Saturday I rode down into Fenton and back for a total ride time of 1:45. I never pushed real hard but gave a good solid effort. The goal was simply to make the legs work a little in prep for today in Rolla.
Today was the Hellbender RR in Rolla along roads that I was familiar with since most of them are part of the Tour of the Ozarks that I've done twice. Only difference is that we rode in an opposite direction. This was the first really warm, borderline hot, weekend of the year. We started "early" so we were able to avoid some of the heat and a stiff breeze kept the temps seem more manageable. We were sheduled for a 9:10 start but it was probably at least 9:30 before we rolled. A typically timely race.
According to the race profile there were two main climbs on the 35-mile loop. Without any feed help I was weighted down with two bottles in the jersey and two Clif Bars. The first lap started well and the first hill seemed moderate. It wasn't insanely steep but was a good length. After the hill, Hwy T was a bunch of small rollers. Mesa was aggressive early with a couple brief efforts but everyone was attentive and was willing to let much go until Joe and Dan took flyer. They built a quick gap and eventually got out of sight.
We stayed patient and Dan slowly began to be reeled in after dropping off Joe's pace. We caught Joe a little before the 2nd climb of the day. The profile made this look to be the tougher of the two. It did not disappoint. Scott Rendall seemed to put the cat amongst the pigeons along with Shaun and an out-of-towner. I kept things close and a handful of others came around me near the top but all was good as I tacked on pretty comfortably. Much of the pack was still as one but the lead group of three continued to press on. A Gateway and I did the bulk of the pulling. Breslin sat on since Rendall was in the break. Everyone else seemed content to sit. AJ came up too and lent a hand to the chase that could bring back the others. Finally, in the final miles before town we brought Rendall back but the other two had opened a big gap and it would be tough to bring them back on the final lap.
I felt the legs tighten occasionally but I was eating and drinking and keeping the condition under control. Going through the feed zone, someone yelled that we were 3 minutes down. Not good. Justin set the early tempo on the first climb. Breslin got on his wheel and then me. About then I heard AJ say he was cramping, never to be seen again. I took over for Justin and led the pack up the climb. Two-thirds of the way up, others began to stream around. I tried to bear down and hold the wheels but I had popped. From there it was up to Justin, Ryan and Jose to fly the Shark colors. I did my best but I was alone and the chase was futile.
All alone, Hwy T was much more difficult this time. What was rollers the first time suddenly became a steady, slight uphill with the occasional bumps in the road. The poor roads and wind took its toll. I glanced back occasionally and no one was in sight so I must have been going okay despite the increasingly crampy legs. I nursed myself up to the base of the second climb. Once it began to kick up, my legs seized up. Calves, just about the knees and thighs all gripped hard in both legs. I shifted down and tried to ride through them best I could. The pain eased somewhat but the cramps never fully went away, making the hill seem interminable. Oh my, that hurt. Bad. Once over the top I tried to be as smooth as possible and drink but still have enough for the final 15 miles.
From then on it was hard going. I had good stretches but then I'd start to cramp again. It happened probably 4 times. In the last 5-6 miles Doug Davis caught me. Not sure where he came from. He may have been the one to blow a wheel on the downhill into town on the first lap. He seemed pretty strong and I had no answer for him. At this point it was all about survival. It seems that most everyone who got gapped on the first hill of the last lap quit. I can't imagine others not being able to catch me as much trouble as I had. I got 13th place. I'm not happy with the performance but satisfied. I showed determination and fought as hard as I could. This cramping problem is something I need to get behind me.
This first Hellbender was a deceptively tough course and that 2nd hill was a deciding factor. Morgan Bearden does a good job with these races. It's a shame more people don't turn out for the races. He does a good job.
News Item of the Day: George Hincapie of the Discovery Channel team won the Dauphine Libere's prologue, a 7.9 km individual time-trial around Aix-Les-Bains on Sunday. Hincapie clocked nine minutes 55 seconds to beat compatriot Levi Leipheimer of the Gerolsteiner team, who came home in second place one second behind.
Kazakhstan's Andryi Kashechkin of the Credit Agricole team finishing third three seconds off the pace. Six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong came home fifth in 10:01, a second behind former team-mate Floyd Landis, now riding in the colours of Phonak. Armstrong's performance was closely watched, the Texan making it back in action after a break of over a month to finish six seconds behind Hincapie. The American, who will bid for an unprecedented seventh Tour de France win in July, was strong but not strong enough to snatch the first victory of his farewell season.
The week-long Dauphine Libere was won by Armstrong in 2002 and 2003 but he has been out of competitive action this season since the Tour of Georgia in late April. One-day classic specialist Hincapie said: "It's the first time I have ever beaten Lance in a time-trial and it's very special because he is a very, very dear friend." Armstrong said: "I'm not a prologue specialist any more. In the last four years I have not ridden a good prologue. Last year's Tour de France prologue was an exception. I was super that day. It's a violent effort the older you get."
Armstrong's foot skidded off the pedals on the demanding Biolay climb, costing him valuable seconds. He at least had the consolation that victory went to close friend Hincapie, winner of the Kurne-Brussels Kurne classic this season and second in the Paris-Roubaix. Armstrong said: "This was a good course for George, with a hard climb and a long descent. He was very strong in the climb and in the long and hard stretch home."
Two riders, Spaniard Izidro Nozal and Italian Michele Scotto d'Abusco, were prevented from starting the race after blood tests showed a haematocrit level over the 50 percent limit.
Today was the Hellbender RR in Rolla along roads that I was familiar with since most of them are part of the Tour of the Ozarks that I've done twice. Only difference is that we rode in an opposite direction. This was the first really warm, borderline hot, weekend of the year. We started "early" so we were able to avoid some of the heat and a stiff breeze kept the temps seem more manageable. We were sheduled for a 9:10 start but it was probably at least 9:30 before we rolled. A typically timely race.
According to the race profile there were two main climbs on the 35-mile loop. Without any feed help I was weighted down with two bottles in the jersey and two Clif Bars. The first lap started well and the first hill seemed moderate. It wasn't insanely steep but was a good length. After the hill, Hwy T was a bunch of small rollers. Mesa was aggressive early with a couple brief efforts but everyone was attentive and was willing to let much go until Joe and Dan took flyer. They built a quick gap and eventually got out of sight.
We stayed patient and Dan slowly began to be reeled in after dropping off Joe's pace. We caught Joe a little before the 2nd climb of the day. The profile made this look to be the tougher of the two. It did not disappoint. Scott Rendall seemed to put the cat amongst the pigeons along with Shaun and an out-of-towner. I kept things close and a handful of others came around me near the top but all was good as I tacked on pretty comfortably. Much of the pack was still as one but the lead group of three continued to press on. A Gateway and I did the bulk of the pulling. Breslin sat on since Rendall was in the break. Everyone else seemed content to sit. AJ came up too and lent a hand to the chase that could bring back the others. Finally, in the final miles before town we brought Rendall back but the other two had opened a big gap and it would be tough to bring them back on the final lap.
I felt the legs tighten occasionally but I was eating and drinking and keeping the condition under control. Going through the feed zone, someone yelled that we were 3 minutes down. Not good. Justin set the early tempo on the first climb. Breslin got on his wheel and then me. About then I heard AJ say he was cramping, never to be seen again. I took over for Justin and led the pack up the climb. Two-thirds of the way up, others began to stream around. I tried to bear down and hold the wheels but I had popped. From there it was up to Justin, Ryan and Jose to fly the Shark colors. I did my best but I was alone and the chase was futile.
All alone, Hwy T was much more difficult this time. What was rollers the first time suddenly became a steady, slight uphill with the occasional bumps in the road. The poor roads and wind took its toll. I glanced back occasionally and no one was in sight so I must have been going okay despite the increasingly crampy legs. I nursed myself up to the base of the second climb. Once it began to kick up, my legs seized up. Calves, just about the knees and thighs all gripped hard in both legs. I shifted down and tried to ride through them best I could. The pain eased somewhat but the cramps never fully went away, making the hill seem interminable. Oh my, that hurt. Bad. Once over the top I tried to be as smooth as possible and drink but still have enough for the final 15 miles.
From then on it was hard going. I had good stretches but then I'd start to cramp again. It happened probably 4 times. In the last 5-6 miles Doug Davis caught me. Not sure where he came from. He may have been the one to blow a wheel on the downhill into town on the first lap. He seemed pretty strong and I had no answer for him. At this point it was all about survival. It seems that most everyone who got gapped on the first hill of the last lap quit. I can't imagine others not being able to catch me as much trouble as I had. I got 13th place. I'm not happy with the performance but satisfied. I showed determination and fought as hard as I could. This cramping problem is something I need to get behind me.
This first Hellbender was a deceptively tough course and that 2nd hill was a deciding factor. Morgan Bearden does a good job with these races. It's a shame more people don't turn out for the races. He does a good job.
News Item of the Day: George Hincapie of the Discovery Channel team won the Dauphine Libere's prologue, a 7.9 km individual time-trial around Aix-Les-Bains on Sunday. Hincapie clocked nine minutes 55 seconds to beat compatriot Levi Leipheimer of the Gerolsteiner team, who came home in second place one second behind.
Kazakhstan's Andryi Kashechkin of the Credit Agricole team finishing third three seconds off the pace. Six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong came home fifth in 10:01, a second behind former team-mate Floyd Landis, now riding in the colours of Phonak. Armstrong's performance was closely watched, the Texan making it back in action after a break of over a month to finish six seconds behind Hincapie. The American, who will bid for an unprecedented seventh Tour de France win in July, was strong but not strong enough to snatch the first victory of his farewell season.
The week-long Dauphine Libere was won by Armstrong in 2002 and 2003 but he has been out of competitive action this season since the Tour of Georgia in late April. One-day classic specialist Hincapie said: "It's the first time I have ever beaten Lance in a time-trial and it's very special because he is a very, very dear friend." Armstrong said: "I'm not a prologue specialist any more. In the last four years I have not ridden a good prologue. Last year's Tour de France prologue was an exception. I was super that day. It's a violent effort the older you get."
Armstrong's foot skidded off the pedals on the demanding Biolay climb, costing him valuable seconds. He at least had the consolation that victory went to close friend Hincapie, winner of the Kurne-Brussels Kurne classic this season and second in the Paris-Roubaix. Armstrong said: "This was a good course for George, with a hard climb and a long descent. He was very strong in the climb and in the long and hard stretch home."
Two riders, Spaniard Izidro Nozal and Italian Michele Scotto d'Abusco, were prevented from starting the race after blood tests showed a haematocrit level over the 50 percent limit.
1 Comments:
Good job on that race Jim, it's inspiring to hear how you fought and kept up as best you could.
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