Road Race
Yesterday I decided to get up early and go do a road race they hold every year in Camp Pendleton. Johnny O'mara told me about it a couple days ago and said it was a good event and not too long, only 26miles. So the alarm went off at 6:30am and I was signing up by 7:45am for a 8:40 start time. There was no categories other than your age. I was in the 30-34 group, which also started with the 35-39 group, so there was about 60-70 riders.
I had no idea how the course went, so I just rode in the middle of the pack for most of the ride. It was more scarey than most DH races with amount of sketchy riders. I can't believe how bad some of these guys are on bikes, but luckily I stayed away from the one crash and just stayed on the defense for most of the ride. At one point there was a climb that lasted about one mile in length and averaged about 10 percent grade, so that dropped a good 60% of the field.
The race was an out and back, so I somewhat remembered how the finish was going to be. A left followed by about 100 meters, into a right followed by about 50 meters, then a gradual left into a final straight of about 70 meters to the finish. There was two riders in the group that I knew were pretty fast, as I use to do a lot of local group rides and remembered them, so I just kept my eye on both of them. With about 50 meters before that first left, one of them attacked and instantly put about 10 bikes on the field. I was in about 7th to 10th at this time and then the other fast guy I was watching went, so that was my mark to go. I got on the second place guys wheel. We went through the left and he gradually pulled us up to the first place guys wheel just as we entered the right hander. Once we made the turn I realized these guys were drifting too far outside, so I made my attack to the inside and sprinted around them heading into the last turn and to the finish taking the win.
I was pretty stoked with my tactics and how I let the race come to me, being patient and using my power at the last moment.
The day got even better, as Blick, Levey, and I met Stikman out on the San Juan trail for a fun ride. It was good to see Stik back on a bike and he was killing it. The dirt was great from the rain the night before, so traction was high.
Lopes
Posted by Brian on March 6, 2006 12:31 AM