Well, things are starting off well for me this mornin'. I knocked out a swim at Pure Austin that went pretty well and things at work are cheery as it's Friday, haha.
Last night I competed in the Kenny Hill Autowerks Crits and did well and terrible all at the same time. Turns out, I STILL don't realize that I don't have to be in every, single, solitary break that goes off the front, but I was. In the 3/4 race I went off the front about 5 times until about 2.2 laps to go when my teammate, Justin Litchfield, saw an opportunity to launch me and did so perfectly, only a lap early it turns out. I got a nice gap on the field, but got sucked up with a lap to go. Also, I won both primes earlier in the race. I still thought I had enough to make an effort to sprint for the win, but when the time came to sprint, I didn't have any legs left and ended up 10th.
Then, after the emotional recognition of Kevin Underhill, the man who died in a crash at last week's race, we started the 4/5 race. I sat...and sat...and sat for what seemed like forever until they rang the bell for the prime lap and I caught a small break of guys that went off the front. I set up perfectly for this and outsprinted a guy to take the prime and sweep all three primes offered in the 3/4 and 4/5 race. Then I just kept going off the front before getting sucked back up again. With one last effort, I followed a guy off the front for the sprint, but we were passed at the bottom of the hill (a small, steep hill about 1/4 mi. from the finish) and again, my legs just weren't there to sprint. I ended up 6th for a grand total of 2 points for the entire evening. The next time I go out there will be JUST for points and I am hoping to sit in the whole time. We'll see how that turns out.
Ok, that's it. I've got a long ride tomorrow w/ Justin Litchfield then a long run on Sunday....which I haven't done in FOREVER.
Hasta later,
-Yorek
Great race last night! I just posted onto my team's forum about our sprint for the 4/5 prime. Great showing! Here's what I wrote:
ReplyDeleteDCM Photography was out and I wanted to show a string of pictures of good tactics.
http://dcmphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/9354783_CxAhQ#626045940_8pgMf
In the 4/5, my legs were toast and decided I would go for the $35 prime. There was a 2 man break away about a quarter of a lap up (so half a mile) when the bell was rang. So I waited until either the wind was not in my face (if they were closer I actually would have charged with the wind in my face) or somebody else attacked. Both happened. I let the guy who attacked get about 50 yards ahead of me so that he would pace me and wear him self out (mentally and physically) trying to catch the break. I used the tail wind to keep me just under or at threshold and carried about three riders with me. He caught the break and I caught him all at the same time just before the corkscrew. Now I launch an attack because I've got a short steep uphill which means everybody else's reaction will be slower and only ~400 meters to go. I round the corner after the corkscrew and the shadows move to show me I have a stowaway who perfectly predicted and played on all of my moves! So I try to put in more quick power to pop him off my draft but he's already positioned himself so perfectly that he can react. Final 200m it's a full out sprint to which he comes around me in what seemed like forever and takes me by a wheel. That guy kept his cool with the movements leading up to the corkscrew and eyed me as the guy to make the counter attack once we caught the break. Had I not done the 3/4, sure, I might have been able to pop him but who knows, those pictures show him in the saddle just waiting while I'm doing all the work. Touche Velocimo, now let's ride some dirt!