Speed Theory Stage Race - Day 1: Crit Redemption

Goal for the race: Finish the race without getting lapped.

Well, I skipped the time trial for a couple reasons:

- 40km is a long way , especially if you've never done a TT, and this was the longest one of the year

- I wanted to save my legs to do well in the criterium

I got to the site just in time to see Cyrus fly past us in the ITT and grab second place.

Then after catching up and chatting with him then a few other riders I went to get ready and do a few warmup laps around the course.

This course was pretty interesting for a crit. Gradual climb, 3 hairpins, long straightaway. I had never done a race with a hairpin before...but I had pretty practicing a couple days earlier doing them so I wouldn't be as nervous taking them in the pack. The crit was also 40min + 3 laps which will be the longest crit I've ever done.

I lined up and went right to the front this time. We did a pace lap and then we were off.

Everything was going a lot more slowly then I expected...no one made a move at all until 3rd lap when I (stupidly) decided to attack and push the pace a little. All of a sudden I had a 30 foot lead on the pack going up a hill into a huge headwind....such a bad idea. Things were starting to heat up now.

This time I was determined to not let the break get away from me. As soon as I saw people moving up...I jumped on a wheel and moved up with them. Then 2 riders decided to make a break and the pack splintered into 4 main groups. 2 riders up front, 8 guys in the chase group and I was in the 2nd chase group of 5 and I think there was a group of 10 behind us.

We stayed together a good portion of the race eventually catching a rider that fell off the first chase group riding by himself and then we sorta managed to work together. We rotated our pulls but sometimes people would go off the front and have to slow down to join back up. We could pretty much see the entire race anywhere on the course. We saw the first chase pack catch the break so we were now the chase pack. We had them in our sights the whole time but just couldn't pull it together to bridge up.

When it was finally the last lap we picked up the pace a little but still couldn't catch up with the main pack. I can't believe I lasted as long as I did in this crit. I surveyed the field as we did the last climb and it looked like we were back about 300 meters on the main pack. I was really happy even before the race ended. I did my final sprint as per custom to make everyone suffer for their placing.

Result: 12/30

I quite proud of my result. My last crit was pretty discouraging, so this was redemption. I think I can finally stop beating myself up over the Bow crit.