Content with Disappointment

Ah....the 2011 racing season is official upon us!

Cherry Pie crit is the official season opener here on the NorCal racing scene. With all my bottled up excitement that had been accumulating over the off season during the long base miles (see here if confused: http://teamspecializedracing.b

logspot.com/2011/02/more-then-just-miles.html), I was ready to unleash some of it in the Pro/1/2 race. Knowing Freddie Rodriguez would again be there to guide us throughout the race and set up a perfect lead out, I knew I had an outside shot at victory. With that in mind, Larry Nolan, our team director, gave me the nod to miss out on the very early and short junior race earlier that morning in order to arrive fresh at the starting line of the latter race.

All started off in a rather cordial fashion. The usual early, unplanned moves getting reeled back, the occasional "hey, watch it!" and the ever so common, rather rough, elbow bumping up the hill, that occasionally can turn into colorful expletives. The usual testosterone filled crit racing. I knew either a breakaway with me in it, or a well planned field sprint with the help of Freddie Rodriguez would suite my style and abilities of racing. During the first half of the race, I covered a couple moves that looked somewhat serious along with the help of fellow teammates Marcus Smith and James Laberge and Larry Nolan. A few times, a half dozen of racers would get a gap of a few seconds, but no worry was needed. The moves where always brought back by acceleration from the field, usually brought on by either Rand Miller (Webcor/Alto Velo), Mike Sayers (former professional on BMC) and Logan Loader.

With approximately 3 laps to go, I knew the race would result in a field sprint. All I needed to do was coordinate with Fast Freddie how it would play out between us. He stated as long as I remained on his wheel, I would be up there. With two laps to go, everyone was fighting to steal Freddie's wheel from me, but no, it was mine, and I did not learn my childhood lesson, I never share! Coming through the start/finish on the last lap, Kirk Carlsen (Garmin/Cervelo) put in a huge pull at the front to help Freddie lead me out. Carlsen pulled a majority of the lap ( I guess being in the ProTour makes you strong...) Coming through the last real turn on the course, Mike Sayers hit it, coming around, Freddie, Carlsen and I, with Logan Loader on his wheel. Freddie and I jumped on their acceleration out of the turn, but when they hit the gas and went 60+kph, I was suffering. As we went through the chicane with about 300m to go, Sayers was fading, there was a small lull, but as we hit the base of the small hill with about 200, to go, Logan launched his sprint with Freddie on his wheel and mine on his. As Sayers started drifting back, I found myself boxed in for a few seconds, enough time for Sam Bassetti to come around me, as I was finally able to launch my sprint, it was to late to make up to loss and I had to settle for 4th place...

Not a bad result one might say, but not what I was looking for. Freddie Rodriguez did get second place, (...and I quote, roughly... " I could have won if the sprint had started off faster, I can't sprint at those speeds, it was like a track sprint"...again, somehow having been or being in the ProTour just makes you fast I guess...) As you can easily tell, again, having Freddie on the team to guide us through the sprints and teaching us how to fluidly stay in the front but out of the wind is priceless information that can really make the difference in the end.