PG&E/Livermore Crit-May 7th 2011-45+ 1/2/3

45+ 1/2/3 PG&E Crit
May 7th 2011
Written by Andrew Adelman

This is the safest crit courses I have ever done. Wide roads with new pavement. If anyone is interested in trying a crit next year, this is the one to do for pure ease of course.

This was my first race since my debacle at the SC Crit a few weeks back. As of right now, that SC crit cost me close to 3k (two cracked Carbonsport Lightweights, two tubular tires and race entry) to participate in. I am still bitter. I needed something to get that taste out of my mouth. This Livermore race helped, but I still need to gargle with another crit or two. I came into this race with a chip on my shoulder and a bad attitude. I think it helped.

Round and round we went at mostly a sedate pace. No one tried to push the pace till the prime laps. Pace would pick up till the prime was won and back everyone would come together. Most laps someone would try to break off the front and due to my poor attitude, I chased down every attempt. I should have known from Copperopolis (see that report) not to do this, but as I said, I was mad. There were a few teams with multiple guys. About three times a guy who was not in a team kit broke off the front and each time I would wait for someone else to chase him and then I would jump on that person. Each time he got caught. I thought he kept going at strange times. For instance he would attack just after the prime lap but with still eight or nine laps left. The wind was strong and no way was one guy going to stay away. Well, with two laps to go he did it again. Two guys joined him from the Christian cycling team and a guy with no team. I was sure this race was going to be a field sprint and those guys would be caught. I wanted to save my matches for that. So this one and only time I did not chase the break. I was in second position in the field. No one chased. We kept them in sight for the rest of that lap. One lap to go. No one chased. I tried my best to be patient, still no one chased. The gap got bigger. I saw the race slipping away. No one chased. Finally I went to the front and hammered for a half a lap. Then a strong SJ rider came by and went hard. We got close but the break stayed away.

The main field sprinted, I was behind the big SJ rider in second spot. Thought I was set up well. Big guy died with 150 meters left. We were against the curb and got swarmed. Boxed in with nowhere to go, I rolled across in 9th place.

Bad tactics on my part. Lessons learned: 1) once again, as in Copper, don’t chase every break, especially the early ones. 2) If more than one guy breaks with two or less laps to go, go with them!

Andrew