Big thanks to my lovely wife for allowing me to go play with the boys at the Masters Crit championships on Sun! We did it right with BBQ, Beer and front row seats for the sprint! First race was a 30+ championship and I hoped to do what I could for crit loving team-mates as my sprint is whack but I can chase down dangerous breaks like a greyhound on crack!
One of the first times I was really warm going into a race and wow what a difference! I was good from the get go and it was bueno...will be doing more of that in the future. So we talked and the to Yahoo guys plus DJ from Cliff bar were big threats (2 of the three ended up on the podium) So i was watching there moves and trying to shut them down. DJ just sat in as a sprinter should...the Yahoo guys were attacking in turns. I had spent some quality time at the front shutting down breaks and working like a dog when 7 to go one of the Yahoo guys launches himself off the front hard and holds it for a few laps...i did not react right away but stayed near the front ready to move. We got down to 4 to do and he was still motoring off the front so i went up and started working to bring him back. Pretty much reeled him in with a hard effort and we got within 10ft and I pulled off thinking the pack behind me would finish up and give me a break...no one came around and the gap started opening up WTH...pretty much sat up and turned around to find his team-mate smiling at me while the gap opened back up. DOH!~ Good team-work on there part though...he didn't get far though and the break attempt was demolished.
One to go and I'm sitting 2nd wheel going into turn 2 right on Yahoo's wheel...wow this is some good positioning! Now if only i had my guys on my wheel I could...right about then coming into turn 3 the bum rush of guys engulfed both me and Yahoo guy as they fought for position going into the final turn. I was boxed in and had to wait for turn 3 before I could get around to advance but the race was in front of me at that point. Finished 16th or something but pretty much sat up after the final corner...it was a good race for me as I tested the legs over and over advancing into the wind and working to bring back dangerous moves. The legs were happy to assist! After the the race I rolled back to our BBQ headquarters to learn that both David and Neil were sitting on my wheel top five with half a lap to go! F^%%$# I could have initiated the move and got them to the last corner at the front if not on the front. DOH!!
We had a long wait for the next race...3.5 hours. Fired up the BBQ and popped a cold one! Good times were had by all as we watched some good racing as people dueled it out for Champ jersey's.
The next race was a P123 and the field was massive! 125 riders lined up...legs felt like dead wood and I was unsure how this would pan out for me. I reluctantly climbed aboard the trainer and warmed up for a good 30min and they still felt bleh...but I pinned up and toe'd the line with my team-mates anyway.
We got started and wow just sitting in was amazing you did not have to pedal as the vacuum would pull you right along. It was pretty white knuckle racing with so many guys and I was bumped a few times...although at this point it does not bother me much. After about 5 laps the legs woke up and said "Hey!" screw this lets burn off those burgers maaan. So i went to the outside and started launching myself up to the front, the pack was so big that it took a good 2 to 3 of these efforts to get me top 10.
Once at the front I found myself off the front and bridged up to JD (guy to took 3rd in first race) as he was trying to bridge up to a 4 man break. I though perfect JD is a strong mofo he will pull me up...wrong. JD was breathing through his eyeballs and as soon as I caught him scooted over to have me pull through. Dude I just bridged up to you sheesh. Ok so i took a big dig and cut the distance in half and wiggled my elbow...nothing. Crap so i dug a little deeper and kept pulling.
Okay wiggle the elbow and JD came around and almost instantly scooted back over...i was getting confused at this point. Did JD have a team-mate in the break? WTH - but looking at him I could tell he was huring. So i go out of my saddle and hammered trying to get up to the break solo.
Alllllmost made it before the wind hammered me into submission, and looking back I should have screwed the nails and got er done I was "that" close. Now Ive got JD yelling at me to stop attacking him and he would work with me...well you haven't done shit so far why start now.
Our attempt crumbled and we re-integrated back into the pack. The break was pulled back anyways so it was all just a waste of matches.
Last lap and I decide I wanted to do something positive. Neil was sitting top third of the pack on the outside so i moved up and yelled at him to get on my wheel. He jumped on and I stuck my nose in the wind - whoohow ouch! I swung outside and hammered to get us near the front. Through turn two I was popping and got us as close to the front as possible (maybe top 15) before I crumbled like a rag doll. Hoping Neil could move on with the leaders I let myself fall back as people ramped it up for the finish.
Of course someone crashed in turn 3 right in front of me but with a bit of luck and the fact that he was sliding to my outside I was able to take the turn tight to avoid a header over the downed Quickstep rider (yup Quickstep, guess there is a US team that has copied the pro team...ya pretty lame) sat up and rolled through top 30 I'm guessing.
p.s. I weighed in this morning at 168 whooohooo - first time Ive been able to hold the weeks hard dieting by not blowing it on the weekend binging! We shall see how this pans out.
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