A Cyclocross stage race... a 3K time trial, a 30-minute gravel and parking lot criterium, and a 1-hr long course race that wound around a 3-mile course. Of course!
Day one showcased the time trial and the criterium race. It was raining on and off and a litte on the cold side. Someone asked me how my time trial went... my response "I blinked and I missed it!" Or, more accurately, I was breathing too hard to notice I was riding a cyclocross course. 5 minutes of pain, a few "I didn't think it would be this hard" thoughts, a dismount/ bridge crossing, an uphill finish and I was done. Now, I know how 100m runners feel when they warm-up for an hour and a half for a 10 second race. Good thing there was more racing to be had!
Crit-style cyclocross racing is something I was wondering about. Would there be a barrier? How would that work out in a crowd? How much of a draft could I expect while going 13 mph on a gravel road, all the while, backing off in order to see and avoid big rocks and potholes? Answer: no need to worry! All that crit racing over the summer, and my tactics were honed. I made a move on the second lap that turned into a big move. I stayed off the front so successfully that I won a prime lap! Then, I melded myself back in with two of the women in my category. We hung around each other until two laps to go. I punched it on the uphill and used my advantage on a blind gravel corner to gap the two women. It was enough to stay away and get another 39-seconds in the "G.C." to my closest competitor.
Day two brought sunnier skies, warmer temps, and my first taste of what the rest of the season will fee like.
Aside: The powers that be have switched up the Women's A racing... pulling us out of the slot that had all female competitors (including beginners) on the same course at one time, and thrusting us in with the Men's A field. No need to rub your eyes. You read it right. I will now be on the course at the same time as the elite men. Excellent. This also means, our race is longer.... 1 hour now (up from the 45-minutes we competed at last year).
The long course was contested over a three-mile loop for 1 hr. Dismount/remount does not even begin to describe the amount of running and hopping on and off the bike that occurred during each lap. (see video below). Each lap had a slightly uphill asphalt section, followed by a mole-infested (think giant pot-holes and loose dirt) field and a log jump. Immediately after the log, there was a tiny bridge and a vicious run-up (carrying the bike, of course). Next came the undulating single track, the four log barriers spaced just far enough to make getting back on the bike in between futile. And lest you think for a moment that momentum was to be had on a downhill, there was a nice big log to break it up. After a stint on pavement, there came more barriers, a slippery bridge, and a ditch just deep and steep enough to make you think you could ride it... but no! I wound up and down sweet single-track, barely missed some berry pickers and their dog who weren't aware a race was going on (what?). Then came the sand/mulch bit with the water hose jump. And finally, the stair climb. I'm tired all over again just thinking about. It was epic.
Result: I won :-) And I need to practice my barrier dismounts.... I almost sent myself arse-over-applecart into a rasberry stand on a later lap. I also got a little overzealous when tossing my back onto my shoulder... knocking my pedal around and into my right kidney. Good thing there are two of those!
Are you ready for 'cross stage racing?
No comments:
Post a Comment