Going into this one after Catskills I wasn't too worried about the course, even though I'd never ridden this race in S1/2 or done the hill 10 times. I did want to make something of this last O-Cup this year, so early break was the name of the game. Just a question how...
Went in early with Rach and got to watch her race of 9 riders and the winner come in solo by many minutes, pretty crazy. Small races like that are never easy. She did pretty well especially considering her feelings towards climbs. Way to go Rach, job well done.
Our race had about 35 riders, offering the potential of more breakaway combination/attempts. I started making my early moves at the top of the first time up the climb. Tried to get away with Anton as per the plan, but too many people tried to come with and we got chased down instantly. Heard that on this blog before? So original.
I try again over the top of the hill next time, still no luck. By the time we got the hill the first time, a Darkhorse and H&R Block rider had snuck off the front, so their teams were keeping a bit of a leash on things.
On the flats we then set up a move that included another Darkhorse rider, and we started to get away since we didn't have their team chasing, but we STILL got chased down, although it took some more time.
Then right after that a counter attack went from Max C from SRS, which nobody went with. It seemed like a good moment to go after all the action so I jump up to him, and still nobody behind is reacting yet. We start pushing on and getting away, perfect.
Before long we can see the two leaders, but Max is hurting and was having trouble pulling through. We turn onto the false flat, and he's had enough and pulls the chute. By the top of the climb I had burning acid fire in my legs but had finally caught the two leaders. For the next lap we get a good rotation going and are definitely going to stay away a while.
Then starting the false flat up the climb later that lap, a group of about 10 riders catch up to us out of nowhere! There was so many of us I thought it was the peloton at first. Chaos ensued for a moment as everyone looked around to figure this one out, and a shuffling occurred where a new 6-man group formed off the front of this jumbled mess. I made into this group, including team mate Brandon, and again, started pulling away.
This group was a bit different, and we were probably rolling 5km/hr faster than the former lead group. We were cooking along the course and with all the teams represented except Darkhorse, I knew this move would stay away. The only problem (which happened to be a huge one!) was that as the pace spiked over the hill each lap I was hurting and sliding, 10 feet, catching back on, 20 feet, catching back on, and then infinite feet, of the back of the group. The final time I chased with everything I had but was just not shutting down the gap on lap 6, when Steve in the commissar car drives past and points to the chase group about 1min behind that I didn't even know about. Salvation? hmm.
I savour the chance to rest and regain clear vision as the chase group comes up to me, and its more of the strongmen in the race, Schiller, Ivey, the provincial champ and another HR block guy. Hanging onto this group would be no easier, but I latch on, and pull through until the false flat. And sure enough on the hill I slowly slide of the back. For Pete's sake... dropped twice.
- Note to self, I should lose some weight, get a lighter bike, and pack legs with more lightning.
Now I'm no man's land. Up sh*t creek without a paddle. All my matches are burned, and I'm pretty sure I'll get swallowed up by the pack before getting shot out the back and finish last, if at all. Yahoo!
Well its lap 7, and I'm reminded of Catskills and think, if I can solo those courses and survive, I can probably do this. I have no idea how far back the pack is, only that I can't see them, so I plow on, into the remaining 35km and three accents up the climb. The cheers of the crowd on the hill were encouraging, thanks to them for that. I'm sure it wasn't the pinnacle of pedalling fluidity and grace when I was coming through.
For a very painful ~60 minutes it was TT mode with all that I had left and somehow... somehow, hold off the pack. The somehow was that in the lead group, we pulled out major time. They had 11 minutes when they finished, and of that I only lost 7, enough to stay away. So after this sufferfest I rolled in alone, muscles twitching, 9th place.
Apparently Anton finally was allowed to fly the coup and solo'd the last lap ahead of what remained of the peloton (about 15 DNFs), and came within sight of me one the final climb. 'You were that guy weaving up the climb at the finish?' yeah....
Well Bayden... you always put on a good show. Congrats to you to also-- definitely a gutsy race.
ReplyDelete