Sunday we woke up and left a bit late {someone needed coffee} but made it there with 40 min before my race. I know that's not really enough time for a proper warmup, but the extra sleep {and coffee} was necessary and I had a feeling it wasn't going to be a fast race after looking at the course.
The plan was to go for primes as well as set up the attack/lead out train for Kim with 2 to go.
As expected the race was a blob field full of squirly corners and half assed "attacks" that had no chance of staying away. The course is long enough and the field was small enough {35 ladies} that I almost felt myself doing circles around it. Found Deanna as they rang the bell for the first prime and sat on her wheel. When no one attacked I told her to go for it and I kept sitting in. She won the prime {knee warmers}. Took a pull after as we strung out the field and got back in the pack. A couple laps later I again found Deanna near the front so I moved up to her wheel and kinda expected the same thing to happen. Someone learned something from our shenanigans and went around us and I didn't jump soon enough. She {La Grange} took the prime and I got on her wheel hoping she'd work with me as we had a gap but that plan was foiled and I dropped her. Led into the next lap but knew it wasn't going to stick, so I sat up. Whoever "bridged" my gap approached me and then sat on my wheel. Can someone please explain how to pass a solo break to this field? Christ! Please go around me, as I am no longer in service for a hot second.
I hate the swerving crap and looky-loo's - but that's racing when no one wants to do work. Sat back in, found Deanna and got back on her wheel for the next prime where I actually stood and came around. Kept the effort consistent and she warned me of someone coming on my left. I won the prime {box of clif bars} and kept the pace high. Deanna yelled at me to get off the front and I look over and she's coming on the inside also on the front. I giggled and got back in the field.
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| Going for a prime |
At some point Deanna got the next prime {$20 bike shop gift cert} as I went to the back in search of Kim. Lynne notified me we all made it through the crash {crash?! What happened? Apparently shoulders were bumping and one girl overreacted and bounced the other way into a rear wheel and took herself and her teammate out. I have no idea as I was on the front when it happened.}
I found Kim who seemed distressed that she couldn't move up to find us but I let her know I was there for her rescue and we were going to sit in. Stay on my wheel. Stay patient. At 3 to go we'll search for Deanna. Which we did. She was unfortunately on the inside and we were on the outside. I made a move/shift to the right and I'm not sure if Kim was able to. I sat on Deanna's wheel to let her know we were there. And to sit in/conserve energy. 2 laps was too long to make a move.
She was siting 4th-ish wheel and moved to the front for the last lap where we got some amazing press sitting 1, 2, 3 {Deanna, me, Lynne}. Deanna is going strong and I motion to Lynne I'm going on the 2nd corner. {hoping Kim is behind her}. I made my sacrifice pull which was probably a bit too enthusiastic and I buried my head. As the back straight was ending I looked back and gapped the field! What?! That's not the plan! Now what do I do?! I decided I was committed and put in another surge, stayed consistent into the last corner and tried to put in another sprint. To no avail. So I sat up and held my line hoping to see a teammate pass me so I wouldn't take their points. Kim finished 15? And I was right behind her. Deanna and Lynne made some amazing sacrifices and I think with a little reorganization and practice we can actually make something work.
I found Kim who seemed distressed that she couldn't move up to find us but I let her know I was there for her rescue and we were going to sit in. Stay on my wheel. Stay patient. At 3 to go we'll search for Deanna. Which we did. She was unfortunately on the inside and we were on the outside. I made a move/shift to the right and I'm not sure if Kim was able to. I sat on Deanna's wheel to let her know we were there. And to sit in/conserve energy. 2 laps was too long to make a move.
She was siting 4th-ish wheel and moved to the front for the last lap where we got some amazing press sitting 1, 2, 3 {Deanna, me, Lynne}. Deanna is going strong and I motion to Lynne I'm going on the 2nd corner. {hoping Kim is behind her}. I made my sacrifice pull which was probably a bit too enthusiastic and I buried my head. As the back straight was ending I looked back and gapped the field! What?! That's not the plan! Now what do I do?! I decided I was committed and put in another surge, stayed consistent into the last corner and tried to put in another sprint. To no avail. So I sat up and held my line hoping to see a teammate pass me so I wouldn't take their points. Kim finished 15? And I was right behind her. Deanna and Lynne made some amazing sacrifices and I think with a little reorganization and practice we can actually make something work.
Getting 3 of 4 primes was an excellent win for the day. As was staying out of the crashes and feeling like we were controlling the race. Average speed was just above 23 and on a flat course with almost no wind {for the am races} it was a bit sketchy. The lack of any real corners {they were more like bends in the road} and the wide course made it hard to get away or force people into good lines. I thrive on technical corners and was sadly disappointed with the course. Event organizers were great. Excited to race as a team again.
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