2013 CCCX CR #9 - P123

Race: CCCX CR #9 P12
Course: 90min on the original Fort Ord course, some of everything but not too much of anything. Just what I like (keeps my mind busy while legs are screaming).

Result: http://instagram.com/p/ckiswZFRBe/#
1st Place!

Report: Only ~15 riders showed up today for the P123, but included Eamon (CalGiant) fresh of his BIG Win at SRT, Ranier & Nick from TMB, Randy B. (Leopard), Byron A. (DBC) and Logan Loader's roommate Thibault representing France Thibault plus a few riders that were on the podium in the E2/3 race. So I figured my best chances are from a break that does not include Randy or Rainer.

At the start I find a Cliff, Mario, and  Scott fresh of their podium in the race before. So bar was set high and they seemed in great spirits and simply told me to win. Thanks for the motivation guys. 

Attacks started flying from the gun: After several attacks from just all over the place Eamon goes solo establishes a gap n the false flat after the tailwind climb, I jump hard and bridge. On the main rollers into the headwind Thibault joins us. Great we have some major horsepower, but there is equal horsepower behind us and still 85minutes left in the race!!! By the front-side tailwind rollers we have a good gap but Chris Cain (hot off his E2/3 win) is bridging solo. We decide to wait since one more rider will really help our TTT effort and we assume he will not be there at the very end since he is on race #2. After a lap or two of Thibault really punching it on all the climbs, Eamon has had enough and decides to sit up since the pack is on our heals and the pace had been pretty surgey and unpleasant. At this time Chris is yo-yo-ing but I convince Thibault to take longer pulls rather than harder pulls and give Chis some time to recover. Chris hangs tough for another lap or two before giving us some encouragement and sitting up.

Two Man Break:The pack keeps coming in and out of sight, so Thinbault and I just try to keep the gas on as much as we can and make sure we hit all the climbs pretty hard. We had to do about half the race as a two-man break and for the last 2-3 laps we had a small chase group of about 2 or three trying to bridge that was pretty close at times. We worked well together and didn't play any games until half way through the last lap when we new the chasers were not going to catch. Thinbault made one big attack on the final rollers, but I was expecting it and he finally looked to be fading. I wanted him to be on the front for the descent and finale since that is where I lost the race last time against Eamon on this course, so I went to the front and guttered him for the final mile or so before the descent gave a flick of the elbow so hopefully he would out of courtesy take over after my long effort. Unfortunately he was content to sit on.

The Finale: So the games began. I hit the final descent at a tempo effort before swinging off to the right so he would have to come around into the wind. Again he just waits, as we get closer to the final corner I ease off the gas to loosen up the legs and stay right so I can see him out of the corner of my eye. Now it is almost like a match sprint. I watch to see how close I can get to the corner before he opens it up. He never jumps so I jump just before the corner and get the inside line and give it all I got. This was at lower speeds than normal so I make sure not to get too trigger happy with the shifting knowing the final kick before the line can really bog you down if your over-geared. Sure enough Thibault comes around slowly before the road kicks up. I just give it as much as I can to keep the gear from slowing. The tables turn again and Thinbault begins to fade slightly as I keep my gear spinning to the line and take the Win by about a wheel length. Chris C. snapped a video of the sprint http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5DF42r0jLY&feature=youtu.be It is not pretty but we had just done a 90min TTT effort.

Date Geek Info: http://app.strava.com/activities/72008447

Time: 1hr27min

Dist: 34.4mi

Elevation: 2887ft

Norm Power: 279w (254w Ave) setting new power PRs from 60min thru 90min

2013 Little City Stage Race - Pro 1/2

Little City Stage Race (actually an Omnium)

Pro1/2 field of 25 rolling solo for SquadraSF. While many teammates were up North at an Epic stage race in Oregon, I chose to do a pretty low key event Stage Race and visit my Aunt/Uncle who live about 10min from all 3 stages. Despite the weather forecast it was an awesome 2-day event just a few hours from the Bay Area.

Stage 1: 10mile TT

Out and back course at an elevation of 5,500ft with a gradual decent on the way out and slight headwind and false flat on way back. I went off at 11:30am and it was already in the 90s. I did my best not to overdue it on the way out and try to pick it up a bit on the way back. I ended up gaining on the two ahead of me which was promising, and feel I paced it pretty well considering the altitude and heat. Clocked a 20:52 good enough for 15th and 3 omnium points.

Stage 2: 60min Crit

Pretty fun 6 corner crit. Our start was at 3pm and it was well over 100degrees for this race. They started the race off with 3 hot laps for $100, $75, then $50. Unfortunately, due to the dry heat my contacts completely dried out waiting at the start line so I had to sit off the back due to lack of vision and blink repeatedly for these "hot laps." The omnium scoring makes for interesting tactics. I played it pretty conservative and just sat in the bunch waiting for dangerous moves to form. About half way through the race two Chris & Nate (Marc-Pro), Pete (Cliff Bar), and Vincent Owens are up the road. The pack was clearly unsure if they should chase. All those guys are motors and Chuck was happy to let them go since Chris was 2nd on GC and Carling had missed the move. I was pretty confident this move would stick.

The gap stayed at 10-15 seconds for a few laps then Brite-Sport puts a few guys on the front, I get on the wheel of their last rider. I knew as soon as he was done the pack would loose it's organization and motivation once again, so as soon as pulls off I jump hard from the front and go all in to bridge across. It took almost a full lap, but I just barely made it. WOW the heat makes it hard to recover, I was on the limit for a few laps, but slowly began to come around and helped my break-mates. The 5 of us stay away until the finish, Chris H-D attacks after I take a pull with 1.5laps to go. I could not immediately respond, Nate waits, I try to jump across, but fear of getting swarmed by my companions limits my commitment and I swing off about half way across to Chris. Pete takes over and does one hell of a leadout almost shutting down the gap. Chris just holds off our group, I open up the sprint out of the last corner but Nate beats me by a wheel. Considering the heat and bridge effort I am pretty happy with 3rd Place, netting a bunch of omnium points and moving up to 8th on GC. Of course now it is so easy to look back and ask "what if I fully committed to jump across to Chris" but should-a, could-a, would-a.

Stage 3: 66mile Road Race

11mile loop with two short power climbs and long false flat drag w/ crosswinds towards finish. Again heat was the biggest challenge. The course is hard, but I was more worried about the heat. I started with ice in my jersey pockets and grabbed partially frozen bottles each lap which were a life saver. Again omnium tactics would dictate the race. At the end of Lap 2 attacks were coming hard and fast. I marked several dangerous ones but everything was coming back. Then when I decide to mark a few less to save some matches sure enough one goes that includes, Chuck (Marc-Pro), Trafton (TMB), and Pete (Cliff). I still remember being near the front when the gap was still bridgable (much smaller gap than in yesterday's crit), but for some reason I didn't commit. This was probably my biggest mistake of the entire weekend. Since Brite-Sport and a few other teams missed the move I thought it would be coming back, but I was wrong after our slow decent they already had 3minutes, it was clear the break with motors like that was gone.

For some reason I was marked extremely close and any attempts over the final laps to get away with a few others were shut down. On the last lap, the field was now racing for 5th since Dave Mesa was allowed to slip away on the previous lap. The last time up the climbs my legs started to lock up, the pace was nothing crazy, but the heat had finally gotten to me. Instead of pushing them until they completely locked up (that could have been the smartest or 2nd worst decision of the day) I backed off the gas and had to finish the last 5miles solo crossing the line in 16th just behind the "field" which had really slowed down and seemed to be doing match sprints and track stands near the finish.

Results:

Overall I ended up 11th in Omnium, not exactly what I had hoped but glad I grabbed 3rd in the Crit. The road race built some character for sure and gives me a upper limit of what kind of temperatures I can handle. The omnium scoring does suit me much better than a normal stage race and the courses were great so if the weather is in the 80s next year I will be there for sure.

2013 CCCX #7 - P123

Race: CCCX #7 - Fort Ord Circuit Race
Field: P123 w/ ~15 starters.

Teammates: None, but they killed it in the E2/3 race taking 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 6th!!! Can't wait to read that report!

Result: 2nd Place
Strava File

After missing a few races due to stress, traffic, burnout & hectic schedule I was excited to try to get back at my favorite Low Key event in the NCNCA....but then I somehow remembered I forgot my shoes after getting on the 280!!! So my long warmup and stress free Sunday was no more, but there were plenty of teammates around when I arrived to help me get my life back together and get ready to race (despite no warm up)!!!

Lap 1: Everyone (even Eamon) said they wanted to take it easy for the first half the race but Eamon off his European campaign had other plans. Metro-Mint had several riders, BearDev had 2 and we were off, but after only 3min we were already hitting the first climb pretty good to test how everyone is feeling.

Lap 2: BearDev sprinter Matt sneaks away clearly setting up his teammate Sam to get a free ride. On the tailwind climb Lucas brings it back and hits it as we pass Matt. I keep it going on the false flat to drop the biggest threat in a sprint out of the race. On the backside rollers Sam puts in a good attack while I am at the back, I wait, but then see Eamon putting the hammer down over the top of Sam. I had no choice but to go the long way around into the wind, but this at least kept anyone from getting onto my wheel. When Eamon checks the damage, I hit the front and add some more. Sam fades on the false flat and the group behind is splitting up.

Lap 3-7: So with 75min left to race we are more than happy to share the workload. It actually works out great, I have a great draft & motor do less work on the flats and I hit most of the climbs keeping the pace up. After about 30min into our effort we ease up a bit and ride tempo since the chasers were not in sight, some riders had pulled out and were now watching and we lapped a handful of riders who had thrown in the towel.

Final Lap: David Mesa (Chica Sexy) was one persistent MFer. He takes advantage of our confidence and catches us as we come into the bell lap. Props Dave! Now the games started. On the steep section of the tailwind climb I hit it as hard as I can. This pops Dave, but Eamon sits on. I end up playing the odds game vs going purely for the win. Having Dave in the finale would have bettered my chances for the Win, but could cost me 2nd. Eamon's Dad was watching and he wanted revenge from CCCX #3 when I got him in the sprint. So Eamon makes me take us ALL the way through the rollers and decent. Cat and mouse ensues before the final turn, we are basically track standing. In the match sprint I have the inside line, but Eamon has the better jump and gets the Win for his dad. After a weird month or so of riding/racing I am happy with 2nd, but if there is a re-match before the end of the season I will be aiming for the Win.

Podium Shot

Data Geek Info:
Time: 90min Dist: 8laps = 34.4mi Norm Power 267w ( w/ 233w ave)

Almost identical to CCCX #3 when I was in the lead group w/ Eamon, Bryan Duke, and Chris Cain except this time I was the bridesmaid.
CCCX #3 Time: 88min Dist: 34.4mi Norm Power: 265w (w/ 229w ave)

2013 Copperopolis RR - Pro 1/2

Race: Copperopolis one of the true NorCal classics!

Result: 10th (good enough for a coveted teeshirt), 22nd or so for Lee and Kurt/Matt sacrificing themselves early.

Course: 21+mile loop x 5 yes 5 so that makes about 110miles and almost 9000ft of climbing on fair to bad pavement.

Report: You can find the general NorCalCyclingNews coverage here.

But here is how it went down from a SquadraSF perspective. We had Kurt, Lee, Matt & myself. Tim Larkin has won this beast of a race so we asked him for some advice and team strategy for our small but strong squad. The plan was pretty simple Matt and Lee would cover early moves just to take off the pressure a bit for Kurt and I to save our energy for the later selections. Kurt came down with the stomach flu early in the week and was on the mend by late in the week but he wasn't sure how the legs/stomach would be race day so we had to play that one by ear.

The field was stacked. ~6 from CalGaint, ~8 from TMB, ~8 from Marc-Pro,~5 from Bicycles Plus, and several other big names such as Kirk Carlsen (ex Garmin pro-tour rider), Phil Mooney (pro/local legend), Eric Wohlberg (ex Pro & Optum team manager), Logan Loader, and so on. Our goal was a top 5 which in this field would be a big task (but we gotta aim high) and we would be happy with a top 10.

Lap 1: Almost immediately a Yannick (CalGiant) jumped. Matt and I were near the front so Mat jumps with it before we even reach mile 1. This group swelled to include several heavy hitters including Kirk Carlsen, Chuck, 1 MPS, Riggs (TMB), Tim (BearDev). Kurt and Lee were monitoring the front.

Lap 2: Starting the first climb lap most of Matt's group was brought back, shortly after a counter went towards the top of the first main which shot some more big guns up the road, but the pack was still fired up as it seemed most teams didn't like the odds yet.

Lap 3: At the start of lap 3 Kurt attacks and is joined by Adrian Costa, Keith (MPS), Riggs (TMB), and a CalGiant rider. Lee turns to me soon after and says that is a "Money Break."  As we were cresting the main climb, Kurt get re-absorbed. There was a little bunch up on the undulating first climb, Kurt and Matt had to unclip right as the grade got pretty steep and pace quickened. I had been riding near Kirk Carlesn and Logan Loader with a plan to wait it out a bit assuming they would bridge and jump on that train of pain, but soon after they disappeared apparently both having flats. The odds were now against us, we just had to hope that more riders would pop since we still had like 60miles to race. TMB and Marc-Pro now like the odds and start riding false tempo at the front Plan changed to simply pay attention to any bridge efforts and keep the momentum in our group going without wasting too much energy. Between the two main climbs Lee and Matt kept me protected near the front and tried to keep the pace going just a bit. We were not pulling everyone around but at least we would come through when the pace slowed to keep the miles ticking away.

Lap 4: Lee tries to get some life back into our group and attacks across the finish line, a group of 5 or so go clear with another 20 behind. The group includes Teeter (MPS), Eric W., Cal Giant, and maybe Bicycles Plus. TMB misses the move and seems that only Roman is left in the break as Steve Palez yells at our group this time up the climb trying to instigate a chase. Steve O'Mara (TMB) hits the climb pretty good our group shrinks and riders continue to hit it along the reservoir. Before the 2nd climb Lee and a few others from his break were brought back. The pace was pretty aggressive on the climb prior to the decent and we lose a few more riders.

Lap 5: There were at least 10 riders ahead of the "field" of about 20. We started to catch another field on the main climb and re-absorbed all the riders in no mans land so Phil Mooney convinced the group to ride it easy on the climb then take a pee break at the top. After our little tea break Phil called game on and now that we were on the flat/rolling sections he started attacking. From here until the finish line attacks were flying all over the place. Half way through the final lap a group of 7 or 8 separated ourselves from the remaining 15 or so in the "field" if you can even call it that at this point. On the final climb there was some cat and mouse, CalGiant attacked, then I attacked over the top of the climb, shrinking our group down to 5, 2 CalGaint, Joe (MPS), & Josh (Bycles Plus).

The Finale: At the bottom of the descent, Phil had caught our group and it was now going to be a sprint of 6 for 8th on the day. I opened up the sprint first, but the 2 known sprinters in the group Joe and Josh came around me. I held on for 3rd in our group which was good enough for 10th Place and the coveted VeloPromo Copperopolis T shirt. 8th would have been nice, but I gave it all I had at 110miles and 5hrs of racing.

Summary/Lessons Learned: In the end I think we rode the race well with the small but strong crew. Personally it was really fun racing with a team in a race like this, makes everyone a little less nervous but also makes you dig deep since others are counting on you. The field was stacked and this race is one hell of a race so I am happy with our 10th place, yes double digits but good enough for a T shirt. This was our first real race as a team after some bad luck at Snelling. When Kurt went with the big move on lap 3, it was clearly the move to be in, so it was prefect that we were represented in that move. If I were to race this again next week I would be more careful about my position on the climbs and being in a good spot to mark the attacks from the big names that got away on lap 2 on the main climb this was the only significant move we missed. That could have worked out OR it could have burned up all our matches and we would come home with nothing. So we played it a little conservative based on the quality of the field and how hard/long this race is. It was clearly a day for CalGiant (2 in top 5) and MPS (3 in top ten) while TMB, Bicycles Plus, SquadraSF put 1 rider in the top ten.

Strava File: http://app.strava.com/activities/46565541

Battered and beaten but we got a TeeShirt, now we just need to split it 4 ways. And yes there is tar/black asphalt everywhere including our teeth and it even penetrates jersey + base-layer to reach Lee's chest hair!

Data Geek Info:

kJ = 3439

Norm Power = 225w

Time = 5hrs 10min

Distance = 110mi

5sec Power = 893w in final sprint

2013 Regalado RR - Pro 1/2

Since I was already out in Oakdale for Wards Ferry why not make it a solid block of training in prep for some of the bigger road races to come. Plus riding in dirt/gravel in a race is always fun.

Race: Regalado Road Race P12

Course: 72mi w/ long promenade then an almost totally flat 17mile loop with a 2mile gravel section (some hard pack near center of road and loose and deep  towards the shoulder) then a series of small roller leading into the finish which is on top of the last roller. Not exactly my ideal course, but what the hell the gravel always breaks stuff up in races.

Result: 4th Place

Report: The lack of hills attracted a few more riders, but the gravel probably turned others away. But that didn't stop Chuck (MarcPro) & 6 Team Mikes Bikes guys (Roman, Dana, Rainier, Steve O., Marcus, and Jacob) from showing up. A few other teams had minor representation but it was clearly a team practice for TMB. I heard through the grapevine the TMB was planning on rolling deep so I had a quick chat with Tim the night before and again had a loose but effective plan. Stay near the front, and just play the odds game, only committing to a break when TMB has good enough odds that they will pull too, since they have the firepower to bring back just about any move in the ~25 person field..

Lap 1: Not that eventful until the gravel, a few riders were up the road by odds were not in TMB favor so it was not a real threat. Pace slows before the narrow left into the gravel. I kept some momentum on the outside and hit the corner fast, but didn't realize it turned to gravel just after the turn and hit some loose stiff but kept it upright the rider from Japan behind me was lost all momentum into the gravel just keeping it upright. I powered along able to pick my clean line through the gravel and eventually made it to the back of that small group. The There were a few loose turns that caught riders off guard. The front group and bridging riders from the field were really going for it here. As you exit the gravel it is a gradual climb and some rollers begin. Roman, Dana, Rainier, Chuck and a few others attacked during this stretch. I focused on following any move that had odds in favor of TMB and not worrying about the other attacks. After several minutes of attacks and Chuck sneaking off the front solo, I have enough time to look behind and it is clear the pack is split in half with only Roman and Dana from TMB making the move.

Lap 2, 3 & 4: The group of about 8 or 9 works pretty evenly and well together with the odds not exactly in favor of TMB yet so they are kinda soft pedaling. Chuck is off the front but within sight never more that 60seconds or so ahead of us. The pack is within sight behind, but not gaining either so all good just pull through and eat/drink up. Eventually Rainier bridges up with a Davis rider so the odds just turned in the favor of TMB, they take to the front and get everyone else to pitch in as well, but I try to cool the jets a bit knowing they will not play nice forever. Chuck stays on a shorter leash now and eventually we catch him on the 3rd lap. Now the group is up to about 10 or 11 and the real fun begins. So for about 2 full laps TMB just rotates attacking while Chuck, myself and maybe one or two other riders in the group mark their moves. Chuck did most the marking I was 2nd and then the rest of the riders filled in the gaps. It was clear that they didn't want to drag Chuck to the finish and we could always muster up enough riders to help bring a solo TMB guy back if anyone missed marking one of their attacks. So this translates to doing a 1hr + long sprint workout, riders jumping all over the road from either side, drilling it in the gutter then realizing they are not going anywhere and sitting up just in time for another rider to go. Everyone was stubborn enough to not let anything go but also stubborn enough to allow each rider to just kick them in the balls kind is this what Fight Club is like?

The Finale: By this time we were down to 8 in the break. Before the final time through the gravel a Davis rider snuck off, and everyone looked to TMB bring it back. Roman gave the order for Rainier to drive it through the dirt and keep the pressure on. The Davis rider was persistent and Rainer remained on the front until ~2km to go and it was pretty clear the Davis guy would get adsorbed in the last 1km. Roman took off with 1KM or less to go everyone looked at each other, I didn't have much snap in the legs so I let it go and watched Dana and Chuck, the cat and mouse began. At about 150m (uphill) Dana actually opened it up first with Chuck and I jumping immediately, Chuck was able to grab the Win, Dana 2nd, but I had no real pop left and was in too big a gear when the last ramp hit my legs. I faded at the top and was not able to catch Roman before the line. Everyone's legs in the break were shot so I was able to hold on to 4th Place despite a bad sprint. Really wanted that podium today, but still happy considering the odds I was up against and slotting in behind Chuck, Dana, and Roman is pretty good in my book. Overall one exciting, fun, and HARD race.

Strava File: http://app.strava.com/activities/45735225

Data Geek Info:
Time: 2hr 50m
Speed: 23.6mph
Norm Power: 232w
Intensity Factor: 0.86

2013 Wards Ferry RR - Pro 1/2

So I have heard great things about this course and at 60mi (or under) why not give it a go. I was just coming off 5 days totally off the bike due to a stomach flu, finally got out for a spin towards the end of the week started to feel better. What the hell at least I'll be fresh ;) and get some training in this weekend.

Race: Wards Ferry RR P12

Result: 2nd & 14th

Course: Sanora, CA at the foothills of Yosemite. ~56mi over 5 laps constantly up or down totaling over 6k ft of climbing, some steep pitches, some narrow fast descents, but nothing is the same for more than a few minutes. This translates to NO REST and making 56miles feel much longer.

Report: Since SDSR is going on and it is a bit of a drive, only Tim and I represented SquadraSF in the P12 field of about 20. Our plan was pretty simple, since field was likely to be small watch for any splits, but in general try to save energy for the first half, then initiate moves/splits in the 2nd half if we are feeling good. There were a few notables despite the small field. Paul Mach (ExPro w/ Bissel & Kenda/5hrEnergy), Craig Fellers (Red Peleton) and a few local climbers. The only team with any real representation was Red Peleton with 3 riders.

Lap 1 was reasonably tame with a few attacks thrown in, Will R. (Olympic Club) away after the 1st lap. As expected everyone was looking at Paul, but he made it clear that he would not simply pull us around and bring riders back for us. Will was out of sight pretty quick, but it was still a long way. At the start of lap 2 or 3 (gets fussy here) in an effort to keep the pace us a bit and not let Win get away from us I did a halfhearted attack (just to test field and keep pace moving), was brought back, then when the next hesitation came Tim keeps the momentum up and attacks, everyone looks around and I am at the front and ride false tempo. Tim is off the front for several minutes, but starts to come back before the climbs leading up to the feedzone. When he comes back I counter as the pace slows once again and keep it going. Tim and my attacks thinned the pack considerably, (maybe 11 left in the field), but unfortunately I misread how committed Tim's attack was and my counter before and thru the climb which caused Tim to fade as the leaders powered through the false flat. On a positive note, Will was back in sight..

Another lap went by and Craig Fellers attacked with 2.5 laps to go as we caught Will who had been off the front solo. Again everyone looked at Paul, I kept rolling through on the descents and whenever the pace really dropped, but was conscious not to waste any matches since the race was only going to get harder.

The Break: Before the decent on lap 4, I had lot of momentum as the pack slowed to a snails pace (again) at the base of a roller and decided to come thru at speed and keep the pressure on...... I look back and they are giving me a leash. I keep the moderate pressure on as though I am just going to float out there and waste energy, but as the road turns I really hit it over the top and the final rollers before the decent. By the 180deg turn on the decent they were out of sight, so I take the decent as fast as I can and by the bottom, Craig is in sight, on the first climb after the decent I am closer but he slips out if sight as the road bends. Then all of a sudden I am right on him as he is trying to fix his dropped chain. I pass him and ease since wind is not a friend, he is back soon enough and is also clearly happy to have some help. For 1.5 laps we just keep the pressure on trading good strong pulls. I think both of us were having nightmares of Paul Mach catching us and riding right through us with one or two riders in tow.

Last Lap: We were still way out of sight coming through the feedzone then passed a field before the sharp descent and nailed it, surely increasing our lead, but then...the wheels started to fall off with about 1/2 lap to go. I think it was a combination of just one hell of a race and not eating/drinking enough do to the no rest and constant action. The first few climbs after the decent nearly killed me, but I hung in there knowing I needed to be on a wheel for a few more miles, but with about 1.5km to go I just started to fade big time, Craig simply road away without even picking up the pace, I was cracked, dizzy, out of water (it was too late anyways), and putting out tempo watts felt like the hardest thing in the world. The 1KM to go sign was a great sight, then the 200m sign was even better, except for the fact that it really kicks up there and I was out of gears, barely moving. Dropped riders from other fields started to pass me, but still I could not see anyone from the P12 field. I made it across in 2nd Place with plenty of daylight between me and the next P12 rider. It was not a pretty finish, but I am really pleased with the result and making the move when I did. For the record I cannot remember the last time I cracked that hard, Tim fought on catching some dropped riders and finished in 14th.

It was great to have a loose plan at the start of the race, we may have got a bit anxious early (my doing), but I really had a fun reading off Tim throughout the first half of the race, we marked moves well and put in some of our own attacks splitting the field. Having teammates in the race makes racing a little more relaxed and saves a few needed matches. Looking forward to the next race as a team. 

Podium Shot: http://instagram.com/p/XN1r1hlRGG/

Strava File: http://app.strava.com/activities/45565924

Data Geek Info:
Time: ~2:40 forgot to press start at the line
Norm Power: 246w
Intensity Factor: 0.91 !!! Yea NO REST!

2013 Pine Flat - Pro 1/2

After flatting out of Cantua Creek (yes 2nd flat in 3 weeks of racing with tires in good condition... WTF) I was hoping my bad luck streak would turnaround for my inaugural attempt at racing Pine "Flat".

Course: 62 mile near-loop with a gently rolling 22mile start out & back section, then ~30mi mostly flat with a few rollers before the real climbing begins. 2 main climbs in the last 10miles, the first one comes after a false flat with rollers and is about 3+miles long, then a fast relatively non-technical decent followed by gentle rollers and a final steep 1km climb.

Result: 6th good enough for the coveted VeloPromo T-shirt!!!

Report: The 5am wake-up for a 7:30am start was a bit of the shock but was able to get to the start to check out the competition. The notables and marked riders were the Garmin development riders Adrian and Zeke, Chris H-D (MarcPro), plus a handful of climbers types I recognize from the NCNCA and my days racing in SoCal. Then there were a few unknowns which included 5 riders from Japan and 3 riders from Oregon. Total field size was only 25 or so.

At about mile 2 a group of 5 took off on a rolling decent. The pack was not too concerned since it appeared all the watched riders were still in the field. The pack continued along with slightly more urgency with about half the riders pulling through to lift the pace and keep the leaders in range. By the turnaround the group had 45s and included 1 Japanese rider, 1 Oregon rider, Travis (Mikes Bikes), Don Chapin, and Vincent (Dayka-Hackett). By the halfway point Travis had dropped from the break and the gap was now up to 2:30. The pack's pace stayed relatively high, but with no team with more than 1 or 2 riders, it was basically up to each individual to decide how they were going to play their card. I took some pulls throughout the whole race since I was pretty worried it was going to stick, a few other riders did about as much work as me, with a few doing much more work. Matt Gordon (Fusion) did a ton of work, but despite our efforts when we hit the first climb the leaders were still ~2min ahead.

On the rollers leading up to the main climb there were a flurry of attacks. At one point it looked like the main pack was splitting and I decided to jump across, I bridged fast so no one would go with me, but eventually the entire field came back together so turned out to be a pretty big waste of energy. Later Zeke and another rider were given a small leash on the last few rollers, followed by Adrian rolling off just as the main climb began. Don and the Japanese rider from the break were caught so now there were 2 from the original break and 3 others scattered up the road. It was clear it was game on, Chris H-D and myself hit the main climb with some intention hoping to slowly bring back the riders ahead. Chris and I traded steady hard pulls at 5.0 - 5.5 watts/kg for portion of the climb, but the pack had no intention of going this hard on the first climb. After a few pulls only one of the Japanese riders was with us. Halfway up the main climb Chris was doing the pulling and the Japanese rider was fading with significant daylight between us and the pack. We passed the Bicycles Plus rider during this effort, so now Chris and I were racing for 5th.

At about 1km from the peak I started to fade and I regretfully I didn't dig enough for the last few minutes to get some help on the descent and valley (always seems so much easier/simpler in hindsight). As Chris crested the top he caught the Oregon rider from the original break. I hit the top ~15s behind Chris and the next rider behind has about the same gap. Driving this part of the course at 6am was extremely helpful for the decent, knowing there were no surprise corners I was able to descend about as fast as any 57kg rider can, but still it seemed Chris and his new companion were slowly drifting away. I tried to keep my motivation up as much as possible since the somewhat windy gently rolling valley solo TT I was now embarking on is not my forte. Coming into the final climb the two riders ahead were now out of sight and I had increased my gap only slightly on the rider behind with no idea how far back the main chase group was.

When I hit the 1km sign it was a huge relief, it was clear that my legs could keep me from getting caught by the pack and I should have 6th locked up so I simply set a steady threshold-ish tempo, but the rider behind started to close on me. So about half way up I hit the gas to finish strong, then with 200m to go I see the Oregon rider who has clearly blown. I dig deeper hoping there is enough road left to grab 5th, but unfortunately I ran out of real estate and crossed the line in 6th just a few seconds behind 5th. Adrian timed it perfect and caught the last rider from the break on the final climb, Vince 2nd, Chris H-D 3rd, Zeke 4th.

Takaways: Happy with my riding and result, didn't ride a perfect race but had fun, loved the course, and hopefully learned a thing or two about my riding and fitness coming into the 2013 season. Again always easier when looking back on it, but going way into the red during the last 1km of the main climb to get the "free" ride for the decent and valley would have saved me a ton of energy even if I had to use one big match to stay with Chris over the top, worst case I still would have gotten 6th. Also be aware of non-typical race scenarios, since no team had any real representation and with huge efforts coming towards the end of the race, means the race would not have a typical dynamic.

Data Geek info:
Strava Link: http://app.strava.com/activities/41345311 (includes warmup & ride to car)
Race Weight ~57.5kg
Work - 1942kJ
Norm Power: 234w (race only)
5sec Pwr - 948w (stupid for me to attack/bridge this hard in a race like this before a sustained climb)
2min Pwe - 334w (final 500m of the race)
5min Pwr - 294w (main climb)
10min Pwr - 288w (main climb)
20min Pwr - 262w (main climb + decent)

I had a blast racing this weekend Saturday and Sunday and it was great to give and receive support form ALL categories out there this weekend. SquadraSF really showed our strength and class this weekend at Cantua, PineFlat, and Coppertown!
Cheers,
James

Berkeley Hills RR - Pro/1/2

In the P1/2 race there were about 50 starters and, I was the only rider from SquadraSF and just about everyone was a threat, 7 Mikes Bikes, 8 Marc-Pro Strava, 6 Freemont Bank, 3 Cal Giant, 4 Metromint, Wonderful Pistachios, oh and local Nate English (Kenda/5hr-Energy). So with 6hrs of sleep (5am alarm) and racing a Crit on Saturday, I was wondering how the legs would be. I knew the race would be stacked, but mostly wanted to test myself in my first P1/2 race with a lot of climbing.

Course & Profile: Classic course w/ the P1/2's doing 90 miles with 7500ft of climbing rolling around San Pablo Dam/Reservoir. Climbing the "three bears".

Report: As expected: Attacks were constant for the first two laps. On lap two fewer people began to respond to the attacks and Nate kept putting in small attacks on the climbs or simply up the pace like crazy. Admittedly during this stage in the race so I jumped on more moves than I should have, but was worried more about missing the move than finishing at this point. At some point two got away and to be honest I did not even see them go, but with only Freemont and Marc-Pro represented I assumed it would be brought back, wrong, Mikes Bikes guys were suffering they actually used this time to let the pace slow so some of their guys could catch back on and Nate was not willing to do it on his own. Coming into the last lap there was another big split in the front group of 20 on Papa Bear, I was in the 2nd group of 10 or more. As we hit the boat launch area rollers the gap was coming down. Two riders attempted to bridge, I would have jumped on it but had just pulled through and was at the very back. I decided to roll the dice and hope this would cause our group as a whole to pick up the pace and close the gap. Wrong, I ended up stuck in a group of 10+ guys who just lost their shot at a top ten just 14 miles from the finish.
Since when did I enjoy solo TT efforts: Often when I realize I just let the race slip away from me I get bummed and then really annoyed by the negative racing in the shattered group that I am in. So what do I do, turn it into a training ride and try to get back home sooner than later. When we reach the valley it was very clear we were not catching the lead group again. After taking a hard pull to get things moving, I pull off to find they have just let me ride off. Now really annoyed I keep cruising and make the call to give it a go make the legs pay for not making the final selection and see if I can make it home before the group of 10 just behind me. At mile 82 I must have been really annoyed because a 9mile solo TT with strong winds included headwinds on the final climb is not my idea of fun and does not suit me either. So I made this my race within a race. I catch a Mike's Bikes rider a few miles into my solo effort and am excited to get some help, but quickly realize that he had blown so I continue on solo. The group behind is closing again so I get on it through the meandering valley until I am out of sight again. Coming into Mama Bear I have a pretty good gap, can see the lead group nearing the top, but I can feel my legs and body starting to shut down. I reach the base of Papa Bear with one rider attempting to bridge about 100m back and the group of 10 maybe 300m behind. I fight my bike and legs as much as I can trying to squeeze the last bit of power(lets call it energy because the power numbers at this point were pretty pathetic) out to just get through this hellish headwind climb. I do just enough to finish a few seconds ahead of the Stage17 race bridging and about 10 seconds ahead of the group of 10 chasers. Small success and good mental strength training.

Placing: 15th (1st of Cat 2s)

Strava File