Yesterday's race was a hard fought battle that came down to the very last lap. The atmosphere was a lot more noticeable at the UCI race Sunday and I could tell everyone had come to race today. While warming up I was feeling the burn from Saturday's race, not exactly what I was hoping for, but a victory comes at cost and I'm not quite fit enough to be at the top two days in a row.
I did get the first call up though and that helped a lot at the start. I led it out until Doug came through at the sandpit and I gladly let him take the lead into the uphill road drag strip. A little group formed at the front and I was happy to sit in and maintain the best I could. The laps were screaming fast, lots of wide open cement and grass trails the first half lap and then more technical serpentine corners the second half, the type of course that promotes group tactical riding.
I suffered pretty hard through the first half the race while Doug and Cody set the pace. I was struggling accelerating out of the corners but I felt like I was riding smooth enough to make up for it. I finally was asked to take a pull with 5 to go and I let it rip as best I could. I knew I was going to get attacked, so when it finally came I wasn't surprised, but I was at my limit and couldn't even jump. Doug went with Cody in tow and I was left in no mans land to hold off the hard charging group behind.
I dug deep and with 2 laps to go was gaining on the leaders who were only about 5-7 seconds up on me. I was hoping that just a little slip or cat and mouse at the end might get me right back in it but they both knew what they were doing and held me off to the end. I was able to ride cross eyed through the finish about 10 seconds back for 3rd, not too bad for the weekend.
Weekend #1 - Mission Accomplished
Cody's head got chopped off during the race!
I think I know who did it!?
3 comments:
Congrats on the win on Sat and hard fought third on Sun.
I find your blog interesting and worth reading. Saw your great performance at Sheboygan WORS race. I find your admission to pain during a race frank and honest. I concur that bike racing is another name for torture test. You pedal like hell and just hope you don't die.
Keep biking.
Matt Amman
I enjoy reading your blog and your honest admission to the brutal pain you feel when biking.
I saw you perform at Sheboygan WORS race for the first time and was impressed.
Keep up the racing.
Matt Amman
I enjoy reading your blog, it makes me feel young even if my body tells me I am getting old (like Dano). The welcome to Ohio sign brings back memories for me when I was in my late 20's and early 30's traveling the country for work. I was working on several projects in southeast and traveling back to Appleton for the weekends. Boy does that arch bring back some awful memories of a very long commute starting (back to Appleton) on Friday's at noon and then the return on late Sunday evening (to the southeast), all that driving just to attempt to live a normal life and watch my kids grow up. Good thing I have found a different line of work. Oh yes, the company I work for was nice enough to fly me home once a month (yea real nice).
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