Up the hill......Down the hill......repeat for 75 min.....This was a fun one. I decided right off that I would practice being mr conservative for at least the first 30 min, since this is something I need to practice. Especially after waltzing into yesterdays Wards Ferry road, dropping my chain, getting dropped, time trialing a constant distance behind the group for the last half of the race, and then finishing by myself in 8th place feeling like a total poser. That's what I get for plastering my stupid ego onto every available sponsor position of my jersey and leading out the first 20 miles attacking at random while still responding to every attack from every effing rider.
compared to yesterday this race was chill. I kicked back, enjoyed the view watching everyone else attack and then get smacked in the face by the wind...shut down! I just analyzed and sat on my pillow whisked up the hill like and angel blown by the breath of a mythical Greek god. Then with about 25 min to go I was following a move. I was only wanting to get to the front but when the wheels in front of me suddenly stopped, I was left with no choice but to launch an attack. It was to perfect of an opportunity to pass up so I pinned it ripping a trench through the headwind and opening up a huge gap over the top. Meanwhile the field was strung out single file throwing daggers at each other trying to determine the pecking order in the draft train. While they were dulling their knives I was motoring a hard but steady tempo burning up the descent opening up my lead with no one to obstruct my line. The next turn up the hill I was all alone cruising @ threshold. Near the top i could see a small group break off from the peloton and I was hoping they would join me without towing the rest of the field, but by my third solo run up the hill the small group caught me and promptly put on the brakes...I attacked again and chris phipps went with me, but a couple of cal giant guys were glued to our wheels. I threw down one more time but all of our stop and go had given the field plenty of time to catch on and it was back to an 80ish rider field. At this point I decided to sit in for a few laps...then another break went up the road and after a few laps Chris Turner took to chasing. He drove the field for a lap, then slingshoted me up the hill again chasing the group of three by myself...............It was in vein, I didn't make it but my efforts helped close the gap and I settled in, holding my position in the front for the last lap, (I actually paid attention to the lap cards for the first time)
I'm not super experienced at finishes so I was kinda tentative heading into the final meters mostly just following wheels, kinda boxed in...not sure when to sprint...Then when I realized how close the finish was it was too late, I put my head down and rocketed past a bunch of guys but ran out of ground while I was still accelerating...I managed the lowest place on the podium...5th...I learned a lot and its great to get one for the team but I feel like I definitely let this one slip through my fingers...and these opportunites don't come often....Overall it was a great race, and the first time the whole team was together....check the team website for more details. adios for now. acracer.blogspot.com
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