| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
50.79 miles
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Altitude Gain:
1,399 ft
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Avg Speed:
23.47 mph
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Route:
Spokeride
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 163 bpm
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Avg HR: 145 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: Look Blade RS 795 Iconic Ltd Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 75 F SSW wind @ 6 mph |
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Up at four AM for the yearly race at Sacketts Harbor on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. Course is fifty moles long with only one real climb, a six percent quarter mile long ascent about five miles into the ride. After that it is mostly rolling grades rising for another twenty-five miles followed by a fast downhill then descending gently to the finish. Usually, the wind is a big factor commonly blowing at twenty-miles-an-hour but today was a gentle five mile an hour breeze. There were about forty riders in the long race and a similar number in the shorter thirty-mile event. I had two teammates today with Bob and Steve. Joe was scheduled to attend but bailed again. There were two of the Syracuse teams well represented with the Pursuit and 315 crews in attendance as well as a strong showing of some of the local talent. Goal for me was to make it over the first and only real climb. I generally finish well if I can stay with the pack over the climb, but my record is probably only being successful sixty percent of the time. It isn't too bad getting dropped with a small group, but it makes for a long day if riding alone. Pace was fairly fast to the first climb, and I tried to stay near the front of the pack to the hill. Started the hill in the second spot hard on the wheel of one of the locals that I was told was a favorite to win. Didn't make it very far before I was gapped as my climbing legs had taken the day off and I was quickly swallowed by a charging pack and spit out the back. Three riders went off the front on the climb and opened a gap over the main body that Bob was in. There as another small gap to a group of three or four containing Steve, then a good gap to my group with five or six poor climbers. The main group were chasing the front three hard but never caught them. Steve's group was able to rejoin the main peloton, and my group was working but losing ground. Didn't do much work after the climb other than a quick pull when it was my turn and depended on the younger riders to make up the gap. My group gained a little on a small climb as I believe when the peloton gave up the chase of the big dogs. We got close enough that I thought I could bridge and made a hard effort and was able to rejoin the peloton. I worked my way to the front and pretty much stayed there the rest of the ride. I was able to cover a few attempts at breakaways helped chase down one that got away with a big effort on the only downhill of the day. I drifted off the front a couple times but rode conservatively as it was still ten miles to the finish, and we were averaging around twenty-five miles an hour on our return to Sacketts Harbor, way too far for my meager talent alone. I was hoping that a couple of riders would bridge up to me and start working as I didn't have much hope of beating the stronger teams in the upcoming sprint. Each time I was reeled back but I was able to rejoin the pack without issue. About a mile from the final turn to the finishing straight the pace slowed down as the riders got set up for the sprint. I drifted off the front and opened up a pretty good gap and started to up my pace a little and hoped they would wait too late to catch as the finishing straight had a good tailwind and thought I would be in good shape if I could get through the final turn before being caught. Hopes were dashed though as a rider with time trial bars caught me at the turn. I got through the final turn safely still near the front of the pack. The final straight is nearly a mile long. I was passed by Bob and a small group making a long effort and was able to get in their draft successfully. When the final surge came it passed my small group and I wasn't able to catch a wheel though I was able to drop Bob's group. I ran out of road as though the gap was only a couple of seconds it was still beyond my ability to close it so just tried to hold what speed I had developed. Approached the line with a rider hard on my wheel and he sprinted by me a few yards from the finish. Once he got by me, he started to coast, and I made an effort to go around him. Thought it would be close as we approached the line and then the other rider pulled up on his front wheel to bunny hop the finish I assume and that gave me enough time to go buy him. Wasn't sure I beat him, but timing chip had me crossing the line ahead. I ended up in eleventh position. I was a bit disappointed overall at my lack of climbing on the first climb that is critical in this race. After that though I was able to romp over some of the sections. Pace was fast despite the big teams not crushing the race as they had riders in the first break that went on to finish at over twenty-four miles an hour. The main peloton finished at twenty-three five that is probably the fastest I ever went riding in this race for the past two decades. Might have picked up a couple of positions if I had waited with the main group of sprinters but I gambled and lost. Still had a strong ride though had hoped to do better.
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