CoreTechs Staffing Cycling Team

Daryoush and I headed up for Corning, CA at 2:30 pm on Friday. We arrived at 6! Holy smokes, I now see how women have kids multiple times. I had forgotten how long this drive really is.

 

Once in Corning we checked out the new finish line. It is about a half mile past the old line and just on top of a short, steep hill. The hill is only 250 meters long or so, but fairly steep, say about 9-10%. We thought if it was a pack finish that we needed to wait till just before the base of the hill but to be positioned top 5 to have a shot.

 

I had some good training leading up to this race and felt fit. Figured I had a good shot at a win, especially since no mutants were racing…at least that I was aware of. Field was small, about 18-20 total and that includes the three guys in the 35+ 1/2/3 field. 75 mile race of four laps (so just over 18 miles per lap). Course is pretty flat, with some small rollers on it, but the headwinds kept the field honest.

 

I had talked to one of the best sprinters and racers in Northern California (Steve Heaton) about the race strategy prior to going. He advised sitting in till lap three. He did say if a dangerous break went early, go with it, but don’t kill yourself to help the break till you are sure it is away for good. I was going to be patient this race, something new for me!

 

I have never ridden so slow during a race for the first 18 miles. I think my wife and kids (9 and 7 years old) could have hung with us lap one. Gave me a chance to get to know some of the other riders as we had long conversations to pass the time. One rider (Rich from Wells Fargo), who I knew from past races and was fairly friendly with, and I talked about our kids and jobs. He also let me know he was not in great race shape and really just counting on sitting in for the final sprint. I filed this info away for future use.

 

We come to the end of the first lap and I can not take it any  longer. I had been self talking that first lap to just sit in and save the legs, but at this pace it was hard to do! Finally I had to stretch my legs a bit and I rolled off the front. Not really an attack, just wanted to up the pace. Go a small gap and kept rolling a bit to get the speed up. The group caught up to me and Rich said, something about my "attack". I let him know I just had to stretch my legs, that was not an attack. He said "good idea" and then did the same thing.

 

Well, he got a decent gap, then another rider I had not seen before jumped across to him. I almost felt bad for Rich, since I knew he was not up for a 57 mile break. I was happy to see the two of them go. I figured we would catch them about lap two or three no problem. The only other team with multiple riders was Davis, with three guys. They now had responsibility to chase this break down. They just sat in for the next 18 miles. The moto ref (Lee who also runs the Copper Town Circuit races) eventually road up and let us know they had 45 seconds.

 

We get to lap three and Lee comes back to me and says they now have 1:15. He tells me that "one of the riders looks pretty worked over but the other guy looks very strong". Hmmm, I start to get a bit worried now. I figure we still have 35 miles to go, so not panic time, but we should start to cut into that lead. We try a rotation. Guys wimp out and the rotation dies. Lee says they now have 1:40. Yikes!

 

Beginning of lap four, we catch Rich. He is by himself and looking beat. I roll next to him and ask where is the other guy? Rich responds with "that dude is strong!" Uh oh. I ask, you think he can stay away? His answer: "yep"

 

Crap.

 

Daryoush and I talk a bit and we both jump. We get two others to come with us, including a Davis rider. This should be perfect. Now we can hammer together to try and catch the lone rider. Daryoush takes a strong pull, I come through and pull, then nothing. The other two are sitting on. We yell at them, but nothing happens. I don’t get it. Not sure what they are waiting on. We get brought back to the field. Just as we are brought back, the same Davis rider, jumps out for a solo break. Huh? He thinks he can catch the other guy who has 1:40 by himself? I turn to Daryoush and express, "that guy is an idiot". He agrees.

 

I watch as he slowly pulls out of range. Lee rides up on his moto to let us know the gap to first place is 1:40 still and the gap to first chase is 40 seconds. The field does nothing. I get fed up by this point and decide to venture forth on my own and try and catch Davis rider. I know first place is out of reach now. I jump and get a good gap. Field chases for a bit, but Daryoush does a good job of sitting second wheel and not pulling through. He is a good teammate!

 

I put my head down and ride into the headwind with 10 miles left to the finish. I have been training for 10 plus minute VO2 intervals (As hard as I can ride that is still aerobic). I do lots of self talk. I don’t like riding alone. I much rather have company to share the load. So all this is going through my head when I glance back and see a rider trying to bridge across to me. Sit up and wait for him or keep riding? I decide to make him work for it, but not go so hard that he can not make it. I want the second guy there but I don’t want him with me fresh. He catches me, and it turns out it is one of the 35+ guys. Perfect! Now we both can place without having to race each other (they were placing the 35+ and the 45+ guys separately). Well this guy has a moral issue (who knows why, cause it is legal to help each other) to help me catch the guys up the road (both 45+ guys ahead). He tells me he will not sprint by me at the end, but he can't take a pull. Well that sucks.

 

Ok, let's wrap this story up. I keep the pressure on and close 2nd place to 25 seconds (from the original 40) but can't close the deal. Dude that broke away lap two wins, Davis second and I get third. Daryoush, who did a great job protecting me, placed a very respectable 6th and earned the final Velo Promo T-shirt too!

 

Postscript: I approached the guy who won (Mike Brown) after the race to offer congratulations and to find out who the hell this guy is. I know all the Nor Cal guys capable of that sort of effort (most go by the name of Dirk or Kevin). He smiles and let's me know he just moved to Chico from the East coast a month or two ago. Well, that was his one time he gets to go off in a break without me now. Next time, I will be on his wheel from the jump.

 

So ends 2013 road racing. What a fantastic year. I can tell you all 2014 will be extraordinary. More CoreTechs team developments coming down the pike, so stay tuned.

 

Till next year…race reporting out!

 

 

Andrew