With ribs feeling practically 100%, the Venge back in the stable and looking like new and an eagerness to get back into racing, I arrived at Tech Park and signed on as soon as I could, took a photo of the start list and began studying it. As expected, I new about 3 people on the list - including me. Simon arrived not long after me and queried me for a race plan. I had to be honest as I watched D grade zipping around the course and said, "no idea really." It's rare that I don't have some kind of game plan for a race but with such a large field (48 riders) and all but two others being an unknown, it was pretty much just going to be a "take it as it comes" type of race.
I think Simon was itching to get out there and give it a belter and I sensed his somewhat nervous energy. I don't think it was a case of him being nervous about getting amongst it, moreover I think it was more an anxiety to get out there and let off some steam. Either way, I hope I did the right thing by suggesting we ride the race for what it was and seeing how we feel so that it didn't add any negativity to his or my own state of mind. I'll admit that I was a little more nervous on the eve of the event than I usually get but it seemed to settle well enough by the time we gathered in the marshaling area. Simon was as keen as I was to get good line position as we sat right at the front of the bunch to await the call to go.
We were released into a somewhat "unofficial" neutral lap which allowed me to collect my thoughts on the situation and to begin assessing other riders. I was surprised to see some quite strong looking riders in the bunch who immediately began coming around to the front of the group. I didn't let the look of these riders get into my head and figured that if they are that big, they might be more likely to have trouble if it came down to having to chase a break for the finish as opposed to trying to out-sprint them. I kept that thought to the side for later.
As we came around to the end of the first lap, things began to heat up and the pace shot to 40km/h+ with Simon taking some initiative and getting into the front three wheels and setting the pace. I latched onto 6th or 7th wheel and concentrated on keeping in the front 10 positions to avoid having to work my way back through a large field. There didn't seem to be much surging going on but the pace was being held consistently for quite a few laps. I'm not sure what happened but the bar has certainly been raised in C grade since the same race last year.
I was expecting the pace to drop back after the first half dozen laps or so and it did for one lap but that seemed to be about it for a little while. The odd lap would be taken at a comparatively slower pace but the bunch were still maintaining 38-39km/h plus with the odd lap kicking up over 40-41 km/h. This was going to be a race where breaks would not last for very long and it gave me a few ideas toward a plan of attack as the race neared the end of it's allotted time.
Simon was still doing quite a bit of work and I was about to get up and either help him out a bit or get him to fall back a little and try to recover for a while so that he would have something left for the final laps. I also wanted to let him know (if I could) to anticipate either a jump by someone else at around the 25 minute mark (completed) or to watch for one from me if I can get the right position at around the 28 minute mark. Simon must've sensed he needed to back off a bit as he pulled out to the side and dropped back into the pack again not too far behind my wheel. I didn't get the chance to converse with him so I hoped that his plan was to stick on my wheel. If I managed to get the jump, it would be handy to have someone with me to help with the workload.
With 25 minutes down, I moved to the outside (right) of the bunch in anticipation of a jump coming from behind. I figured from the times that we were completing laps (around 1min 25 sec) that there could not be any more than four laps to go until we got the "two to go" call. Nothing seemed to be eventuating and the pace was slowing. This was agreeing with my plan to consider jumping after 28 minutes completed which would suggest no more than 3 laps to go all up. We came back onto Brodie Hall Drive and around the long sweeping bend and the pace was down to a much slower 36-37 km/h and I sensed that some riders were feeling a little tired.
Still nothing coming from the bunch as we crossed the line and I was against the kerb with only two riders in front of me. The front of the group had gotten pointy and there was a chance to either move right and get to the outside for a chance to jump along the bottom of the course (along Sarich Way) or to stay put and see if the usual gap would open up as riders began to move over to the right side of the road at the top of the hill.
My answer came a little earlier than expected and before we had reached the top of the small rise, the two riders in front of me moved right and exposed the open road ahead so I immediately took the opportunity and jumped. I knew it would be a case of having to hold 40-41km/h+ for 3 laps but I felt I had recovered enough from the crash to be able to do so.
As I reached the turn into Sarich Way, I checked under the shoulder and I had a gap of about 10 metres on the next rider. After completing the turn, I looked back again to try and see who it was and it was Simon. I eased a little to see if he could get on as it would be very handy to have him with me and take turns to keep the pace on but by the time I had reached Brodie Hall Drive again and began to climb the small rise, he had dropped off a little and the gap had increased. I put the power on again to try and increase the gap as much as I could and as I crossed the start/finish line I was given the "two to go" and new I would have my work cut out for me to try and maintain enough gap to complete the race ahead of the field.
I worked consistently and noted my HR was up to around 175 bpm and dropping slightly and I could feel the lactic building up in the legs. This was going to be touch and go as I looked back from the end of Sarich Way and figured I had about 30 seconds on the field. But I was tiring and didn't seem to have built up as much form as I would've liked to hold this gap for the full 3 laps.
I received the bell and knew I would really have to work to keep the wolves at bay. I got out of the saddle and worked the last part of the small rise as best I could and would use the down hill to recover just a little so that I would have something left for a final assault up the rise to the finish. Once again, I checked back under the shoulder just before the turn off Sarich Way and into Brodie Hall Drive and the group had worked to chase me down and I had probably nothing more than 10 seconds on them. My legs were burning and I felt my HR was exploding. I just didn't know if I could hold them off before I got to the line.
I took one last look behind me as I came out of the initial turn and into the "straight" for the last 50m to the finish and the group were really coming but a quick calculation of distance versus energy remaining suggested I should be able to make it if I give it one last dig. Everything seemed to go silent and someone switched real time into 1/4 speed and I remember jumping out of the saddle to give it one last effort to hold the chasing riders off. I was hugging the left hand side of the road and with about 10-15 metres to the line, I exploded. I couldn't even stay out of the saddle. I glimpsed to my right but didn't see any riders and figured I'd done enough to keep them away but just before I crossed the line (and gave a bit of a premature salute ala Contador over Evans), a rider appeared next to me and managed to pip me at the line. I wasn't quite sure at the time and anticipated a photo referral but I knew that I hadn't quite made it.
I just didn't have anything left after the three laps of giving everything and missed the win by a fraction. I rode around for a recovery lap and stopped at the marshals tent and they too anticipated that the video would show the expected outcome so I gracefully claimed second place.
While I was disappointed not to get the win, I was still happy to have managed a podium finish (1 place better than last year) given the circumstances of my return to racing for 2013. I don't recall any discomfort during those last three laps but I did feel it a little once it was all over and my head was working again. As for the bike, I couldn't ask for anything more from her. She responded beautifully to everything I asked of her. There was no evidence that the frame had been repaired based on feel as well as visually. Very happy.
With a bit of training between now and the State Criterium Titles (assuming I will be in town for them), I hope to go one better and take home a win. However, I will need to decide whether I stay with open grading or do the Masters race. Some thought to be given between now and then. For now though, my attention will turn to racing West Coast Masters on Sunday, February 3rd and use the week to figure out whether I race A or B grade.
Thanks for reading.
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