Tom Rice's 35+ 3/4 Race Report from CCCX-Oct 1st

Where - At the CCCX Circuit Race course at Fort Ord, CA
When – Oct 1, 2011
Race – 35+ Cat 3/4 Race
Stats – 75 minutes, 7 laps, 30ish miles and still, a beautiful day for a bike ride
Finish – 10th!
CoreTechs Teammates – Andrew Adelman, Steve Stewart, Dave Puglia

Now that I'm a Cat 4, I can race with the fast guys. This pack is made up of younger, stronger and more experienced riders. None the less, I have a huge ego so I think I'm gonna do pretty well!
As the racers assemble at the line for the start, all of us CoreTechs teammates are quietly discussing our tactics and I'm given my assignment. I'm to keep an eye on two particular riders and if either one goes on a break, I am to cover it – that is I'm supposed to go on the break with them. You should also know that I'm told both of these guys are very strong and could get away. Worrying, but I intrepidly accept (again with the ego!)
We start at the whistle. Of course, unlike earlier in the morning, I'm not late, I'm well warmed up and I'm ready for a good race. It's just that, well, I'm not really ready for what actually happens. Right from the whistle, one of my "assignments" speeds away from the front of the pack and creates a break. But hey, I'm savvy and I watch the Tour de France, so of course I know there is no way this guy is going to be able to make it stick by himself. Then Andrew gently reminds me of my assignment. So I report back that "my assignment" is already looking over his shoulder and won't be able to stay away. Andrew chides me a little more and I move up towards the front of the pack to make sure I'm ready for any other moves.
Crap. Another rider has joined up with My Assignment and their gap is getting bigger. I give chase, now knowing full well that I've made a minor mistake. I put in a huge effort to catch the miscreants and am able to stay with them for most of the first lap.
Some of you know that, on the CCCX circuit, there is a 90 degree right hand turn that should be taken fast and that this turn leads into a series of hills that somewhat resemble four or five giant stairs – I call this section, "The Steps". Well my breakaway companions are very fast and I've done some good, hard work to help keep the pack only 15 seconds back. But, I am spent. The Steps finally do me in and, near the top, the pack catches me. I'm able to rejoin and it looks like we're going to reel in the breakaway. So, I settle in and try to rest. It is good to have my teammates nearby and I'm already beginning to recover.
Unfortunately, no one takes up the chase and the gap begins to grow. By the third or fourth lap, the gap between the break and the pack is well over a minute. A couple of individual riders try to bridge the gap but no one is making any real progress.
So, Steve, Andrew and I decide we'll bridge. Andrew leads us out and we accelerate past the front of the pack and pick up a rider who was off the front, trying to bridge by himself. I take the lead and put the hammer down. Up till now, no one else in the pack seems interested in doing any work, they haven't chased any of the other bridging attempts, there are four of us and I'm ready for another maximum effort. So I feel we have a pretty good chance.
But, this is a bike race. I make a strong, hard pull and move to my right so the next guy can take over, when I hear from behind me, "The entire pack is on our wheel." We're going much faster now but it is just bad tactics to do all the work while the entire pack relaxes in our draft. So, we let up and the whole pack slows down and for a couple of more laps, we all have a nice, friendly ride on a sunny afternoon.
Then, with a little more than two to go, a San Jose Bike Club rider gets out in no-man's-land between the breakaway and the pack. The breakaway is more than two minutes in front so there is nothing to be done about them but Andrew seems to be feeling strong and bridges up to the SJBC Rider. I'm near the front of the pack and I can see they are working together pretty well.
I also feel pretty good and I want to join Andrew. But I don't want to drag the entire pack up to Andrew and basically eliminate his chance for a podium finish. So, I go to the front of a very slow pack, get my cadence up around 105 rpm's so it looks like I'm working and I pull the pack around at a leisurely 19 mph for the entire last lap (normal last lap speed is more like 23 – 24 mph). The gap to Andrew gets bigger and bigger – perfect!
The two guys in the front breakaway get first and second by a margin of almost three minutes over the pack. Andrew's break has about 45 seconds on the pack by the end of the race and he out sprints SJBC guy for an awesome third place. I'm not well positioned as the pack sprint winds up for the final podium spot but I'm pretty happy with my near the front finish.
It has been another fun race on a beautiful, sunny day. I learn more than a few new lessons (like, listen to your more experienced teammates), I get to help my teammate podium and I finish very respectably in a race with younger and stronger guys. I can't wait for next season!

Tom Rice, Biycle Racer
CoreTechs Cycling Team