Regalado RR report-Cat 4 45+ from Tom Rice (Chicken Dinner!)

Tom Rice's Winning Report
Where – Regalado Road Race in Oakdale, CA

When – March 25, 2012

Race - 45+ Cat 4 - 22 Racers

Stats – 54 miles in three laps on country roads

I am the only CoreTechs rider in this race

I always worry and fret during the days before a race. So I spend some time on Friday making sure my bike is ready to race. When I turn in for the night on Friday, I feel like everything is ready for the race on Sunday. Then, on Saturday morning, I realize, that no matter what, it is going to be a very wet race and probably raining. Also, there is a one mile long dirt road segment on the course that we have to complete three times. It is likely to be muddy, slick and very rough... I also always try to get the best advantage that I can from my equipment. To that end, I always race on very light weight tires on my most aerodynamic wheels. These wheels are very strong, stiff but still light weight. My race tires are narrow and are very low volume. This is NOT the combination for rough, pot-holed dirt roads, especially in the wet.

It was the last minute so I called around, got some advice and mounted up a pair of Conti GatorSkins in the 25mm size on my clinchers. This gives me air volume for pinch-flat protection, some compliance and the GatorSkins are super durable. Okay, panic averted, now I'm ready.

Note: My plans for the race are to ride with the pack, make sure I stay near the front, cover any serious breakaways but mostly, I'd like to see how I do coming to the finish line with the pack in a sprint finish.

Kate came with me for this race so we get up early, have a good breakfast, jump in the truck and head to Oakdale. The weather looks heavy to the east but there are some clear skies over the bay and I'm optimistic about the weather. As we cross over the Altimont Pass, it is dry but a little chilly (41 degrees). When we get to the staging area, it is not raining and it looks like we'll actually have pretty good weather for the race. Awesome!

I have a quick chat with Andrew and Mark Foster, then register and get ready to race. I don't really have time to warm up properly but I expect a slow start to the race so I'll warm up then. We line up at the start, get the briefing from the referee and we're off. The bonus for me is the first few miles are neutralized so we trundle along at about 15mph. Even once we get to racing proper, the initial pace is still pretty slow. This gives me time to get well warmed-up before things get hectic.

Remember I said there was a one mile dirt section? Well, it sure got hectic there! Some guys were really fast and comfortable in the slick conditions and others just were not. I'm an old mountain biker so I actually like the dirt but it is easy to get gapped if you're behind the wrong riders... The pace amps up immediately upon reaching the dirt and I have to work to get myself well positioned. There are some sections where you can find dry hard-pack but there is plenty of slick mud, big potholes, small potholes, badly rippled sections and huge mud puddles. It is rough! I'm very glad I have tires meant for these conditions! I'll also note here that I decide that this section is a good place to launch an attack.

We get through the dirt and about a third of our racers get dropped. This section is very tough. After that, a few attacks are attempted by my competitors. One guy in particular is very animated, making numerous attempts - so many attacks that he's practically an inferno of burning matches. Still, nothing seems too serious and the breaks get chased down pretty quickly.

Through the first lap and a half, I do my share of leading the pack but I don't really work too much and I make sure I'm one of the first three riders on the second time through the dirt. I'm trying to stay behind the front riders but following anyone in the muck is difficult and so many guys are not taking good lines. I get frustrated and launch an aggressive attack about half way through the dirt section.

I get a good gap, settle in for some hard work and watch behind me to see if anyone will bridge. Soon enough two riders make it up to me. They both seem strong and I think we could hold the pack off if we all work together. Nope. One rider won't work at all and the other is "Inferno Guy" and he is simply too wiped out to make long pulls. But, we still try. After we pass a small group of riders from a different race, I make room for one of the others to pull through... nobody's there. I've somehow dropped the other two and now I'm on a solo breakaway with a substantial gap. (Crap. Mark always tells me, "Don't do a solo break!")

There is a long way to go and I already know the pack will almost certainly chase me down. I put in a medium effort so at least they'll have to work for it. I'll get caught but I hope the chasers will get worn out. By the time they catch me, it's been almost a whole lap and I join the pack for our final run through the dirt.

This time, the pace through the dirt is pretty mellow. The race has been fairly hard with lots of chasing and it seems everyone is settling in for a group sprint at the finish. So, while I'm planning my sprint tactics, a rider from Team Polli Veloce - Paul Wren (my nemesis at the Copper Town Circuit Race) comes up to the front riding fast. He exclaims to our front group, "I had a mechanical and I've been time trialing solo for two laps to catch you guys!". Then he goes to the front and amps up the pace. I come up next to him, "You really chased for two laps to catch us? Man, you've still got a lot of motor left!" I go to the front for a brief pull but Paul takes over again almost right away. He doesn't seem to want me on the front. Fine with me. There are three Team Polli Veloce riders in the pack and maybe he's leading them out for the sprint. I take up second wheel.

I've decided that I need to surprise the pack in order to do well in the sprint. To that end, just before the 200m to go sign, I jump. I sprint as hard as I can. I know my move is a surprise but I have to assume that they are right on my wheel so I just put my head down and go. Just before the finish line, I see a wheel coming up on my right... I must not let up... the wheel fades back.

I win!

I would do some sort of celebration move as I crossed the line in first place but I'm so out of breath and so hypoxic that I can do nothing but coast down the hill. I get congratulations from my competitors but I can't even respond. 100% of my consciousness has been focused on effort and the finish line. It takes a minute or so before I can even talk.

It has been a great day and it didn't even rain!

All of my competitors are beyond gracious, everyone of them giving me a pat on the back, a fist bump or a hand shake in congratulations. Team Polli Veloce, who were parked near me, searched me out after the race, came up to me and gave me their synopsis of the sprint and said I deserved the win. This is one of the joys of bicycle racing. It is an endeavor where good sportsmanship always seems to bubble to the top. I am humbled by it.



Tom Rice

Bicycle Racer

CoreTechs Cycling Team

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