JP's Colivata Grand Prix Race Report

Written by John Pauley
Race: Novato – Colavita Norcal - Grand Prix, 45+ 3/4
Date: 7-16-11
Course: 1.1 mile circuit, 38 feet of vertical per lap (See attached Map from Garmin.)
Distance: 16 laps, 18 total miles in ~40 minutes (Average speed 26.1 mph)
Teammates: Andrew Adelman and Steve Stewart
Number of riders: about 40
Place: 6th

A buddy of mine, Rich Rozzi, who was my closest friend in high school, is the manager of the local Colavita Amateur team and he and his team put on this race. Because of this, I felt somewhat obligated to do this race and over the past few weeks I have been excited about racing here. Unfortunately, I felt lousy on the bike all three days I rode during the week and I was a bit concerned going into the race on Saturday.

My race wasn’t until 10:50, so I was able to sleep in a bit and I arrived two hours early for my race. This gave me a chance to watch Andrew in his first race (35+ 3/4s) and take my time getting ready.

After Andrew finished his first race, he, Steve and I warmed up on our trainers together while Andrew gave us a wrap up of his race and some insight on the course and how to race it. This gave us a chance to strategies a little and in the end, the insight really helped. (Quick side note, there is about 38 feet of “climbing” per lap, but it is all gradual with one little kicker that rises about 15 feet. As Andrew, Steve and I were doing a practice lap, Steve says “I thought there was no climbing in this! This hill is going to look like Alpe d’huez the 10th or 12th time up it!” That made us laugh, and it surely helped me to calm down a bit just before the race started. Thanks Steve!)

On to racing:
This race had 8 Primes including the first lap being a hot lap! The 2nd lap did not have a prime and then the next three had primes, followed by a couple of laps without and then 3 more in a row! Bottom line, ½ the laps had a prime. Andrew won one prime and I was 2nd in another (I felt I had a great chance to win it, but the guy’s wheel I was trying to get on with about 300 meters to go jumped just before I got up to him and I never caught his draft.

As most of you know, I’m not a big fan of criteriums, but this course was ideal for me, it was over a mile long with wide roads, no 90 degree turns, no hills and a downhill finish. The course itself didn’t have any true 90 degree turns, but the first and fourth turns were just slightly less than 90 degrees and the first turn had a little chicane (s-turn) just before it. A few of the insights that Andrew gave us were; Stay to the outside of turn one, because too many guys will cut the corner, be careful when the race slows on the “hill” on the back as it will bunch up, and be in the first few riders on the last turn of the race as it is difficult to catch anyone with the downhill sprint to the finish.

The race was fairly fast and consistent with a few “slow downs” in the middle of the race when there was not prime. I had been moving around in the peloton throughout the race and I was at the back third of the pack with 5 to go. With 2 laps to go I began moving forward and figured I would get to the front with about ½ lap or so to go. The problem was, the group bunched up on the final time up the hill and I found myself boxed in about 15 to 20 from the front. I could see Andrew at the very front with his nose in the wind trying to keep the pace high so we wouldn’t bunch up, but we did anyway. (Andrew told us before the race that the final turn can be a bit sketchy if the whole pack goes into it as a group.) I was getting a bit concerned because I was further back than I wanted to be and time was running out. Just when I thought it was over, my buddy, Rich, rides by me on the outside, taps his butt and says “get my wheel” (I thought he was talking to me, but when I saw him after the finish, it turns out he didn’t see me and was talking to a former teammate). He and I moved up quickly and Andrew and a group of four guys jumped about 100 yards before the final turn but unfortunately there was a group of three or four guys that suddenly stopped trying to keep up. Rich and I went hard to chase the five guys that now had 30 yards on us. We passed 5 or 6 guys on the turn and another 3 or 4 as we entered the straightaway. As I swung off Rich’s wheel, they still had 30 yards on me with 200 to go. I downshifted one last time into my 53x11, put my head down and hit it hard. I was catching them, but unfortunately I ran out of real estate as they crossed the line about 15 yards ahead of me, I looked under my arm to see who was behind me and I had 15 to 20 yards on the next rider.

Andrew finished with the lead group, and I rolled across in 6th place!

I considered doing the 45+1/2/3 race, which was in an hour, but then I decided not to push my luck and go home with my first top 10 placing in a Cat 3 race.

What I learned:
1. Get to races early. Having extra time to get ready and warm up really helped with my comfort level and confidence.
2. Don’t rely on there being an opening to move up on the last lap. Take a lesson from Andrew and get up there and fight for position earlier. I realized during this race that my fitness is back to a level where I can recover quickly enough to sprint after a hard effort.
3. Don’t assume a wheel is going to be there when going for a prime or the finish. Man up and fight hard and go for it and if the wheel is there, all the better.
4. Finally, get someone to make you laugh before the race to relieve some of the tension.