I straight up dominated today. I had read several reports (1, 2) from last year's race so I expected this to be a tough race not nothing out of my grasp. This course is notorious for cross winds and natural attrition due to the climbs. Also, the KOM and Sprint points on the line tend to keep the field together. Looking at it, I didn't think it would be that bad. Plus, I had some business to take care of after yesterday's sub-par TT.
So, race goes off, the pace is high but not unbearable. "The climb" comes and goes. If this is considered a climb these people need to go ride some 'real' roads. Yes, there's a small 13% pitch in there but this thing is short. Next lap is the KOM. Speaking of which, the KOM is about a 200m before the summit and descent so all the climbers immediately sit up before actually cresting the summit. KOM 1 comes and I'm with the lead group. Everyone sits up and I attack off the front. I get my gap on the descent and they let me just ride off the front. The tailwind pushes me all the way through the finish line and I'm gone. The entire field just sat up and looked at each other, waiting for someone else to chase. Over the next 6 laps I built up a 4 minute lead and I think the field forgot about me. 40+ miles off the front, in the wind. I'm now holding the overall with a 2:37 lead over second place. Assuming I can just finish the crit tomorrow I've got this thing in the bag.
Right. Want to read what really happened? Jump past the break...
40+ miles off the front? Me? Yeah, right. Here's what went down: separation occurred after the first KOM. And when I say separation I'm talking about the field splitting in half. I was in the slow half... That began to fracture and we had a bunch of people making stupid moves and not working together to get back to the chase group. Really, you're going to bridge a 45 second gap by yourself in a headwind?! Finally, we got a good group of ~10 riders together and we started bringing the group back. Then it happened. Heading up the smaller hill with the feed zone I dropped my chain. Couldn't pedal it back on so I was off the bike throwing it back on. By the time that was done another group had already passed me and I was on my own. I chased and chased and was ever so slowly getting back on until about lap 5 when they disappeared, never to be seen again. All in all I spent about 40 miles off the back chasing my little heart out.
Just got results: finished 56th, 10:21 off the lead and didn't make the time cut. Had I stuck with that chase group I'd have finished at or less than 5 minutes off the lead. And would be able to race tomorrow...
Hmm, not the result I was looking for when I came here. Any chance of flying back and defending that Banana Belt spot?
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