I arrived early and was able to join fellow teammates on their warm up laps before e5 race. The course layout was pretty cool going clockwise from start line into the 1st and tightest corner. With clean lines going flat out through this corner while pedaling is possible. This lead onto the longest stretch of pavement (all of which is in excellent condition) which continuously arced to the right. By the way, the roads are WIDE! Moving onto the next actual corner, which is again tight by this courses standards, this corner is faster than t1 and leads onto start/finish straight again. I say start/finish straight but it actually arcs left. This section had a slight head wind today. Zero elevation change.
Onto the e4 race! 70+ riders, the largest field I’ve raced in. It was extremely nerve racking to think of the peleton shifts through the arcing sections and worse yet a bunch sprint! Scheduled for 40min the race started fast. Although primes were available my more recent goal is to WIN! That being said my race was fairly subdued as I conserved until the end. I sat in the pack watching the front for breaks, went with the speed changes as primes came up and just meandered throughout the field with relative ease. As the 9lap board was about to fly a crash on the back “straight” neutralized the field. I thought the crashes at Modesto were the worst I’d seen, the aftermath of this one was brutal, almost lost my breakfast. Thankfully rider was OK, or that’s what they told us. Officials cut race to 7 to go and off we went. A few more primes and I became more active on moving towards front with 3 to go. A local team had good organization with a 5 man lead out train with 2 to go. They burned their fuses to quick though. Bell lap, I got a clean line though t1 and pushed up to around 6th wheel on course. I say on course because I was off to the right of the pointy end of the peleton on another wheel which I thought would be good. Turns out that wheel was no good and riders start going by on the left, I’m boxed in! Finally an opening before we reach the final turn. I shoot through the gap and to the left side of the road so I can carry speed through the turn, money! 4th on course I accelerate right out of the corner. I can see 1st and 2nd and I’m closing! This is were I lost the race for the 2nd time. As I’m closing I have to decide were to pass. I shoot to the right of the leaders (as the course arcs LEFT!) lunge and we all cross within half a bike length of each other! Dang! Hindsight is always 20/20 but if I hadn’t lost 3-5 spots getting boxed in and given up 10-20 feet moving to the outside on the sprint…
Overall, it was an awsome race. Largest fields of the year, music blasting, primes, great course with unique layout. It was worth the drive and to make a day of it there’s great riding in the area. Highly recommend to all teamies and kudos to those that were there today!
larry_nolan
what a weekend Chris! Congrats