Cherry Pie Crit-John T.'s 35+ Cat 4/5 Report

Cherry Pie Criterium
Master 35+ 4/5
Napa, Ca
Coretechs riders - just me

It was a beautiful day up in Napa and about 60 deg by the time I raced @ 11:40. I asked how many were in the group at registration and the guy told me 74 riders. So this will be the largest group I've ever raced with and with a lot of Masters Cat 4's..so be it.. I had no idea what the course was like other than the riders I asked and the 6% climb I could see that lead to the start/finish. I was told I couldn't take a lap around the course, but that I could walk it. I only gave enough time for warm up, so I opted for a good warm up. Within In 2 minutes of the start I will know most of the course anyway. Kind of like my old ski racing days...inspecting the Slalom course from the chairlift on those freezing days!

I was dripping sweat by the time I got to the line. I was a little late and was about mid field. We take off, starting on the downhill. My plan is just to sit in and try to be near the front, but not sure what to expect from all the Cat 4's. The pace is pretty fast but nothing crazy. I could hardly see anything with all the racers in the first lap but do my best to get a feel for the course. A short fast downhill, right hand 70 deg, sweeping left, road tightens up with cones to the right, then a 90 deg left, another 90 deg left, right hand sweeper, into an easy but narrow chicane and then the climb to the 180 deg at the top and we do that about 17 times.

I find very quickly that this is a technical course and I had a hard time figuring out how to move up. There we so many turns and narrow areas that it was difficult for me. I am in the front 3rd most of the race, which is still in the mid 20's somewhere. I keep looking out front to see if there are any breaks. None, ever! I spent most of the race trying to figure out where to move up without being reckless. I found out that the 6% climb to the finish was perfect for me. With 8 to go I tested a hard effort up the hill up the right side gutter, I move from about 30th to 7th as I take the 180 deg very wide. I hold my position down the hill, but the pace now slows into the sweeper and the narrow section. I feel fine, but all of a sudden I'm in the damn 20's again. Like a sock turning inside out!! The sides surged pushing the middle slowly farther back. I did know about this but had no idea how to avoid it. I felt blocked most of the time on both sides. I am pretty focused on the wheels near me as every corner was 3 to 4 wide. I had 2 guys bump and crash right in front of me, as the guys crank got stuck in the other racers front wheel. There were a lot of spokes breaking. 2 to go, I hammer up the hill again in the right gutter, and move to about 8th. I try to hold the left gutter in the left hand sweeper this time, I lose a few spots and am now in the mid teens. 1 to go, I hammer up the hill up the right gutter again, but only gain a few spots if any!. Everyone had the same plan! Duh! Everyone scrambling in the turns and chicanes. I am not close enough to do anything at the finish so I just ease in about 150 meters behind the winners. Pack finish.

This was a good race for me. I would have liked a better result, but it was not my main goal for this race. I wanted to race in a big group with the 35+ 4's. My fitness is getting better and my comfort in the pack is a lot better. I think I can start looking for results now.

I highly recommend this race for next year. It is technical but actually makes it pretty safe. Racers are a little more focused. The climb at the finish is great for power riders. The 180 is very safe since it is right at the top of the start/finish climb. This course enables prepared teams to do well. I watched team Specialized control and win most of the races I saw. The 45+ 1/2/3 had a 3 man break stay away the whole race. Some masters national road race champion won. (Craig Roemer?) Larry Nolan and more specialized members sat near the front of the main group and controlled the race making sure to discourage anyone from bridging.


cheers

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John Tsamasfyros