In Your Travels

Thrilling Thirteenth Place At Poolesville HS RR

Sometimes it is useful to look at a result subjectively as well as objectively. While 13th place is not a fabulous result, and I garnered just three BAR points and no money for the finish, I was very happy with the way I rode my race today. For those of you who don't know the course: It is about a 10 or 12 mile loop with a section of a mile or two of dirt road. The whole course is undulating, and there is a steady climb with three turns up to the finish, and that climb lasts for about a mile. The dirt road has a double track from car tires, and the middle is a berm of gravel and loose dirt.

We did five laps of the course and on the third lap, just prior to the climb, five riders rode gently but sharply away from the pack. The race wasn't stunningly hard at that moment, but some fellows just took their chance and made a gap. Five or six riders got across to them on the climb. I struggled on this climb throughout the race, frequently having to close gaps on the easier parts, or on the fast section after the top of the hill, which rolled and descended to a fast right hand turn. One other fellow bridged across to the break after the turn. David and Eric from our team was able to make it into the breakaway. Mitch, Vic and I were still feeling fine and therefore we were trying to keep the break close so we could bridge across. When we got to the next turn they had about 15 seconds.

At this point we were nearing the dirt section and I was really hoping to either catch the break or bridge across. But I wasn't feeling very fresh so I didn't know what would happen. We turned onto the dirt and I was near the back of our group, which was down to about 20 guys. That dirt rode undulates and I was passing people like crazy on the downhill parts. It also curves a good bit and while others slowed for the curves I drove my pace through the turns, carving out nice lines in the dirt, criss crossing from track to track freely. Finally I neared the front at the foot of the hill and I stormed over top of it with great force, refusing to brake even though several people cut in front of me. I just scooted around them. By now I was turning a huge gear, I'd freed myself from the chase group, although 3 guys were clinging to my wheel, I wasn't even thinking about what was behind me. I was only thinking of what was in front of me: the break. I could see them and I was closing on them. I didn't panic and try to fly across the gap, I just inched up on them as I shed riders one by one from my wheel. By the time I cleared the dirt section, I had caught up. Truly, it was one of my most shining moments as a bike racer. I bridged up solo to a breakaway that had a very good lead, and I did it at the critical moment, the last chance for anyone to cross the gap, before it ballooned up to a minute lead. Unfortunately, David had crashed as we entered the dirt, so I thought I was alone in the break, although in fact Eric was there, which was news to me.

I hung on up the sharp hill that follows the dirt road, and the pace of the break was actually nice and steady, not terribly hard, just firm. I began cramping on the climb, and after the turn at the top of the hill, which several riders took very badly, I had a gap to cross. After I crossed it with the others, I totally cramped in my right leg, it wouldn't even turn over the pedals at all and I couldn't straighten it out. Eric saw me in trouble and looked back at me hopefully, but helplessly. Fortunately this part of the course is gently rolling downhill, and I was able to coast a bit, stand up and stretch, and work out the cramp, and as nobody was attacking, with some tenacity I was able to close the gap. I knew I was really no the ropes though. Every time there was a small acceleration I would be gapped. At this point I only hoped I could hold on until the last climb, get dropped, but avoid being caught by the chase group. They told us then we had a minute lead, and I was able to stay up there through the dirt, and keep contact until the climb.

Showing an acute tactical sense, a Coppi rider took his chance before the real climb started, and he opened up a decent gap. Most guys in the break were just glass cranking at this point, not because they wanted to, but because they were empty. Once we began the climb people tried to catch him, and this effort caused me to be dropped. I didn't even try to go with the acceleration, something I now regret slightly, but I was afraid I would just totally cramp up. Perhaps I would have been able to hang on? But I doubt it, I have to accept defeat in this case and just realize that if I can continue to drop weight as I have in the last week, this kind of climb won't be the end of me. The Coppi rider held on for a fine win, and Eric came in third or fourth. This photo shows how I felt.



Back in the pack Mitch had tried hard to slip the group but was brought back, and Vic won the field sprint which was for nineteenth place (I think). It was a really exhausting day and really not much tangible return for the effort expended. But on the other hand, I will always remember those moments of the bridge to the break that I made. There was power, artfulness like a dancer as I cut from track to track gliding over the berm to straighten out the turns on the dirt road. There was doggedness, being unwilling to quit the race even though I was in trouble with cramps. In the end it was worth more to me than just a thirteenth place, as I showed a real competitor's spirit. I really did something great by crossing to that break, and it is something that will help me to realize what I can do in the future, when there are no cramps and no hill I cannot climb to defeat me.

posted by Mark @ 2:05 PM