Maybe it was the bartape...
The start of the race season finally arrived yesterday. The gold bartape was securely in place and the gold accents were tastefully adorning the bike for a fresh start to the year.
The team stood steadfast in their decision, crazy as it was, to work for me. That's right. They threw their support behind someone with exactly ZERO podium finishes in 14 previous seasons of racing. Crazy, I tell you.
Maybe it was an omen but for the first time I actually got a good starting spot and didn't have to spend half the race nerve-wrackingly squeezing my toward the front. The game plan before the race was to try and string things out in the crosswind and splinter the group before the outer road. I never looked back so I'm not sure how much damage was actually being done. The attacks that did come were generally short-lived and after 4 or 5 of them, they seemed to be having less "oomph". About half down the backstretch another attack came. I followed, the pace slowed a bit as I was about to take my turn and I kept going. A few seconds later I look back and there is a gap. I keep my pace and Austin bridges up. I look back again and no one followed him. It is just us. My mind races, "Oh man, this is a little earlier than I wanted but we have the gap"
We put our heads down, took turns pulling, and went for it. I didn't look back again for a couple miles but when I did the straining legs and heavy breathing felt like it had a purpose. The gap was sizable and I began to believe we might just pull this off.
We turned into the outer road headwind. I never noticed the little rollers on this stretch quite as much as yesterday. Austin was clearly stronger and the little hills were the biggest indicator. A few times he eased to allow me to catch back on. It was in his interest to keep me around a while longer to help out in the headwind. At this point I pretty much made up my mind that if we made it to the homestretch together that I was going to tell him he I wouldn't contest any sprint. Up the final hill before the 3 mile homestretch and the legs were getting heavy. Austin came around and the gap happened... 5 ft, 10ft, 15ft. He looked back, paused momentarily as if he was unsure what to do and then he kept going. It was the smart move. There was not enough power in my legs to bridge back up.
I looked back again after the turn and still saw no one and felt pretty secure about 2nd place. I used Austin as a rabbit and gave what I had to give. With about 1.5 miles to go I looked back and thought I saw some riders off in the distance but it was hard to tell. The occasional glance back showed they were definitely coming and doubts of survival began to pop into my head. I shifted down a gear or two and searched for that little extra. 1km to go! The pack was closer but I began to like my chances again. 200m to go! Another look back. No way they were getting me now. Out of the saddle for maybe 150m and then an easy cruise across the line for 2nd place.
I still have a certain disbelief that the race actually went according to plan. Along with that disbelief is a mellow satisfaction of a job rather well done and gratefulness for a team that believed in my chances. And to top things off Patrice nabbed 2nd in the field sprint, 4th overall.
What needs improving:
My acceleration was so-so
Didn't do as well as I would have liked in the small hills. Maybe it was the effort to stay away that took some power away on the climbs
What went well:
Rode smart
Read the race well
Initiated the winning move of the race
The start of the race season finally arrived yesterday. The gold bartape was securely in place and the gold accents were tastefully adorning the bike for a fresh start to the year.
The team stood steadfast in their decision, crazy as it was, to work for me. That's right. They threw their support behind someone with exactly ZERO podium finishes in 14 previous seasons of racing. Crazy, I tell you.
Maybe it was an omen but for the first time I actually got a good starting spot and didn't have to spend half the race nerve-wrackingly squeezing my toward the front. The game plan before the race was to try and string things out in the crosswind and splinter the group before the outer road. I never looked back so I'm not sure how much damage was actually being done. The attacks that did come were generally short-lived and after 4 or 5 of them, they seemed to be having less "oomph". About half down the backstretch another attack came. I followed, the pace slowed a bit as I was about to take my turn and I kept going. A few seconds later I look back and there is a gap. I keep my pace and Austin bridges up. I look back again and no one followed him. It is just us. My mind races, "Oh man, this is a little earlier than I wanted but we have the gap"
We put our heads down, took turns pulling, and went for it. I didn't look back again for a couple miles but when I did the straining legs and heavy breathing felt like it had a purpose. The gap was sizable and I began to believe we might just pull this off.
We turned into the outer road headwind. I never noticed the little rollers on this stretch quite as much as yesterday. Austin was clearly stronger and the little hills were the biggest indicator. A few times he eased to allow me to catch back on. It was in his interest to keep me around a while longer to help out in the headwind. At this point I pretty much made up my mind that if we made it to the homestretch together that I was going to tell him he I wouldn't contest any sprint. Up the final hill before the 3 mile homestretch and the legs were getting heavy. Austin came around and the gap happened... 5 ft, 10ft, 15ft. He looked back, paused momentarily as if he was unsure what to do and then he kept going. It was the smart move. There was not enough power in my legs to bridge back up.
I looked back again after the turn and still saw no one and felt pretty secure about 2nd place. I used Austin as a rabbit and gave what I had to give. With about 1.5 miles to go I looked back and thought I saw some riders off in the distance but it was hard to tell. The occasional glance back showed they were definitely coming and doubts of survival began to pop into my head. I shifted down a gear or two and searched for that little extra. 1km to go! The pack was closer but I began to like my chances again. 200m to go! Another look back. No way they were getting me now. Out of the saddle for maybe 150m and then an easy cruise across the line for 2nd place.
I still have a certain disbelief that the race actually went according to plan. Along with that disbelief is a mellow satisfaction of a job rather well done and gratefulness for a team that believed in my chances. And to top things off Patrice nabbed 2nd in the field sprint, 4th overall.
What needs improving:
My acceleration was so-so
Didn't do as well as I would have liked in the small hills. Maybe it was the effort to stay away that took some power away on the climbs
What went well:
Rode smart
Read the race well
Initiated the winning move of the race
5 Comments:
Jim,
Congrats - that's a nice way to start the season. Your hard work is why the team supported you, and you showed why you deserved their support. Guess I know who I'm working for at Sylvan Springs!
Excellent job Jim! Great racing on a hard day.
Looks like it's going to be a good year for you Jim. Congratulations on an awesome finish.
LC
Great work Jim. Congrats on a fantastic race. Sounds like it really came right to you and that's the best way to race.
Congrats! That is awesome!
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