Short course - counter clockwise last nite.
As I predicted the course set-up resulted in a rear pack finish for me. Had fun though. Went out in an early break with Omar (first lap – Omar’s excitable). He pulled a while and then waved me thru. I pulled for a while and a guy bridged up and I slowed so he’d pull. He took the front and I was on his wheel like glue. Omar drifted back. The guy in front slowed dramatically after a short pull expecting me to go back to the front. I wasn’t going to and then the pack caught and started passing us.
In the ensuing laps I was all over, working w/ Omar, chatting w/ Corey, drafting on Jonathon. Basically hitting it hard to keep up after the turns and looking for gaps to run into after the downhill when the group compacted (it was another huge field – 75 starters). By lap 4-5 I was mid-pack, but had a good bottom turn and charged up the ramp to about 5th. In the S’s I made my move, stood, and hit it hard on the inside with momentum to carry me to the front and get a gap. Didn’t happen. Leader who was way left in the turn swung all the way right for the corner right when I was getting there. He broadsided me and we both stayed up as I moved ahead w/ momentum (he was yelling at me), but I lost that momentum and lost about 10 spots. He was still bitching on the finish straight, until one of his friends said to him he clearly cut me off. No more whining after that.
Stayed onto the pack until one to go, then a guy about 4 ahead gapped and we started losing places. I was at 175 for the last 4 laps and just didn’t have the legs to bridge. When winner finished I was on the curve after the announcer area, so about 100 yards back. Still beat more than beat me, but couldn’t stay in that front pack like last week. I’m definately having more fun being active than just sitting in all race. I’d rather go in a break or two and have fun and end up bonked off the back, than sit in and get 30th every week. Ended up 33rd of 75 anyway. Omar was 26th.
The short-course is so ON all the time, small mistakes are magnified immensly. My handling skills are much better after 6 Crits this year, but my sustainability is not much improved, or at least not as much as I’d like. Waiting for another long course week.
