nevada city race report

This is one criterium that I've always wanted to do, and finally made it happen this year. Treated me pretty well too. It's basically a long hill followed by a long downhill with a wicked cornering section at the bottom. It was a very warm day, but not unbearable. The cat3 race got started around four in afternoon, but before we could get really going, there had to be a bit of chaos. While waiting at the line, we were informed that a lead moto would take us through the hairpin and up the climb slowly on the first lap, then let us loose at the top of the course. Okay, fine. The emcee calls one minute to go, then counts us down in the last few seconds. People push off and start rolling. Only the lead moto doesn't budge. I don't think he even had his engine on. Guys just roll right into the back off the moto and two guys go down right there. I was on the edge of the group and didn't get caught up in the mess, but it was kinda lame. Roll through the corners the bottom of the course without the moto and the guys in front take off up the climb. So much for a nuetral pace the first time up.


Rolling the corner in the middle of the field.

I had started close to the back and spent the first few laps suffering and working my way forward. After fifteen minutes, I had moved up to the front ten or twelve guys and began to relax a bit. I didn't have to work too hard coming out of the corners of the bottom and that made the rest of the climb a lot easier. Halfway though, starting to feel optimistic, and that's when a minor disaster hits. I was running around seventh coming though bottom of the course when a guy two spots up clips a pedal coming out of the second corner and goes down. The guy in front of me locks up and goes down as well, both of them sliding into the wall of hay bales on the outside. I have nowhere to go and come to complete stop behind them, unclip and put a foot down. I can't get by them on the outside since they're up against the hay bales, and guys are blowing by me on the inside. I wait until there's an open gap between riders, jump back in and pin it going up the climb trying to get back to the lead group. I blow by a bunch of guys that had been gapped and latch back onto the leaders near the top of the course. Spend the next two laps recovering and getting back to my comfortable spot near the front of the group. Phew.


Getting going again.


Strung out going up the hill.



At the front.

I helped cover a few attacks in the last third of the race. Nothing strong enough to stick for more than a lap or so. After my mid-race big effort, I wasn't feeling confident about making any attacks myself. Just waited until the end for things to play out. As we went over the top on the bell lap, guys start surging and I stay up there as best I can. Click into the 11 tooth cog as we start the downhill to the finish. It's pretty tough to come around folks at 45+ mph, not to mention scary. I came across for sixth. Optimistic that I could contend when I come back next year. Great course, great crowd, great event. I can see why it's been running for almost 50 years.

-a

ps. Added bonus of seeing Ned Overend (I think he's 50) come out and hang with all the fast guys in the P/1/2 race. Inspiring.