Fresno State RR Report
Bpleman
FSU Daulton RR Cat
4/5-48 miles, 3 16 mile loops
I really didn't know what to expect from this race
going in. Coming from San Diego, I had no idea who to mark, what the course was
like, but I really wanted results to offset the time it took just to get here
(and back). Luckily, I came up with some UCSD riders the night before, and
"previewed" the course by helping set up the feed zone for the longer
collegiate races. The course is the same as the Madera County Stage Race, which
didn't mean much to me, but I was able to talk to a few people that mentioned a
"rough" section on one of the back sections of the course, and that
one should bring extra tubes/CO2. Boy, were they right! The collegiate races
were marred by flats and lost bottles (bounced out in the rough section) and
races ended in clumps of riders usually no larger than three or four racers. In
addition, the winds were fairly strong (10-20mph) and could be felt at all
times throughout the box-like course.
Seeing all this, it looked like I was going to
have a tough race ahead of me, and I was a bit worried about racing with 5s
again, even with a relatively small mixed field (30 or so). This fear was
reaffirmed in the three mile neutral roll out where some of the riders were
incapable of holding lines, especially when they looked anywhere but straight
ahead. I decided immediately that I would be off the front in the rough
section, as off the back wasn't an option for this race.
Once the race started, the pace barely picked up,
and I was hoping to identify a strong/safe/smooth rider as a good wheel to
follow. A mile and a half into the race, I found one. Off the front. I waited a
little bit, expecting the field to immediately chase him down like a pack of
dogs chases a cat, yet they sat on their haunches. I really wanted to join him,
but heard the phrase "Breaks don't stick in the 4s" in my head from
the many racers I've heard from prior. So, I bridged up immediately.
I reached the other rider, and he said he's just
trying to warm up his legs since the pack was going so slow. I was a little disappointed
to hear this, but figured it was my best shot to get through the rough section
unscathed the first time around. We worked together pretty well, and by the
rough section (12 miles in) we couldn't see the pack behind us. Now, I was
expecting potholes, and some gravel; obstacles easily avoided if you're looking
forward. Instead, it felt like I was using a jackhammer or driving on a
washboard dirt road. My bike was screeching and groaning (I was too, at times)
and I noticed all the bottles that littered the course. We were both fortunate
enough to escape with intact bikes and both of our bottles, and as we finished
the first lap, we realized just how much work we had ahead of us.
We decided to try and keep the break, as the pack
still hadn't made any progress, and quickly settled in to short, quick pulls.
Rinse and repeat, we somehow made it through the second lap, and the rough
section and head wind portion were taking their toll. I recovered a bit in the
rollers and slightly downhill leg, but was really feeling it as soon as the
wind hit me again. Unfortunately (looking back) I made a pact with the other
rider saying if he could get me through the next two sections (headwind and
rough road from hell) I wouldn't challenge him for 1st. I didn't know that we
had a gap greater than 6 minutes at this point, and he still looked pretty
strong. I hadn't been in so much pain, my entire body, for a long time, but I
really wanted to finish this race on a high note.
Long story short, we both survived the pavé for a
third time. We crested the first roller on the back straight (finish), and
could see the finish line about half a mile away on a smaller hill. Although my
legs came back, or I was just excited to be finished, I kept to my word and
rolled in a bit behind the other racer. I was happy to have beaten the odds and
survived a 46 mile break with only one other, previously unknown, rider. Oh,
and I got $5. I was actually looking forward to getting a medal, so it was a
little disappointing, but I learned a lot and had a great time this weekend.
Hopefully, I can keep getting results like this and the 2 upgrade points from
1st to 2nd don't come back to bite me!
And maybe I'll get better at writing these
reports, too.
Jonathan Deguzman
JD