The Cat 1-2 and 3-4 fields were combined, OH-boy this was going to be painfully fun. I ask about the combined field size and the promoter said the size was around 60 riders. It really looked like 45. My average speed was 24 mph for 65 miles. Three riders attacked early on and stayed away for 40 miles. There were small attacks on and off but nothing really stayed away. My plan was to conserve as much energy as I could for the major attack and then just hang on for dear life.
The major split came at the 50-mile mark, when Kirk Albers attacked the first real climb. That attack split the field into two separate groups. I made the 20-man break with Kirk, 6 or more Texas Road House riders, 2 Team Dayton guys, 3 Cat 3’s and a few other Cat 1/2s. Once we cleared the top of the climb, I looked back to see a 50 meter gap and with no one bridging up. This 50-meter gap held for half a mile then began to grow until the second group disappeared from the horizon.
Now the break was in a single line cursing down the highway at 30 mph. There’s one more backbreaking climb and it’s 5k from the finish. I’m concern if I’ll make it over the climb and still be with the break. We reach the base of the climb and the tempo increases threefold. We’ll Kirk attacks (break #1) this climb and motors away with ease. The remainder of the break begins to break up like a sinking ship. I just ride at my own pace, focusing on my spinning and hanging on. I make it to the top and bridge back to the end of break #2. With 4k to go, several attacks went off but never stay away. On the final 2k uphill haul to the finish, I had visions of placing in the top 5. However, I had nothing left in the fuel tank to challenge the final 200 meter run in. Ended up 10th overall and 3rd place in the cat 3s. Nevertheless, it sure was fun riding with the Elites!
http://www.godzulla.com/
Gramps
