Connecticut Stage Race

This past weekend was the CTSR- a new addition to the racing calendar...and a good one at that. New races are probably a big gamble, but this one seems to have worked out. I could see it being a staple of the calendar in future years.

I normally enjoy stage races because it usually means a good TT can set you up for a solid GC placing without too much work in the other mass start races. Well, that is if you're relatively good at time trialing...

I was hoping for perhaps a top 20 placing in the TT on Saturday. I had a good 30-second man in James Morrison (Embrocation), and I was running scared from Josh Lipka (BikeReg/Cannondale). I first ran into James at the Syracuse Stage race a couple years ago. He's a good, smart road racer, but he often seems to lament the time trial. Before going off, he asked me to say something nice when I passed him. Based on prior time trials, I figured I might be able to at least pull even with him over the 8 mile course, so he would be a good carrot to pull me to a decent time. Of course this speculation was based on last year's racing and fitness.

The course was out and back, so I was consciously planning my return effort as I went out. A course preview would have been pretty helpful in retrospect. As I recall, it was a slight downhill into a flat section, then a long false-flat grind to the turn-around. Ultimately a power rider's TT course- not flat but not hilly enough. Processing that I would have to really move it on the false flats, I generally didn't push too hard on the downhills. This was probably a mistake. If I should learn anything from the road races, it's that I consistently let gaps open on downhills...so it should make sense that I should work these portions above all else...but I don't.

In any case, I think I maintained my gap to James over the first half. As we met near the turn-around, I started to ballpark the gap by visual inspection. With the grind up to the line, I figured I could reel him in around there. OK, not bad. Also, as I watched Lipka approach the turn-around, it seemed that I only gave up a handful of seconds. Could this mean I was actually having a decent TT, despite what I was feeling?

As I came back, I started to look ahead, scanning the horizon for James...but he was nowhere that I could see. He nailed the return route, and was consistently opening the gap. I was hurting a bunch, and couldn't really find my top end. Nevertheless I tried to concentrate on my race to not get caught by Josh Lipka. And I didn't. I looked back at the line, and figured he only put 10 seconds into me. I was momentarily happy until I overheard discussions about how Josh was sick all week, or something.

Then I saw the results, and found out I was 42nd out of 62. I definitely hoped to do better than that! Cameron and Don killed their time trials, putting them in 7th and 9th place, respectively, with Peter Bradshaw in between them. Twice now I've lost to Peter by a handful of seconds in TT's...this time he had me by over a minute. Looks like I have some work ahead of me...everyone seems to be riding really strong this year.

So yeah- later that day was the circuit race. I sat near the back, content to chase back on after every turn, victim of the accordion. Cameron averaged 270W for the hour long race, even putting in some attacks off the front. I averaged 298W, sitting at the back looking stupid. M u s t. w o r k. o n. p o s i t i o n i n g. I think Will Dugan soloed away on the last lap to take the win ahead of the field. Insane that he can ride that hard and hold off the bunch. But basically nothing drastic happened on GC. Yet, somehow I moved up to 37th, either from DNF/DNS's.

Sunday was a 91 mile road race...for ALL fields. I did well enough at the brutally hilly Penn State race, and I did a century last weekend, so I finally felt like the distance wouldn't be the major hang-up for me. All I hoped to do was hold on, and maybe get into some lucky move.

The first 10 miles were really fast. Teams were sending guys off all the time, trying to get the breaks settled. One finally got away, containing people like Will Dugan and Roger Aspholm. I can't imagine trying to get away in a break with 80+ miles to go, but I guess you have to take chances if you know your legs will e there. Luckily, once they were clear, the pace settled...a little. I think BikeReg/Cannondale missed the break and Josh Dillon (2nd on GC) was in the field with us, so they were at the front, trying to keep the gap down.

The course was gently rolling- all big ring for the first 50 or so miles. I checked my PT...we averaged ~26mph for that whole time. As we came through the finish area for the first time, I was feeling pretty decent. Then some hills came.

Hills are usually never a huge problem, except when they're total power climbs. I was starting to feel the mileage (as was everyone else, it seemed) and each one of these ascents were really taking their toll. People were spread everywhere, and I was trying to bridge gaps and make contact with some semblance of a group. I found the back of the largest of groups, and for a brief moment, I thought I was safe. There was a small group (that included Cameron and Josh Dillon) that was busy bridging up to the main break. I figured that would put an end to the pain.

But no. Peter Bradshaw (and presumably others) didn't get into the bridge, and hence Embrocation and a couple others were moving our pack pretty quickly to defend their GC placings. I kept yo-yo'ing hard at the back and I began to feel the twinge of impending cramping every time I would stand up. I went from big-ringing everything to furiously spinning a 39x23. My stomach was having problems, I had to evacuate fluids, and I was just generally suffering. And not in a "wow, I'm suffering but doing awesome" kind of way. Just the crappy way.

I tried a couple more hard efforts to make contact, but I finally let them go. I realized we still had 20+ miles to go, and they had probably only started to crank up the pace. I gently rolled into the feed zone at mile 70 and asked for the quickest way back to the start...it was apparently along the course! Okay, I guess I'll have to finish this thing.

So I limped around for a few miles, enjoying the scenery, stopping to stretch, and using nature's bathroom. Finally, two guys from TargetTraining and CCNS picked me up and I worked with them for probably 15 kilometers or so. We passed Don at some point, who had flatted his tubular (and cracked the Zipp 202 rim...) and considered stopping, but decided I couldn't help anyway. His 9th place on GC was ruined, and another wheel would have only helped miles ago. He waited for the sag wagon.

Eventually, the CCNS guy dropped off to poach/collect water bottles at the now abandoned first feed zone, and I finally came to the realization that I had hemorrhaged enough time already that it didn't matter when I came in. TargetTraining guy kept going, and I cruised in the remaining distance...22 minutes behind the winner, and roughly 16 minutes behind the group that dropped me. I even went slow enough as to give up almost 6 minutes in the final 10km to my former out-the-back companion. Cameron and his small group managed to close the gap of 3:40 and make contact before the finishing miles. Ridiculous.

In the end, I finished in 37th- almost DFL among those that completed the race (38 out of 62 starters on Saturday). I should also note that I would have gotten 36th (woo!) if the CCNS guy had been just 15 seconds slower in getting to the line. I was unknowingly and figuratively nipped at the line!

But it was still fun- the CTSR gets a thumbs up.

Anybody have legs I can borrow until I can find mine?