And ride we did. As with any race there are always attacks. For example's sake let's just say that the field is represented as a block of concrete and each attack is a hammer hitting the concrete. Hit the concrete enough and something will eventually fracture off, allowing the break to go up the road. That is every other race. Yesterday it felt like people were using hand grenades, not hammers.
Lining up at the start we knew this was going to be a tough race. A sharp headwind on an open highway, tight twisty roads on the back section and rolling, the entire time; not to mention the actual composition of the field. On the start line were full teams from Audi and HSP, 5 Hagens riders and a lone Team Exergy and Optum Health rider. This was going to be fast.
12 mile laps, 6 laps, under 3 hours.
The first two laps were some of the fastest racing ever been in. Let me rephrase that. The first two laps were some of the fastest racing I've been able to hang with. We just don't talk about Mt. Hood anymore.
Like I said before, hand grenades. These guys were throwing out attacks that would have broken most people but somehow the field was still managing to follow. From mid/back-pack I looked back and just saw riders streaming off the back. I knew I couldn't get caught in that situation.
After two laps the "break" (more like a split) eventually went. With a little shuffling we managed to get Bedford up there. With 5 Hagens riders, the Exergy guy, a Bikesale and Keller Rohrback rider in there, we knew there was a good chance that was it.
With that chunk of concrete missing we just rolled along. With maybe a lap and a half (two?) to go the Keller Rohrback rider came back and they took up the chase. Slowly, we started seeing little dots appear up the road. Thankfully, each time we brought one back it wasn't wearing our kit. Bedford was still up the road. As we entered the twisty section the pace started to ramp up. I managed to find myself near the front for the first time almost all race and wondered if everyone suddenly got flats. Up ahead a group of four appeared, coming back fast. Still not Bedford. One each from HSP and Audi went off the front. I hesitated, found a gap and then jumped after them. We were about 5k (maybe 3) from the finish and I knew if I could leap frog off the groups I had a chance of staying away. The group of two managed to catch the four before I got to them. After a little reshuffling the two powered away. When I made contact with the four I knew I couldn't make it the rest of the way. The hesitation and finding the gap probably cost me that opportunity. We rolled to the side and let the fast guys come by us to fight it out.
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| Chaotic sprint photo of photo by Adam E. original by Catherine Cooper |
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| Finish photo |
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