Tilles Park Crit today. Cat 3/4 - 50min + 6 laps.
Most of the team got a fantastic back row starting position. That was okay. With an hour long race there would be plenty of time to move up. After 3 laps I found myself up near the front without much difficulty. The rest of the team seemed to be hanging back a bit, at least I didn't see them near me. Shaun O'Neal then began the first of numerous attacks and I began a whole series of covering moves making sure that the team had someone in whatever break was attempted. O'Neal was almost too strong for his own good. He launch these attacks and when no one was around to follow up or had the energy to pull through he'd get angry. Funny thing is when the decisive break went toward the end of the race he missed out. We had two guys in a group of about 10 that slipped away. Because we had a few guys up, I parked myself near the front hoping to let the break get away. Before the breakaway got too far away Sven attacked with Joe on his wheel. I really wanted to go but felt that another one of us going would only result in towing the whole pack up to the break. Joe couldn't stay with Sven as he made the bridge and the break was established.
From then on I just covered every attack I could. O'Neal kept trying, Gateway tried, Maplewood tried but nothing would was sustained. We'd accelerate and back off and in the end it resulted in no real time gains I took 3rd in the field sprint which was totally meaningless. Aaron Hinni got a nice 2nd, Sven 6th and Nate Rice 8th. I'm guessing I got 15th. Thanks to the wonderful videocamera expertise of the officials they completely missed me in the final results. The group that came across with me was not that large but they managed to make me a non-entity. Even if they didn't catch my number you would think they would just write in "Big Shark rider", but that didn't even happen.
I couldn't hang around for the 1/2/3 unfortunately. I think I could have hung in much better than last year.
Positives: Rode strong and up front the whole way. Had good power to close gaps.
Negatives: My jump is lacking. Once I get up to speed I'm good but there's no snap right now.
Most of the team got a fantastic back row starting position. That was okay. With an hour long race there would be plenty of time to move up. After 3 laps I found myself up near the front without much difficulty. The rest of the team seemed to be hanging back a bit, at least I didn't see them near me. Shaun O'Neal then began the first of numerous attacks and I began a whole series of covering moves making sure that the team had someone in whatever break was attempted. O'Neal was almost too strong for his own good. He launch these attacks and when no one was around to follow up or had the energy to pull through he'd get angry. Funny thing is when the decisive break went toward the end of the race he missed out. We had two guys in a group of about 10 that slipped away. Because we had a few guys up, I parked myself near the front hoping to let the break get away. Before the breakaway got too far away Sven attacked with Joe on his wheel. I really wanted to go but felt that another one of us going would only result in towing the whole pack up to the break. Joe couldn't stay with Sven as he made the bridge and the break was established.
From then on I just covered every attack I could. O'Neal kept trying, Gateway tried, Maplewood tried but nothing would was sustained. We'd accelerate and back off and in the end it resulted in no real time gains I took 3rd in the field sprint which was totally meaningless. Aaron Hinni got a nice 2nd, Sven 6th and Nate Rice 8th. I'm guessing I got 15th. Thanks to the wonderful videocamera expertise of the officials they completely missed me in the final results. The group that came across with me was not that large but they managed to make me a non-entity. Even if they didn't catch my number you would think they would just write in "Big Shark rider", but that didn't even happen.
I couldn't hang around for the 1/2/3 unfortunately. I think I could have hung in much better than last year.
Positives: Rode strong and up front the whole way. Had good power to close gaps.
Negatives: My jump is lacking. Once I get up to speed I'm good but there's no snap right now.
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