40+ 3/4s:

as usual nothings too important before the last 5 laps or so. a few attacks nothing too serious and the primes are crap. a little before 5 to go four or five riders get away, never too far that we won't catch. we reel them in on the last lap and i'm already near the front. one of the riders must have jumped just as we caught the group and the pace is too hard but it's a little strung out as we are half a lap from the finish on the backside of the course. the difference this time is i've got three teammates in the race. one of them tony is just getting back into racing and a very strong sprinter. i was slightly disappointed by this as i might upset my chances a bit but so excited to actually have some teammates in the race made up for it. tony shouts 'GO!' on the backside as we're about 10 riders back or so and i do. i throw it down a few cogs and just launch as if we're at the last corner we fly past a bunch of riders flat out and drive it through the third turn and keep it going hard i look back and have gapped tony a little but but it's to late to do anything but go flat out. we round turn four clear of all the riders but the lone rider from the break. by now i'm dead but continue to pedal as hard as i can. i've got no form, no spin but i'm giving all i got. tony comes by me to take second easily and fourth is a number of bike lengths back. i'm really happy with third considering i started pulling with half a lap to go into the wind the whole way, no wheelsucking for me (for once).

i don't think i've ridden that hard in about in fifteen years. the race taught me what i already knew, that i was riding way too easy in the last laps and giving up spots and just relying on my sprint to pass a few people to get al those fifth and sixth places. i now remember that i can go from the front and go hard. i've 20 of the 25 points i need for cat 2 and i'm feeling a little more confident.