Sunday, May 20, 2007
Modesto RR--30+ 4/5
Nick, Steve R. and Jaime and I enjoyed a fabulous Saturday night at the Olive Garden in Modesto last night. Sure, you say, that's what most hipster San Franciscan's were doing last night, but we were in town for the Modesto Road Race.
Luther had done a Google Earth survey of the terrain and said it was super flat, with the largest "hill" in the area topping out at 50 feet. The dreaded Mt. Ventoux wasn't even on the course, which was flat as a tortilla.
Our goal was to hang in and then keep the pace high at the end, ideally leading Nick out or letting him Robbie McEwen it on his own if necessary after the herd had been thinned. Nick has been riding l,ike a monster lately, though as it turned out his efforts over the past few weeks may have caught up with him today.
The field of 75 rolled out after the promoter deadpanned we shouldn't defacate in front of anyone's house. (Some wise guy yelled "What about puking?") I tried to convince everyone they should let me win because the race finished, and more or less ended, on Kiernan Road (my first name). The weirdest thing--the usually giving, "No, you first", "It's all about your needs" nature of bike racers did not give way to a 54 mile promenade with a victory by yours truly.
Dolce got some early TV time for the sponsors as Steve put himself in two early breaks. Nothing was staying away, however. Lotso cross- and headway over a pretty crit-like course... Something like 9 or ten 90 degree turns on each of the 6 laps. Luckily we had a full road closure which kept things fairly safe, aside from the inevitable bozos menacing everyone's front wheels in the turns. Mr. Redshirt, you know who you are and I don't know how you sleep at night.
On the last two laps, Steve and I took up position on the sharp end of the race and spend a good chunk of time in the wind. Definitely felt good to be more on the offensive for once this season, instead of milling about waiting to be annhilated--and great to have a few more teamates in the peleton.
About half way up the last lap, I pulled Nick up to Steve who was at the front. We hung for a bit and then swung into a long straight section with a tailwind. Because our goal was to try to cause some suffering and keep the pack strung out, I drilled it. Something I had never quite gathered until the day before when we had been practicing lead outs is that in a tailwind, there is much less benefit for the draftee Anyway, this seemed like a good opportunity to cause some burney sensations in the legs for the masses who had been sucking wheel for lo these many miles.
I looked pack and could just see a long line behind me. We then swung left into a nasty headwind. I pulled a bit longer and then swung off. Not a whole lot of interest in anyone taking up point. I drifted back to Steve and we realized Nick was gone... I had feared it as he said he hadn't been feeling good.
We had probably less than a mile and a half to go... We were about 15-20 bikes back. I was pretty cooked and didn't think I could factor in the finish. I told Steve, who'd been riding strong all day, I'd bring him up to the front with what I had left. More drooling and heaving into the wind, we made it into the home stretch before one final corner about 500 yards out. But that was all for me... as went around the corner, my wheel slid and I thought I had flatted or rolled my tubular. I pullled the gutter, put my hand up and went straight out the back. No big loss, I was shelled.
In the finale, Steve came around the final corner on the inside as a few others squeezed out to the far outside. Apparently, there was no real lead out, the guys on the front more or less just drilled it to the end. Steve hung tough and scored a top 5.
Jaime completed his first road and we all stayed upright. Hoo - ray.
Luther had done a Google Earth survey of the terrain and said it was super flat, with the largest "hill" in the area topping out at 50 feet. The dreaded Mt. Ventoux wasn't even on the course, which was flat as a tortilla.
Our goal was to hang in and then keep the pace high at the end, ideally leading Nick out or letting him Robbie McEwen it on his own if necessary after the herd had been thinned. Nick has been riding l,ike a monster lately, though as it turned out his efforts over the past few weeks may have caught up with him today.
The field of 75 rolled out after the promoter deadpanned we shouldn't defacate in front of anyone's house. (Some wise guy yelled "What about puking?") I tried to convince everyone they should let me win because the race finished, and more or less ended, on Kiernan Road (my first name). The weirdest thing--the usually giving, "No, you first", "It's all about your needs" nature of bike racers did not give way to a 54 mile promenade with a victory by yours truly.
Dolce got some early TV time for the sponsors as Steve put himself in two early breaks. Nothing was staying away, however. Lotso cross- and headway over a pretty crit-like course... Something like 9 or ten 90 degree turns on each of the 6 laps. Luckily we had a full road closure which kept things fairly safe, aside from the inevitable bozos menacing everyone's front wheels in the turns. Mr. Redshirt, you know who you are and I don't know how you sleep at night.
On the last two laps, Steve and I took up position on the sharp end of the race and spend a good chunk of time in the wind. Definitely felt good to be more on the offensive for once this season, instead of milling about waiting to be annhilated--and great to have a few more teamates in the peleton.
About half way up the last lap, I pulled Nick up to Steve who was at the front. We hung for a bit and then swung into a long straight section with a tailwind. Because our goal was to try to cause some suffering and keep the pack strung out, I drilled it. Something I had never quite gathered until the day before when we had been practicing lead outs is that in a tailwind, there is much less benefit for the draftee Anyway, this seemed like a good opportunity to cause some burney sensations in the legs for the masses who had been sucking wheel for lo these many miles.
I looked pack and could just see a long line behind me. We then swung left into a nasty headwind. I pulled a bit longer and then swung off. Not a whole lot of interest in anyone taking up point. I drifted back to Steve and we realized Nick was gone... I had feared it as he said he hadn't been feeling good.
We had probably less than a mile and a half to go... We were about 15-20 bikes back. I was pretty cooked and didn't think I could factor in the finish. I told Steve, who'd been riding strong all day, I'd bring him up to the front with what I had left. More drooling and heaving into the wind, we made it into the home stretch before one final corner about 500 yards out. But that was all for me... as went around the corner, my wheel slid and I thought I had flatted or rolled my tubular. I pullled the gutter, put my hand up and went straight out the back. No big loss, I was shelled.
In the finale, Steve came around the final corner on the inside as a few others squeezed out to the far outside. Apparently, there was no real lead out, the guys on the front more or less just drilled it to the end. Steve hung tough and scored a top 5.
Jaime completed his first road and we all stayed upright. Hoo - ray.
Labels: cycling, dolce vita cycling, modesto road race
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