That is what I hear about almost every bike race course described by promoters. I don’t think I heard this mentioned about today’s course at Hila (pronounced with a spanish “H” as in JEE-la). This is how the race unfolded. I saw a mob of people running after Johny. Then Phloyd came by with no one running after him. That wasn’t my race though.
The Cat 2 race started with no fanfare. I threw leg-over-bike and rolled about 200 meters to the start line and then plucked a goat head out of my front tire. I rode back to my motel and got a wheel change. One light climbing wheel gone for the week. Then we raced into the wind and went really slow. During some echelon riding in the wind I spent some time riding in the gutter. At about kilometer 80 of 150 I started noticing some bouncing with my back wheel. A softening tire but it was softening slow enough I never decided to stop for a change. I ended up riding it out at about 5 BAR. Second light climbing wheel gone for the week. Meanwhile, I as parched by the time we entered the 3rd feed zone, which was actually the 1st neutral feedzone even though the Bible didn’t say this. I grabbed 2 bottles and downed one immediately. It’s not a good idea to try to get hydrated at the base of the last climb. Read more
So far I have learned that, within the context of Pro1-2 stage races, I am a poor road racer, atrocious crit rider, and mediocre time trialist. On the last point, it would probably be more accurate to downgrade that level since half the Pro1-2 field rides time trials with hands on their top bar. Based on this fact, I am probably finishing time trials in last place of the people that are trying.
In the Waitsburg race last weekend, I fell off the pace in the exact same spots and chased with a similar grupetto with some of the exact same people I was with last year. Despite this I managed to leap up the GC only because half the people DNFed. Alas, my move up made things worse because everyone below me disappeared from the list. This resulted in me making a serious run at last place, but I ended up failing at that too. This is not a pity party; rather, I am encouraged that I am slightly stronger than last year. I’m at least a couple seconds faster and this is very important to me.
Right now I am in transfer days of my first grand tour. Unfortunately, the tour has been shortened with the cancelling of Willamette which is being replaced by a shorter Emmett to Roubaix stage. This will be followed by a long transfer down to New Mexico to finish off the tour. I am left hoping that form is coming in, rather than leaving.
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