Sierra Cup #1

I don't have a ton of time for a quality post on this race but here's a brief description of my day of suffering at the series opener:

Heinous pace at the start. Good Lord people, can't we back it down just a touch, hold hands and tell some jokes. They told me this race was FUN.

Two guys got off the front and were setting a pace I knew I wouldn't be able to hold for 2ish hours. I was in the second group that consisted of 4 riders. Then there was a sea (ok, maybe a medium sized pond) of people behind us.

The first guy in our group dropped his chain at the bottom of a climb and we never saw him again. Yep, it happens just that fast.

On the second (out of three) laps we caught Kyle Dixon (one of the guys out front... who I actually picked to win) pushing his bike up a hill. I asked if he needed help and he said he was "good". There was air in his tires and a chain on his bike. Hard to say what was going on there??

Later on the 2nd lap, another rider in our group would "crack" on the baby head rock strew climb at the far end of the course. I've been in this dudes position before... and it sucks. If you try to keep the pace up you'll cramp so bad you'll need someone to cary you back to your car. The only thing you can do is put it in a ridiculously low gear and slum along until you feel "normal" again. For me, this usually requires a nice long downhill. You can't always count on this (downhill) so it's best to slow down and don't blow it. It's only a bike race.

Then there were two. Me... and Stosh Bangston... again.

Stosh started to put the hammer down on the third and final lap. This move shot my plans all to hell as to the what when and how I was going to make a move on the baby head rocky climb section of the course. In fact, when we got to the baby head rocky climb I was in such dire straights and that not only was the cramp monster knocking at the door he had one foot in and was asking what kind of beer I had in the fridge. Frack.

So, I hung in there as good as I could manage. Stosh gaped me but I was able to make the time back up on the downhill. I can't believe I didn't crack on the two headwalls near the end of the course.

It came down to a sprint finish at (near) the line. I ended up winning the battle between Stosh and I but Clint Claussen won the war taking the podium spot for the day.

Round two is coming up in two weeks. Peavine. I should probably get down there and do a ride... but I probably won't. Meh. Who knows.

Results here if yer interested.