| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
7.03 miles
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Altitude Gain:
334 ft
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Avg Speed:
14.64 mph
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Route:
Canal Classic
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 0 bpm
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Avg HR: 0 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Rolling
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Cloudy 75 F SE wind |
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Distance:
30.60 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,687 ft
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Avg Speed:
20.26 mph
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Route:
Canal Classic
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 0 bpm
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Avg HR: 0 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Cloudy 75F SE wind |
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Was pleasantly surprised when I woke up and looked outside and it wasn't raining yet. Torrential rains had been forecast for today and we were headed to Little Falls, NY for the 20th and final riding of the Canal Classic. The course is another one for the climbers to win but also a great opportunity for non-climbers to organize and try to catch the climbers. Looked to be well over a hundred riders in attendance and we thought that was a poor turnout for the final edition of the race but the miserable forecast probably kept the numbers down. We had made the three hour drive up there on dry roads so we figured that we could probably get the ride in before it started raining. Race started out with a controlled pace and police escort through the town of Little Falls. Once through the town the racing starts on a three or four mile climb out of the town for the first hill of the day. Second challange comes soon after that with a half mile long steep climb known to the locals as the Tombstone. Rolling downhill follows it to the third and final major climb of the day, Bartow Hill, near the ten mile mark. The last climb is nearly four miles long and is not nearly as steep as Tombstone but the pace is always fast as there is a hundred dollar preme at the top of the hill. After Bartow the course starts nearly fifteen miles of rolling descent with a few minor climbs thrown it to test the legs and lungs. I felt much better today than I had yesterday though my legs were still stiff. A quick warmup ride seemed to loosen them up nicely. I stayed near the front during the controlled start and was spinning well enough to stay with the front group for about half of the first climb but soon found that today was going to be a tough day as I was dropped as the climbers put the pressure on. As the peloton fragmented on the climb small groups of riders were sorted out. I rode over the top of the first climb with the third group. We could see the second group up the road but the lead group was nowhere in sight. We kept losing ground for awhile but eventually we sucked enough oxtgen in to recover and formed a paceline and started chasing. We were holding our own until Tombstone where our small group shattered again. One strong rider had powered away on the climb while I went over the top we three others and a group of four or five riders were a few seconds behind us. We worked together and caught the lonerider just before Bartow Hill and our pace was fast enough to get within range of the second group. Ran out of gas up Bartow though and could not climb with my group and was left alone watching my former group join with the second group about halfway up the climb. I continued to gradual fall behind as the long climb continued although I did catch up to a rider that had fallen off the pace. We crested the hill together and tried to work together to pursue the pack that was out of sight up the road but couldn't generate any consistent speed. Eventual we were joined by another rider and we started to do better and picked up a lone rider. We were caught by a group of five riders near the bottom of the big descent and that formed my final group of the day with eight riders. We rode together the last ten miles continueing to gradually descend. Worked hard trying to keep the pace high and we were rewarded by catching anther lone dangler with about a mile left to go. Didn't have much left for the sprint and ended up sixth of the eight involved. Overall I ended up 30th for the day and with a very sore back. Road hard but couldn't maintain a consistant pace and spent much of the day yoyoing. Climbing was not good today but it was much better than last year. With a little more effort I'm hoping to become a poor climber which for me would be a big improvement to my current non-climber status. The Adirondack Team dominated the day with one of its riders taking the $100 on the hill sprint and another of its riders winning the final sprint. Kind of sad that they will no longer have this race. I've been involved in seven or eight of them and they were always well run, safe and fun.
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