So, finally, a decent time of day to start racing!! Races started at 2pm, instead of our usual 8:30am
. The Men's Masters 35+ Category B race was at 4. The course was very tight and twisty, with several steep run-ups, and the infamous "Super Quad" barrier in the middle of the course. It was very hard packed ground, with ice plants (nature's oils slicks) and an even covering of grass, a fair amount of rough and chop, and plenty of dust! There was a short paved path on the backside that was a decent straight, where most of the teams had bottle hand-ups staged, and the paved main front straight which became a drag race on each lap! The single most evil part of the course was the first turn. It was a 200 meter charge to a fairly wide and open left hander onto the grass. But you first had to negotiate the curb!!
They had sand bags lined along the curbside, to ease the transition up onto the grass, and into turn 2.
Warm up sessions were extended to 20 minutes, so I was able to get 2 laps in before staging. Since the turn out this season has been so large, they called up the top 20 riders instead of the usual top 10. After that, the rest of the field lined up behind them. I was 3rd row back, on the outside left along the fencing. The key to 'cross (as with any race) is getting out in front first. A start can make or break your race. If you get stuck in the pack, there just isn't enough time, nor passing opportunities, to get up front before the bell lap.
The whistle blows, and we're off!! I got a good solid drive outside and up the fence line...turn 1 coming up quick! I know the pack will surge to the right, then dive left trying to get a good perpendicular line to hop the sandbags & curbing. I don't want to get caught up in this so I stay to the left, but I don't want to carry so much speed and jump the curbing only to come down right in the line of the turning pack. Now I'm drifting right, and pushing up the pack to the front...here comes the turn.... SHIT!! I'm getting slammed from my right by another rider who zigged when he should've zagged, and is now bouncing off of me and going down hard!!! And we still haven't made the jump into turn 1 yet!! Leaders are through....hopping the curb...drifting a bit as I touch down in the grass and loose dirt...a little shoving and bumping through turn 2...ok, made it!!
Now it's time to start racing!!
From my pre-ride warm up laps, I knew I could ride 100% of the run-ups, and would only have to dismount for the "Super Quad," which is where I can always pick off a few riders. Up the first run-up, and a few guys lost their rear ends on the off camber. Cleared it! Down, around, up the next, back out on the grass and hard pack, over the barriers, up the next couple of run-ups, down the dirt straight into the 180 left, and hammer down the front straight!! Whew.... one lap down, 35-ish minutes of this left to go!
I was pretty sure I'd gotten a solid start, and was fairly sure I was at least mid pack. I held my pace and rode defensively, but aggressively hunted down the riders ahead of me. By the end of it all, I had gained a bit of ground, and took 25th out of 60. I know I could've placed better, but my back is still being problematic. Some of the problem is also with my bike...I need a slightly longer top tube to help straighten out and stretch my back.
I'm just taking in all of the races this season as lessons learned. My main goal is to complete the series, and use this as a platform to develop my training for next year. If all goes well, I'll move to the Open B category and make a serious attack on the series.
And now for the pictures and even a video!
I'm in in the bright blue with white shoulders and silver helmet, on the right...
And smack in the middle of the pack here...
And making a clean get away from the 1st turn carnage...
Video courtesy of Cylofiend. Keep an eye out for the blue and white. I turn up a few times throughout the video.
Yeah, it was a little dusty.
Next race is at Golden Gate Park, November 30th. Races start at 8:30am. Masters B 35+ @ 10am. See you there!
