| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
33.71 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,383 ft
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Avg Speed:
22.20 mph
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Route:
Tour de Loop
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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: Sunny 62 F NW wind @ 7 mph |
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Race seemed to be much more low key this year. The fifty mile race was not held this year due to a combination of road construction and lack of interest in past years. The thirty mile loop would now have the 'Wall' included in it. Not sure whether that was due to construction or an effort to break the field up to avoid a massive sprint finish. Still got a T-shirt this year but the tradional goodie back was empty except for a two dollar discount to a taco shop that didn't have the address on the coupon. There was no national anthem at the start nor live band after the race. Lined up near the front this year of a group of a little over one hudred and sixty riders. Actually seemed like a light turn out as usually there are around twenty in the fifty mile event and two hundred in the thirty miler. Had two teammates riding today IronDoug and and Mighty Young Joe. Usually a good course for me but had a little fear of the wall and several strong riders that traditionally ride the fifty. Had two areas of concern with one being the aforementioned wall and the second was the first climb three or four miles out of town. Was concerned about getting through traffic on the first climb as the Oswego team was there and thought they might hit it hard like they did at the Spokerride. Lots of opportunity for crashs and delays from dropped chains and dismounting riders on that small hill. Pace was fast on the way out to the first climb but seemed slower than normal. Could still see the front as we hit the climb and it wasn't pretty for me and had to stuggle a bit but was able to maintain contact with the pack and didn't hear any chaos behind me this year. Had a couple of riders go off early but they were soon hauled in. I had planned on sitting in until the wall this year as legs didn't feel very strong today and that climb would probably be the the deciding factor of my performance in the race. IronDoug was hanging in the front five for the early miles. It requires more energy but is quite a bit safer. Struggled a bit on the second hill again but had no fear of getting dropped as the pack was still quite large. Mighty Joe moved toward the front on one of the hills and thought I would move up to him and IronDoug. Moved up on the outside on one of the gentle climbs about the same time that the peloton slowed down. Just kept pedalling over the top of the rise and found myself with a gap. Joe joined me and we rode off the front of the group for a bit. Told Joe I wasn't going to ride hard as it was still to early to go all the way as there were still too many strong fresh legs behind us. We stayed away on a downhill section and got reeled in on the next climb. My legs didn't feel very good on our brief escape and had to struggle again on the hill and drifted back deep into the pack before the legs loosened up. Went back to the front of the next long climb and pushed the pace a little. My intension was to stay in the front of the pack at the start of the climbs which would allow me to drift back through the climbing pack using my slow climbing skills. I'm sure that the true climbers hate me as they have to navigate around me on the climbs. The course has ten or twelve short climbs with the three steepest and hardest coming around the twenty mile mark. Started climbing the first of the three hard ones and had a really bad climb and drifted all the way to and out the back. I was able to catch up on the next downhill and had a pretty good climb on the next second steep one and spun myself back up to the front. Seemed to only climb well on every other hill. Turned out that the third of the steep climbs was the wall. The wall is probably only a quarter mile long but has a steep grade. Once over the step part though is a mile long grinding climb. I came out of the saddle with everyone else but went nowheres and soon found myself spit out the back. There were only around thirty riders left at this point as the previous hills had winnowed down the group and I was the last one on the hill. Got to the hundred meters to the hill sprint line and thought I would fall over. Got to the sprint line and looked up and saw there were other casulties from the wall as the front pack only had around twenty riders in it and the other ten riders were scattered on the grade. Worked my way up to Mark from Pittsford and concentrated on staying on his wheel. Mark pulled me up to another group of two riders and we formed a small pack. We eventually caught up with the rest of the stragglers and formed the second pack that included young Schuyler, Mighty Joe, and Cliff Six. We were less than a minute down from the front pack that dangled invitingly in front of us. Unforetunately we couldn't work together as everyone's legs were already overloaded. We seemed to have a common goal though as we were all trying to get back on rather than drop each other or sit in. Joe made a couple of strong attempts at bridging but failed and got reeled back in. Had a group of three break away from us and it looked like they might make it but also failed. We tried to get a rotation going but it kept breaking apart. Got to the last hill of the day and I made my all or nothing attempt to bridge by charging up it out of the saddle. Actually got within ten seconds but they accelerated over the top and I was left spent and hanging.Got picked up by the second pack and sat in as we rode the last couple of miles to the finish. Mighty Young Joe set the pace and pulled our group to the sprint. I still thought we had another mile to go as I rounded a corner and saw the stacks of the power plant indicating the sprint was upon us. Sprint started and I got on Mark's wheel as he moved up through the group. Went around him on the right side of the road and had a good head of stem going but soon found my calves were cramping. Also had a problem identifying were the line was as all I could see was a sea of orange cones. Had a rider go by me on the left and thought I would need to kick to catch him but looked down and we were crossing the line that I still thought was a hundred meters up the road. Ended up eighteen over all and fourth in my age group. Really hadn't ridden very well but had a decent finish. Was really disappointed getting dropped on the wall but I had probably psyched myself out worrying about it. Turns out that the wall really hadn't broken things up much as there still was a twenty man sprint to the finish for the front group. Unfortunately there was a sprint crash and Joe told me he had seen a rider on the left side of the road as he came in. Saw Mike Teresegno after the ride and his back and arms were decorated with lots of nasty looking road rash. Heard Jim Nicholson was hauled away in an ambulance but didn't hear the extent of his injuries. Turned out to be a fun ride but not one of my better performances.
3 member views | 2009 total views
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