Thursday, April 19, 2007
East Coast DVC @ BattenKill Roubaix
Dolce Noel, currently riding in Vermont, sent the following missive of what sounds like a pretty epic/horrible race. If you would like info on how to partake next year after reading the below, you can get more info at:
http://www.battenkillroubaix.com/
[From Noel]
Ahh, Battenkill--- that is a truly horrendous course. 55 miles, with brutal steep rollers over dirt roads, with a couple of steep 39x25, out of the saddle-type climbs thrown in for fun. The suffering was endless.
105 starters in the masters 30+ cat. 1-4 field. Only 65 guys finished. I got waxed good and proper, as I deserved after only 4 days of riding so far this "spring" (it snowed 8 inches yesterday). I had a great time.
I made a huge tactical blunder, as the first climb of the day (and one of the steepest) showed up after only 10 miles. The road turned sharp right, and went from a two-lane asphalt down to a narrow dirt one-laner immediately, followed by a vicious climb, about 10-14 percent for about half a mile.
And there I was (idiot!) chillin' at the back, thinking I was clever to conserve energy. The field exploded on the climb, and I had to make my way up through the wreckage, while the leaders took off. I climbed decently, but at the top I could just see the tail end of the lead group of 30 about half a kilometer ahead of me.
It mights as well have been a mile. I chased like a bastard with one other guy for about 5 km, and we got to within about 300 feet..... but no closer. So fucking cruel. I was cursing myself for not training, for lacking the juice for one all-out burst to close that last gap. But so it goes: I can ride for an hour at hr 175, but right now I can't ride harder than that for more than a minute.
Maybe if I had been at the front before the climb I might have had a chance to hang in the lead pack for more suffering. My chase partner cursed under his breath, and then he was gone. I chased alone for a few more miles, wondering why I was doing it, hoping the leaders would sit up. Finally a chase group of about 15 guys caught me, and we worked together for the rest of the race. 40+ miles of suffering on the rivet, over miserable waves of rollers. The chase group slowly disintegrated as the hills took their toll, until it was only 5 of us.
In the final horrible miles, two guys slowly rode away from us. I had nothing. Each time I took five hard pedal strokes, I would have to recover for 5 minutes at the back. The wretched trio drove it over the line, for no particular reason. I finished 48th, about 10 minutes back from the winner. I could barely stand up. What a silly person I am.
http://www.battenkillroubaix.com/
[From Noel]
Ahh, Battenkill--- that is a truly horrendous course. 55 miles, with brutal steep rollers over dirt roads, with a couple of steep 39x25, out of the saddle-type climbs thrown in for fun. The suffering was endless.
105 starters in the masters 30+ cat. 1-4 field. Only 65 guys finished. I got waxed good and proper, as I deserved after only 4 days of riding so far this "spring" (it snowed 8 inches yesterday). I had a great time.
I made a huge tactical blunder, as the first climb of the day (and one of the steepest) showed up after only 10 miles. The road turned sharp right, and went from a two-lane asphalt down to a narrow dirt one-laner immediately, followed by a vicious climb, about 10-14 percent for about half a mile.
And there I was (idiot!) chillin' at the back, thinking I was clever to conserve energy. The field exploded on the climb, and I had to make my way up through the wreckage, while the leaders took off. I climbed decently, but at the top I could just see the tail end of the lead group of 30 about half a kilometer ahead of me.
It mights as well have been a mile. I chased like a bastard with one other guy for about 5 km, and we got to within about 300 feet..... but no closer. So fucking cruel. I was cursing myself for not training, for lacking the juice for one all-out burst to close that last gap. But so it goes: I can ride for an hour at hr 175, but right now I can't ride harder than that for more than a minute.
Maybe if I had been at the front before the climb I might have had a chance to hang in the lead pack for more suffering. My chase partner cursed under his breath, and then he was gone. I chased alone for a few more miles, wondering why I was doing it, hoping the leaders would sit up. Finally a chase group of about 15 guys caught me, and we worked together for the rest of the race. 40+ miles of suffering on the rivet, over miserable waves of rollers. The chase group slowly disintegrated as the hills took their toll, until it was only 5 of us.
In the final horrible miles, two guys slowly rode away from us. I had nothing. Each time I took five hard pedal strokes, I would have to recover for 5 minutes at the back. The wretched trio drove it over the line, for no particular reason. I finished 48th, about 10 minutes back from the winner. I could barely stand up. What a silly person I am.
Labels: battenkill roubaix, cycling, dolce vita cycling
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