Saturday, June 30, 2007

Back...

It has been one thing after another for me since the Gila stage race. even in the race I was plaged by bad luck. I won't lie it has been frustrating. but in this world of cycling you just can't give up. today I was back. maybe not all the way but back to myself. my result was pretty good, not sure excatly of my pace? but I felt good. riding like my old self. and that is the best feelimng.
~Today marked the beginning of the “Hill climbs” in CO.
These are mass start races that ascend long and difficult climbs, normally with no flat ground to start with. Just straight up. It provides a very interesting type of bike racing. You need to be a climber yes, you need to be a good TTer yes. You can almost ride just your own race the draft is not much on a steep grade but there is some. There are also sections of false flats or even some short down hills. Don’t want to get left behind when you could be getting a “free ride”. So it make for some very precise, calculated racing. The culmination of these races is the mt Evans hill climb. 20+ miles into the sky topping out at 14,000 feet or something crazy. Sub 2 hours would have you doing very well in the pro race.
Today was the sunshine Canyon Hill climb. arguably the easiest of the 3. sub 45’ if your doing well with a few flat sections and the last 3rd on dirt. Which again make for tough racing. Know what happens when you stand up on a 12% grade dirt road? Your back wheel slides. Better have the juice to sit and hammer!! Trying to get some pictures but internet security is surpassing my hacker skills. here's a PIC of me in over drive
race report up!

2 comments:

Zoo said...

Dude, your front wheel is off the ground as your climbing :P

Unknown said...

yeah it was 15% or more right there.