Stage 5 - survival again, barely

As my objective coming into this race was to finish all the stages within the time cuts, I seem to be achieving that, albeit by the skin of my teeth. After feeling really quite terrible in the TT yesterday, and holding on in the criterium more than the required 1/3 of the race in order to receive a pro-rated time after eventually being lapped out after missing a crash, today was but another day to see what my body would give me.

Today’s course, 84 miles (137km), contained 20km of climbing almost immediately off the start, and while I would say my legs felt a little less full of acid than they did yesterday, a breakaway of six went immediately, meaning that a concerted chase was on and a relentlessly and painfully fast pace up the climb, and even with fresh legs I am certain to be in serious trouble at this level of racing. I was clinging on to the peloton (whittled down to 134 after eliminations yesterday) up until about half way, but could feel myself being sifted gradually back, as guys around me began popping. Soon after a gap formed between me and the rider ahead, and I was among those popped, and all I could do was to watch the mass of riders ahead disappear up and around the bend.

As the vehicle caravan proceeded by me, there was the odd opportunity for some brief shelter in along side vehicles as they passed. It is illegal to draft directly behind vehicles, although it certainly happens frequently for riders who have dropped off the pace, and I can admit to a brief stint behind a vehicle on the uphill as I crossed from the left hand side of the road to the right, as was required for riders who had fallen outside the peloton. I was certainly not the only one, as I witnessed prolonged drafting, even on the flat afterward and the descent, as well as one fellow holding onto the side of a car for a ride straight to the top of the climb. However, usually riders will be warned and given time penalties or will be fined for drafting, and unless the offense is repeated continuously and for very long periods, they will not be ejected from the race, and so riders take a calculated risk by drafting. Indeed, if you ask around the peloton, you will hear countless stories about riders being dropped and then drafted straight back into contention for the race.

As it was, over the top of the climb I managed to catch a couple of other stragglers, and together we caught a few more until we were seven strong after the descent and on the flat. So, at that point about 100km remained for us to drive a paceline all the way to the finish, and work hard to keep within the time cut. We lost one after about 10km, but otherwise we kept the pace high and consistent. We were given time estimates on the riders ahead, and with 20miles to go we were told we were only 4 minutes behind a chase group, although we didn’t know how far back we were from the leaders. With 14 miles to, the long ascent up to the Mount Batchelor ski resort began, and after a couple of km of gradual climbing, my paceline mates were not up to maintaining a fast pace up the last climb. Wary of the ever prescient time cut looming, I pulled away from the group up the climb and was on my own up the last 14km of climbing.

When I finally finished, I learned I was roughly 15+ mins back of the leaders, although the race had shattered and riders were spread all across the road between the leaders and me. So, I believe I finished within the time cut, again only just barely, although the final confirmation remains. At this point it looks good that I have survived yet again to race the last circuit race, which is notorious for splitting the field yet further. Several years ago, when I raced the Cascade Classic, the circuit race was my best race, when I finished in around 33rd position. The race was well contested then, but this year it is yet a notch higher, and discussion is that the level this year is similar to the Tour of Georgia and the Tour of California, which are major international pro races. I am told I’ve chosen the hardest of all the US National Racing Circuit races to race this year, and that it is yet a notch above Mt Hood, another highly reputed NRC race. So, I think I can look at my results here in a highly positive light, given that the teams here, including Health-Net, BMC, Bissell Pro, Toyota-United, Garmin-Chipotle, Rock Racing, Team Type 1, Astana (Leipheimer and Horner) and others are serious professional teams with salaried riders who train and race full time. The category 1 riders, like myself, are in the highest category of the amateur riders, and to open the race as a Pro/1 race is largely a development opportunity for amateur riders seeking recognition at the professional level. A few of the other teams contain non-pro Cat 1 riders, and there a few here without teams or support, such as myself and Trevor Connor who is riding about 50th in the general classification - a fantastic result, and fared well even after crashing in the crit yesterday and receiving chainring puncture wounds in his right hand.

Dominque Rollin, riding for Toyota-United, and one of Canada’s seasoned pros, won the criterium yesterday. Will Routley, of Symmetrics, is looking to move into the top 15 after today’s stage. More confirmation on results later.

Filed under Uncategorized |