Speed Theory Stage Race - Day 2: Road Race

Goal for the race: Finish in the top half
Secondary Goal: Don't get dropped

"Stay out of the wind"

Those were last words I heard from Cyrus before we went to the staging area. Those five short words were the most important words one could give as advice and it echoed in my head throughout the race. We could feel it in the staging area...today's race was going to be an open road battle against the wind.

The race was going to be two 35km laps on the northeast portion of the new ring road. The only major elevation changes were the turnaround at 16th ave and the turnaround at Metis Trail.

We lined up and a pace car led us out. As we got settled into the pack it seems more like a Sunday afternoon ride then a race. We stayed at a pretty neutral pace with no attacks and no breakaways for the first lap because of the strong wind. I did a few shorts pulls at the front and could see why we were all staying together. The wind was brutal. Near the end of the first lap, one rider attempted an attack but was shutdown in a matter of seconds. Going off by yourself into the wind was tactical suicide.

After we completed the first lap and went into a second a group of riders attacked into the second lap. I saw the attack and tried to jump on a wheel. My legs just weren't ready...I tried to hang on but my legs would not push any more. The whole pack surged past me and I got dropped. I tried to close in on a wheel but the strong wind was resisting my efforts.

As I saw the pack pull away, I looked back to see who else got dropped. I kept pushing and then I heard the words I thought I would never hear in a Cat 5 race....

"Guys, let's work together and catch back on"

5 of us then grouped together, formed an echelon paceline and rotated turns at the front. Everyone pushed hard and soon we grabbed a couple other riders who got dropped. There was a section of the road that was extremely bumpy and was pretty much just a pavement patch job...so water bottles were getting bumped out of the cages and some riders were getting a few inches of air. We were really close to catching up when all of a sudden my bike hit a hidden bump in the road...my right hand was knocked from my handlebar and my front wheel was going crazy...I knew I was going to crash...

I managed to get my right hand back on my hood and correct my wheel. For a split second I thought it was all over...the adrenaline gave me that extra boost to help me push the last few hundred meters to catch back onto the pack. After I caught back on I thanked all the guys for making the effort to catch back on and then moved my way up the peloton.

We rolled as a pack down the last 16km stretch. As I wasriding beside one of the guys who had helped me get back to the pack, I said things looked way to calm and something was going to happen. During the last 10km it finally started to feel like a race and not a fast pace group ride. The were constant attacks and with every surge I responded right away to shut them down. Every small gap I jumped on a wheel and bridged.

I then starting watching my GPS very closely. I was waiting for the last 2km. As we approached the last kms things started to get chaotic...the attacks were becoming more aggressive...the leaders was weaving all over the road to try and shake the pack. I followed every move and at one point a rider rubbed his wheel on mine...I remembered how to deal with this from my road clinic and was able to get him off my wheel.

We approched the gate indicating the last km and now sleepers in the pack were all coming out in full force. I jumped a wheel and just went as hard as I could. I was pushing harder then I thought I could and it felt like my legs were just going cease up. I crossed the finish line and could only see about 9 or 10 riders in front of me.

Result: 11/32

It's hard to believe the it was probably less then a second difference between the guy in first place and me. When I started racing this season I never thought I'd be racing road as well so I'm glad to have done well in my second road race of the year.

On a side not: This was the first time since high school social class that Zane, Cyrus and I were all together in the same place...crazy!

Congrats to all my friends for their hard work and great results. And a big thanks to everyone who cheered me on and came out to watch the races....it makes a huge difference.

Also props to Speed Theory for putting on this awesome event. I can't wait until next year's races.

Now onto the next chapter of my season: Cyclocross