Monday, July 28, 2008

Carson Valley Classic crit.

Downtown Minden, NV with perfect tarmac, wide course and not tech at all. I figured it was going to stay together and be a bunch sprint(which I hate) but fortune smiled upon me and the wind started blowing just before the start. About 20 minutes in to the 45 minute race a couple attacks had gone and no one really chased but they all came back. The pace was brisk but not super hard when Heath attacked and opened a little gap. I knew he has been riding strong after yesterday so I bridged up to him. I had another friend in the pack and he said as soon as I went the chase was instant. I got a gap and the pack started to close holding about 10-15 seconds. Heath didn't want to waste anymore energy and went back. I continued on solo while they chased. Stayed away for the remaining 25 minute solo and crossed the line about a minute up. It hurt but very satisfying after all the effort.

Diamond valley RR

Since it was the masters district championship my only option was the non-championship 3/4/5 category. Course was a 11 mile loop with one long downhill, one short steep climb(8-9%), one slightly longer shallower climb(5-6%) and gradual uphill to the line. Tons of wind and the climbs made it a tough race despite the short distance(44 miles). The first descent was the most scarred I have been in a bike race in a long time. People were seriously sketchy. The group broke up after the first climb and at the end of the first lap Greg Remaly(pro-tri guy super freak) broke away in the feed zone taking one passenger never to be seen again. I tried a couple bridge attempts but they were to little to late. I ended up stuck on the front at 8mph and nobody would come around me. I waited as long as I could but knew I couldn't hold off the group sprinting from the front uphill and into a headwind. 7th on the day

Friday, July 25, 2008

Getting it over with. leesville/vacaville

Ok I have avoided it long enough and my rage and distain for leesville has subsided enough to briefly report.

Leesville RR:
Last year I swore never to return to Leesville. The road surface is so bad it makes copperopolis look like fresh tarmac. You actually look forward to the gravel sections cause they are smoother than the patched bone rattling surface the California DOT calls asphalt. Last year I flatted on the first major climb and chased for 50 miles of suck. Fast forward one year and just long enough to convince myself that I was blowing it out of proportion and "It couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Yes it was, Yes it is, Yes it will be. This year I flatted just before the climb and chased for 55 miles. FUCK THIS RACE. I'M NEVER GOING BACK!

Vacaville crit:
Nice course, downtown vacaville with some twisty corners and a fair sized hill. The laps were long due to the course so we were slatted for 16 total. With 6 to go I got in a break with a strong Davis kid(chris stazny) and we were working well together. Both of us were in the chase yesterday at leesville so not really fresh but were holding solid. So ass from fusion and another guy(neither of which had a teammate in the sprint) decided to blow everything pulling the pack back up to us and we got caught with 1/2 a lap to go. I still say it's better to try and fail then sit and wait.