Velodiva

I raced the Altamont 4-person team time trial with Team Webcor/Alto Velo in the W 35+ category. We placed second of four teams with a time of 42:40. Kalyra was first with a 42:18. Velo
Bella was 3rd with 43:48. Protech was 4th. We would have won but for my fall at the turn-around!
Course: 15.7 miles out and back. 600 foot climb each way.

We had a very strong team, and BTW, we were the combined oldest, the youngest member of our team being 51 (total combined age 223- awesome!!).

Hermes and I did a reconnaissance ride last Sunday and the winds we fought fierce winds from the NNE. I was hoping that today, with an earlier start, that we would be lucky with a light breeze – not so. Those windmills were churning with similar wind conditions. I opted for my deep dish carbon Easton Tempest tubulars, rather than disc and tri-spoke, and they worked well in the wind.
We didn’t have an opportunity to practice as a team before today. We only had about 30 minutes to practice together before the race, and we tried our best to discuss any eventuality figure out what our order should be. Everyone had their strong moments; team mate Phyllis and I worked hard on the up hills and Pam and Linda were killers on the downhills. We hit over 41 mph.

We did have two issues during the ride. I clipped a cone, cutting the turn-around really close, and fell, but was up in a matter of seconds. Luckily it was minor (skinned knee and a ripped leg warmer) and hardly impeded the team at all. Later we found out that the strongest time trialist on the Kalyra team, had also fallen, overlapping a wheel on the outbound leg. That gave me some consolation. On the return leg, one of my team mates got a leg cramp, and in a TT there is no time to stretch it out like one might in a road race. We had to leave her, but it was only a few miles to go. It appeared that most teams sacrificed a rider and finished with 3. Per the rules, 3 riders needed to finish within one meter of each other.

This was a really hard effort and I was glad when it was over! We planned on doing a Wente loop afterwards but it was too windy. Hermes and I did a nice recovery ride on the Peninsula instead. Tomorrow Hermes and I are doing a match sprint tournament at Hellyer velodrome.



Lining up at the start – Pam, Velodiva, Phyllis, Linda



The start

jonathanb715

Shame about the fall - still a great result!

JB

BlastRadius

Great job Velodiva! How was it in the aero position with the winds? Did it limit the time you could be in the aero bars?

BlastRadius

My own effort with Rumbutter, Owner, and Pelikan started out strong but Rumbutter set a blistering pace that I couldn't hold. I fell off the back at about 4 miles, almost to where the windmills were. I did complete the 15.7 miles in about 47:30 or so. Afterward, my glutes were so sore, I could hardly step in and out of my car.

rumbutter

I am really sorry about my pacing It is one of the big disadvantages of never having ridden an event like this together as a team.

Last weekend I had a terrible time trial due to lung problems and chronic overtraining but yesterday I was firing on all cylinders after having virtually the whole week with nothing but light and short rides (I even got 7+ hours sleep a night). Monday - Wednesday I was like a zombie but by Saturday I was feeling a bit frisky.

How long did you warm up for before the start ? If you went into that first uphill section cold it probably blew you up for the rest of the event.

Velodiva

I was thankful for the aerobars! The wind was fierce but I feel very comfortable in the aero position and the bike was quite stable. There was one gust at the finish that really threw us but that was the only slightly scary moment. I was in the aero position for the majority of the time. There was a portion of the climb on the way back where we all decided to stand where we were non-aero.

pelikan

I think that contributed for sure, I think we got like 10 minutes. Thanks to your blistering pace though we were within 30 seconds of a podium. Take away a few missteps and maybe actually riding together beforehand I think we would of been bronze easily.

Thanks again to FFBC for letting me be a last minute scab. Good times....went home and passed out.

BlastRadius

That wasn't a dig at your pacing. I think you guys did great. Mateo and I only got 10 minutes warm-up max and Jeff even less. I'm feeling like I need a change in my training plan (which is nonexistent) and more rest for sure. However, the results from my last four races are discouraging.

Red Rider

The learning never stops.

This is why racing is (was) my training. You don't really know until you show up...

Velodiva

The results are posted at
https://www.fremontfreewheelers.org/R...ces/index.html

We averaged 22.08 mph - not bad considering the terrain and the wind.

Velodiva

Here is link to a photo of our team. It was taken just after the turnaround (and my fall). We are standing on the climb and I am working to catch up after my mishap. This is around where we lost our fourth rider. If I am ever asked during a job interview to discuss a team experience and what I learned, this is going to be my example!!

https://edwardfalsken.smugmug.com/gal...565_BZyd9-A-LB

Linda, Phyllis, Velodiva