out from under my tires. As we crest the final hill, I tell myself it's time to bring some pain of my own. But first I have to catch my breath...

We turn into the crosswind. As has become routine, I put the others in the gutter and push. Hard. Not a sprint, but a hard pace. Nobody tries to pass. The wheelsucker does everything he can to hang on. We turn into the wind and descend a roller. I tuck as tightly as possible, take a few breaths and hammer up the other side. My momentum takes me most of the way up without needing too much energy. We turn back into a crosswind, which means back into the gutter for them. Hammer, hammer, hammer. Nobody has attacked so I must be doing something right. Or I'm doing a great job leading them out. Final turn to the finish line, going downwind. I push hard through the turn. Both wheels are skipping on the horrible pavement, my chain clicking and bouncing as I downshift. Time to ramp it up again. At some point we dropped the wheelsucker, but I don't know this. Down a roller, hard up the other side. Over the top, about 300M out, friend-who-didn't-attack attacks. I hear it coming and swerve into his draft. I'm two lengths back but getting good air. I start my sprint. We're going downhill, with a tailwind, and I'm catching him. We hit the uphill of the final roller. The finish line is at the top. I'm out of the saddle, he's out of the saddle. Our speed is just over 40 MPH but everything is in slow motion. As I pass him up the hill, he screams in pain and stops pedaling. I find out later that his legs locked up on him during the sprint. I blow past him and cross the finish uncontested for 4th.

This was the hardest and most fun race I've ever done. It would have been nice to have caught the break(s), but not enough people seemed interested and I wasn't confident that I could go much harder or solo for the whole race. The solo break won the race, alone the whole time. The junior took 2nd, dropping Robert's teammate on the last lap, who took 3rd.

caloso

This works. Yesterday at Turlock Lake RR I had a teammate in the break. I didn't have the legs to do 3) and didn't want to risk towing anybody else up with me. A team with big numbers but no one in the break kept bringing guys to the front. They would put 2 or 3 guys on the front and up the pace but everytime they tried to get separation I'd go right on their wheel. They'd keep flapping their elbows at me and at one point one of them turned and yelled at me. "Sorry man. I've got a teammate in the break. If you want to tow me up there, feel free." I spent a lap and a half riding in the front 5 of the main field and the break stuck. Our guy isn't much of a sprinter so he got 4th, but it was a hell of a good result for us.

tetonrider

Definitely a bummer, but not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I haven't lost a minute's sleep over it.

I cringe a bit at the term 'mechanical' as it was truly my own fault--I'd say it is more human error than mechanical. Mechanical implies that a person did everything right and the gear hit one of the conditions where it fails. As you can probably tell, I take pride in sweating the details, so the hardest part is knowing that this was totally under my control and easily prevented had I made a better judgment call -- just using some fresh tape would have done the trick, I'm sure.

I also made a second error that day: I didn't take my multi-tool with me. I used to always race with a multi-tool and I've never needed it. Last race I stopped carrying it with me. I figured if I really needed it my race is over, and a vehicle might have one.

I did flag down a vehicle (got off my bike and came to a full stop, per their instructions); no allen wrenches. Even if they had the wrenches, the damage was already done. I would have spent 1-2 minutes making the fix (with no tape on me, it might not have even lasted), and I don't think it would have affected my outcome at all.

Still, another lesson learned.

Of course with racing one can never count on a result, but based on what I did see that far in the race I feel like there would have been some options available to me to try for a win.

Loved the area and was enchanted with the course (even without the dirt--imagine just a pure RR on that terrain!). I don't know if I'll be back next year, but I am certain I will be back.

This particular problem will never happen to me again, but something else might get me.

Have

Hls2k6

I was the tall guy who attacked with 2 to go. You made a heck of a chase for someone who was already hurting when I came by. Next time (or the time after that), they won't catch you in time and your "mistake" will be a perfectly-timed attack. Nice job.

TMonk

haha that makes sense now. also u dont owe me an explanation either

slynkie

Thanks, I appreciate that. You played it perfectly - congrats on the win!

beatlebee 

Well, I know that I have a lot to learn and Merlin above does make a point. I really am listening to a lot of advice on this forum; it has been invaluable. With getting updates from spectators as to where my teammate was in front of us, I felt that I needed to push hard to give myself the best shot in the group I was with. I do need to understand the mental strategy more as Monkeyclaw was pointing out. I felt strong the whole race and I tend to race with a smile on the whole time cause I am having so much fun. Need to learn that hardened look.

It was great to meet Monkeyclaw and I can't wait to see the video if he uploads it. Congrats too for getting fourth.

Then you all can attack me for my ineptitude in a play by play. : )

Monkeyclaw

It was great meeting you out there, you were doing great until you got the flat. Hope to see you this weekend at the state RR championships.

There were certain things I wanted to say during the race ('Hey, let's put everyone who's not working in the gutter') and certain things I wanted to mention after the race ('Why the hell are you helping chase down your teammate?'). Even if you were setting a false tempo, you were the only one giving me a break for much of the race. I kept telling myself that everyone else was just trying to get a free ride, but it's possible they didn't have anything too give.

We should have attacked

I'll look over the video tonight and see if I can throw something together. Bring on the front doesn't make for very exciting video...

beatlebee 

We should have attacked. I went in looking at this as a training race and wanted to suffer lots. That didnt end up happening except on the hills. I could have gone harder on all the flats and rollers but felt that noone else was going to work that hard. You definitely were pulling your share but the others not so much. I actually was trying to gutter all you guys after that so that I could wear everyone down a bit before the finish. (This was right after you said to me to get to the right side.) Just before that I was trying to get a paceline to chase hard.

I had a blast and am still not totally recovered. It is looking more unlikely that I will get to the State RR this weekend. Good luck!

Tyrell

Great recap, Monkeyclaw, and congrats on pulling off 4th!! Sounds like it was a very tough race.

carpediemracing 

8th in the 3-4 race. For me that was unexpectedly good as I sat up once to drop out of the race and almost sat up three times.

One of the times I didn't sit up (pic is mine):


Morale is in the pits. Due to other things it's hard for me to even think about the rest of the season at this time.

https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...-j-clarke.html

jwible

He sure is cleaning up for Beck Janitorial. Har har har.

I still haven't ridden with the kid yet. He scares me.



Macon GA Women's III State champs. Our rider broke a cleat and finished but didn't win. She then went and raced the P123 women's race. Louis Garneau had 6 riders in it and wanted it bad. Our rider proceeded to gap the field on the last lap to win. But since she was a III and the III jersey already was awarded the second place rider go the state jersey.

She kicks ass on so many levels. Great person.

rkwaki

I didn't know creatre has such long blond hair........
And child bearing hips....

rkwaki

One day at a time my friend...

Andy STi

Kings Valley Road Race in Oregon 4/13. First race of our Oregon Cup series. Good course with a few rollers and a moderate finish hill. We did 4 laps.

Raced the P 1/2 race as masters 40+ was a 3/4 race plus I wanted the longer race. Was 75 miles and 4200ft of climbing. Temps in the 40s and raining most of the race until the last lap when the sun came out. This was my first RR of the year and my last race was a MTB race a month ago so I really didn't know what to expect. A few breaks tried to get going but nothing ever stuck. My teammates and I all tried stuff. Maybe the wind, rain and cold helped keep everything together. Finally, on the last lap a couple of guys got away with a little less than 10 miles to go. 2 more got away to chase. Pack stayed together and we caught the second group at the begining of the finish hill but the front 2 stayed away and I managed to small ring into big ring sprint for 9th overall.

Pleased overall but wish it was a bit harder of a race - oh well, I guess I could have attacked more.

jwible

Going to Athens???? I'm going for moral support (watching 'n drinking). Our II crit guy put in for an exemption. The promoter knows him so he should be good to go.