| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
31.35 miles
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Altitude Gain:
1,714 ft
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Avg Speed:
20.95 mph
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Route:
MIlton
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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 75 F SW wind @15 mph |
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Drove down with IronDoug to Milton, PA for one of my favorite races. Huge storm was rumoured to be passing through the area later in the day and we were a little concerned about riding in the rain, but a warm sun greeted us as well as a not so friendly wind. Had two hundred and eight riders line up for the twenty-eight mile course. Did a short warm up ride and found that I had nothing in my legs when I pu rode back in the headwind. Knew it was going to be a long day before the race but hoped I'd be able to hide in the pack at least to the second climb. Course starts out with three or four miles of flat followed by a quick right which heads up a steep climb that lasts a around a half mile. The climb usually breaks the pack up and is followed by another three or four miles of rollers. There is another couple of miles of fast flats before the second climb of the day. That is a highway climb that averages around six percent and it gones on for a mile and a half. After the crest it is a fast downhill than another eight miles of rollers to the finish. The finish at Milton is very technical as it starts with a quick right turn and short very steep climb. A short steep decent is followed by a series of turns through the city streets and then a short flat sprint to the finish. Race usually breaks into several packs and almost always comes to a sprint finish with at least a dozen riders. Had done well here in the past but didn't fare to well today. Lined up close to the front which is very important with the huge pack and fast flat start. Race didn't start out to fast this year as speeds were in the mid-twenties and the pack remained bunched up. Drifted back further than I wanted over the first few miles but had found a safe zone of a few familiar faces and steady riders. Hit the first climb and did the first half okay but tired over the top and ended up separated from the front group of forty though I was still had a group of ten or twelve around me. Tried to sit in and hope that I could ride the bus back to the front group but it soon became evident that we were not gaining through the rollers. Went to the front a couple times and tried to pick up the pace through the rollers, but after taking my pulls soon found myself at the back of the pack struggling to hold a wheel. Legs refused to recover after any effort so ended up just hanging on for the last few rollers. Once we got through the rollers and back on the flats still had the front pack in sight. Both packs slowed way down as we went dead on into the brutal headwind. Went back to the front and took a couple of pulls but it was just myself and a couple others making any effort as the rest of the group couldn't or woundn't contribute. We got within twenty yards but ran out of time as the front group hit the second climb and pulled away from us for good. I had burned out trying to cross and had nothing left for the climb. Soon found myself falling away from the second group as I couldn't get my speed over six miles an hour. Normally I can climb the hill at around ten miles an hour but legs decided to take the day off. After a very long climb I crested with one rider with me and another twenty seconds up the road. Hammered the long downhill and lost the rider that was with me but didn't gain much on the rider up the road. Hit the rollers into the headwind and tried to bridge on a couple of small rises but soon gave up and waited for a large pack the was coming up behind me. Was able to latch onto the pack of fifteen and hung on fairly easily. Had a few riders doing the work and a dozen or so including me just sitting in the back. Had to do a little work once in awhile as a rider would try to get away but none were successful in the headwind and were soon reeled back in. I was very relieved as we rolled into town as I very much wanted the race to be over. Hit the final wall and several riders pulled away. I crested near the middle of the pack and did a little work on the downhill that pulled me away from stragglers and gained some on the front guys. Road steady and caught two riders on the backstreets but didn't get close enough for a final sprint and finished alone. Ended up fifty-seventh overall that is probably my worst finish ever at this race. One of the guys ahead of me was having a fit screaming at a kid taking numbers. Appears one of the turns wasn't marked or something and it messed up his sprint for fifty-fourth position. Felt bad for the kid, who had probably volunteered his time, just to get yelled at by a jerk. Ended up with a sore throat and a pulled calf muscle for my effort. IronDoug finished with the front group in thirteenth position. Packed up the truck and headed to Virginia to ride a century tomorrow. Milton is still one of my favorite races, and I will return next year. We were also very pleased that we didn't get wet. I don't think there were any crashes this year and that is impressive if true given the size of the pack.
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