Copper Town Circuit Race 2/15/15

field: elite 3
size: 29
teammates: Phill Mai & Rey Surla

These are the smoothest roads I’ve ever raced on! Course is rolly, in 22miles we gained 700+ft. Race starts in the town center, works its way out of town a couple miles to a 180′ turn around then back into the town center. The run into town is fast and fun. Coming off of a downhill stretch the road rises just slightly before turning right, down to sharper left, small straight to another right then the 270′ loop around the town square, right up hill, left and back out of town. Such a great sequence on grippy, smooth tarmac (there are some strips of bricks through town, but my Schwalbe One race tires soaked them right up without difficulty).
The race started with Rey drilling it out of town (his warm up) and when he pulled off the pace slowed. I was near the front going into a rise and when the peleton slowed again I took the opportunity to punch everyones legs and took off up the road for .7miles. I think I sat in the rest of the 1st lap until we were almost back into town. Phill did pace making at the front because he’s a motor. There was a slight cross wind coming from the left going out of town, so going back into town it was coming from the right. Coming back towards town I was easily able to get to the front by staying protected on the left of the group. I went into town at the front and proceeded to have fun by taking the turns at speed on the lines of my choosing. By doing so the peleton stretched out single file. Instead of letting up I kept the power on out of town and ended up breaking away with one other rider. We got caught about .5miles from the turn around. Again made it into town on the front and kept the pace out of town high to make everyone work. No sense in suffering at someone elses pace trying to catch wheels when I have the option to be the one dishing out the pain. I put in a few more attacks here and there to keep the race entertaining. Other teams tried to break away as well. Nothing was really able/allowed to get away. On the 4th/final lap Rey attacked out of town and surprisingly Phill covered his move. I was like, wtf! But it ended up working out well. They worked together and made the peleton chase them almost to the turnaround giving me a free ride. Phill’s initial plan was to put the hammer down out of the 180 so that’s what he did. Pace lifted dramatically with the help of Phill’s pace making as we were now closing into the finale. Little moves coming from all sides and no real organization. I was able to keep myself in good position going up the final rise. I was toward the left of the road (remember the wind) when a davis rider started his sprint on my left as we crested the last hill. He got a serious jump on the field. A sac golden wheelmen was next and also was able to put a gap on me and the peleton. Time to work, I reacted to the wheelmen’s move and was able to close to him by 200m to go and slingshot around using his draft. I moved immediately into the slipstream of the davis rider and used his draft to launch me to the line 1st. Yay!

distance: 22+miles
laps: 4
duration: 54min
average speed: 25ish
finished 1/29
Rey 16th Phill 25th

the next time this course will be run is part of the topsport stage race 4/11/15