Tour de Grove

Friday night at the first race of the weekend. It was as typical 4 corner crit with 2 really long wide streets with two really short and narrow streets connecting the two together. A rectangle basically. It was a Cat 2/3 race with about 80 or so riders. My plan from the beginning was to sit on the back, the very back, and try to stay protected from the wind. It was super easy sitting in like this. On the long straights I could move where ever I wanted to hide from the cross winds. A lot of people think this strategy is stupid. But it works on certain courses. I figured I would move up at 15 minutes to go.

So, At 15 minutes to go I sprinted up to, and right past, the front and into a small break away. Didn't last long though. Got re-absorbed. I sat on the front for another lap until going into turn 3 we got swarmed from both sides and I was back to 80th. Ok. Now I am thinking I will try it again with 2 laps to go.

Coming up to the finish line seeing 2 to go I sprinted back to the front. I was sitting 3rd wheel. I sat here until about half a lap later when the pack swarmed us again from both sides on the super wide back stretch. At 1 to go I was back around 60th. Just sat in and rode the wave in. Didn't work this time. Shit.

Saturday's weather was a complete piece of shit. Literal shit. Cold and rain. 45 degrees in May is not real common I don't think. Embrocation and arm warmers were a must. Gloves too.

The course had 6 turns and some where sharp. The last one being almost a complete 180. There were about 110 starters. I wanted to be on the back this time to stay out of crashes. But there weren't any really. I saw one going down the front straight but that was it. Being on the back in a wet 6 turn crit is the worst place. We kept getting gaped and I had to keep sprinting back up to the group. Or hammer anyway, not really sprinting...

It started to hurt pretty bad. After about 7 or 8 laps the 10 or so guys around me stopped chasing after the first corner where we kept getting gaped. This area was where the head/cross winds were the worst. I gave it my all but couldn't get back on. All the other riders around me dropped out. I kept going.

I rode alone for the rest of the race in the rain and cold. I caught and passed a lot of dropped riders. I ended up being scored as 70th place. Close to 40 DNF's. It was pretty miserable.

I opted out Sunday. Legs were tired and it was another cold wet day. And the course was harder with a pretty good climb in it. Feel bad for all the people with Bigshark who put in so much time and effort only to get pissed on by mother nature all weekend.

Tonight, Monday night, PG and I went to our top secret Greenwood mile crit training loop. We rode together for about an hour never going below 24. Felt great. I know im getting stronger. Maybe I need to rethink that tail-gunning/sprint at the last moment strategy...