Last weekend we had our "home town" uci races in nearby Flat Rock. It turned out to be a really fun yet tough racing weekend and it sure was nice to have the racing come to us instead of having to travel.
.
On Friday evening we got to check out the course. We had raced at the Flat Rock middle school venue in the past, but this year the switch of the uci races from Jackson Park to Flat Rock had me a bit skeptical about the course quality. One look on Friday and all my doubts were put to rest. Tim Hopkin and his crew put together an awesome course.....one much different than what we usually see here in NC. For the most part our courses tend to be on the technical side...but this one was wide open and fast. Plenty of turns, a set of barriers, a steep ride-up, and a nice sand pit with a 90 degree turn....yet the course would lend itself to group riding rather than the usual one or two riders suffering alone for most of the race....and this is just what occurred on both days.
.
Saturday:
I actually had a good start! The legs were good and I had more snap than usual. I was able to make the large lead group on the first lap and hang on. Eventually there were attacks that went and a front group of about 6 formed, but I wasn't concerned with that. I just wanted to hold my ground in the 5 rider group I was in riding for 7th through 11th place. This group stayed together until the last third of the last lap when one rider gunned it at the top of the ride up. I stayed 2nd wheel of the remaining 4 riders going into the sand pit. I dove into the sand just behind the rider ahead planning to ride the first half then dismount and run the second half ...when the guy ahead drifted into my line, stalled and came to a stop. Of course I was already starting my dismount at this moment and ran right into him.....but I was able to get myself and my bike clear, remount a few steps ahead of the rest of the group and cruise to the finish for 8th place and a few coveted uci points.
.
Sunday: Not quite as good as saturday. I had a lack lustre start mostly from not being aggressive enough and missed the big front group...leaving me chasing all day. Eventually I was in a group of 3, chasing a group of 4. The group ahead was riding for 8th and we were riding for 11th. I was giving it everything I had and we just could not make contact, even though we got within 5 seconds at one point. I ended up an exhausted and a little frustrated 12th place. I didn't ride poorly, I just didn't have quite the snap and power I had saturday. Following the race I got my extra upper body workout by helping load metal fencing from the course onto a truck.
.
Cara had a similar weekend with a great 3rd place ride saturday and a little tougher go of it sunday for 5th place.
.
Special thanks to Tim Hopkin and the volunteer crew for putting on a great racing weekend. I certainly know how tough it is to pull off a big event like this and cheers to all who helped make it a great success.
.
a2
No comments:
Post a Comment