So, last weekend I did my first criterium race, and this weekend was my first road race. As easy as last week seemed to be (putting aside the imminent danger of crashing) everything indicated that this would be a very tough race. First of all, every time I told any of the more experienced guys I was doing the race, they would just shake their heads and say "good luck". That didn't seem to be a good sign.
Then, my coach told me that this was the race to do so that every other race this season would seem easy. Again, bad sign.
The race itself was held in Boulevard, about 50 miles East of San Diego, near the Mexican border.
It was basically desert mountains - rocks coming up out of the ground. Elevation was 4000 feet, at the wind at the top of the mountain was so strong that the birds were just hovering motionless in the air. The staging are was at the top of the mountain, and we parked and began to warm up on the roads above the parking lot. Our group went off at about 9:40am. They had split the cat 5 group up into two, and I (and my teammate Manuel) was in the second group.
Here is a map of the course. It started at 4000 feet, descended to 2000, and then climbed back up to 4000, all in about 22 miles. We did this twice. The pros did it four times.
Our race got off to an odd start. Lining up two by two, I was in row 2 and Manuel was in row 3. As we started off, the first two guys decided they wanted to take a right turn out of the parking lot instead of a left. I, of course, went left. However, as I turned back to make sure everyone was behind me, I realized that they were behind alright, but they were about 100 feet behind me. Rather than put the brakes on and get gobbled up by the pack, I decided just to go with it and ride on.
This turned out to be a bit of a mistake - my friend (and Cat 1 captain) Mathias let me know that I should have been saved every single bit of energy possible.
These pictures are not my race (photos by USCD cycling club), but they show pretty much what it looked like...
The Landscape
The starting area
The race
So, there I was, solo through the first two right turns. When the pack did catch me at the very beginning of the descent, they were in single file and I was able to go straight into rotation with the front four. Letting them do most of the work, of course.
Going into the climb, I found myself right up there still until about halfway up when I tanked and slid off the back of the lead group. I thought it was over. All of a sudden, there was Manuel. Manuel, who was very strong, and two other guys and I all worked together to get the rest of the way up the climb.
Turning back onto 80, the wind hit like a freight train, but amazingly we were able to make it all the way back up to the lead group. I'm not sure what happened to Manuel, because I didn't see him again after that, but dude, I want to personally thank you for being so strong on that climb. I will work for you anytime...
The second descent was uneventful, and going into the second climb I knew that if I could stay with the leaders that I had a shot at this thing. As we really got into the climb, I found myself digging deeper and deeper to hold on. Thankfully, so did everyone else. Two thirds of the way up, I looked around and only saw nine or ten guys. Only two of them were on the same team.
I thought maybe I had a shot, but once we got up to highway 80 again, the wind hit and it pretty much finished me off. As much as I tried to use the other guys to shield me, it was useless. I couldn't hang. With about mile left, I was on my own, disappointed I wouldn't be sprinting for the finish. I was very honored to finish where I did. I placed 19th, though I could've sworn I was in top ten. Hard to assess how many guys are ahead of you when you can't see straight.
Next up, Costa Mesa crit Feb 18th. I will have my new kit, new wheels, and the bike will be overhauled. Will send pictures...
