Did the team duties doing feed for the first race. I tried my best to convince the UCI official to let us move the feed zone into the sun. I think a couple more minutes and he would have caved.
Hung out for start ot of the pro race. Mr Watson led out the pack. They went out very sane, ok sane compared to the juniors who went next. These guys went out at a crazy pace. Mitch Bailey dominated the field again today. Time to get warm.
It was very difficult getting out of the warm car. I had ever layer of clothing on including a toque under my helmet. This being skinnier thing has really killed my cold weather tolerance. Had a poor excuse of a warm up. My legs felt flat and very heavy. I didn't like the way I was starting but to late now.
Made a last minute decision to switch out my front wheel, my SLR has a little bit of a tweak in it from Saturday's bail on boneshaker. Rolled to the line right at the back of the pack. Woohoo, great starting place.
The count down, why is that last 15 seconds seem to take forever. Like usual, anything with a long hill start kills me. I can't go full out like that, diesel powered. By 3/4 of the first climb I'm pretty much at the back of our pack. Probably 30th or farther back.
There was a bit of a stall up at the first single track but everyone made it through clean. This is where I started to go to work. Coming out of every piece of single track I was recovered and I would pass at least one or two riders before the next section. Started to make my way up to around 20th. Came into Bone shaker and took the exact same line I bailed on. Clean, I just went at it a lot faster. I think I passed someone in there. It's a blur right now. Road the rest of the lap clean but continued to get stalled in the single track. I burned a matches way to early when I started to run around riders who were stuck in a corner.
First lap felt not to bad but as I came through the feed I could feel the sluggish legs starting to kick in. Just put your head down and pedal. I road this lap clean and pulled in a couple more riders. I had very little attack the hills left in my legs. It was a very deceiving course a lot more climbing than what you would think.
Coming into the third lap I started to do damage control on the climbs. My strength is definitely the technical side. I still managed to keep pulling in riders though. At this point though I didn't know if they were in my division or from the group that left ahead. Coming into the last lap, what is typical for me. My legs started to feel better. Sorta.
I think my last lap felt the best, climbing still hurt, my climbing legs were still in bed where it was warm and comfy but the ones I had seemed to be a bit better. I kept riding my strength's being efficient and taking the fastest lines with the least amount of braking. This race really showed me where my strong points of riding are and where my weaknesses are. Climbing long steady grinds on double track, not me, tight punchy switch back climbs, me.
Crossed the line in 15th, ok result but was hoping for better. With the way my legs felt I should be happy but I mark it down as a training ride. Congratulations to my team mate Lee, he destroyed everyone today by almost 2 minutes. Thomas did awesome also finishing 7th and this was on a rigid single speed. I wanted to battle it out with him today but it wasn't happening.
Well the apres BBQ at Tammy and Jeremy's was worth it. MMMM FOOD.
Gotta run, it's 8-5er time.
Video's etc soon, no time to upload this morning.
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