Zayama Hill Climb, crash report

NomadVW

I'd only ridden the course for this hill climb once before. It's a much easier hill climb than the major hill climb that goes in November in this area.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=570682

You can turn the elevation profile on Google Maps, but you'll have to kinda mentally connect the dots. I've yet to GPSr the course yet, but probably will because it'll be a nice course to add into my hilly routes.

The course starts uphill and the group hung together for most of it. It was a mass start instead of a TT style start. We climbed together at about 20kph. One rider took off over the "top" of the first climb where it pretty much levels out for a couple kilometers. I peeled out from the lead up guy and dragged the pack behind me. We set a decent pace and were doing 38-39kph around the windy roads.

I remember thinking, "My legs feel great!" Then... the left pedal clipped the ground and launched me. Fortunately for all, I didn't take anyone else out. I landed squarely on my head and right shoulder. Upon inspection of the bike, my front tire clincher had popped out of the wheel in one place about 6-8 inches long. I'm not sure if this was the result of me crashing or the cause of me crashing. I've never clipped a pedal before in any turns at any speed. I can only think that when the tire came "out" it started a slide that I don't remember but my pedal caught while I was spinning about 105-110rpms according to the PT file.

A truck stopped, deflated my tire and reinflated it while I massaged the shoulder. A buddy of mine and one of our national MTB racers stopped. Took about 3 minutes to get going and we set back up the mountain. No damage to the kit, but the helmet is shot. Giro Atmos, cracked to the living daylights.

I didn't do too badly all things considered. The last and only time I rode the course I did it in 31 minutes. Got done today in just over 27 minutes. I can't pull up right now on the right side, and my body reminded me of that a number of times the rest of the way up.

The course winner took the victory in just under 24 minutes, which is a bummer because I think I could have chased him down.

Funny thing, when it's not your day... it's really not your day. Came across the finish line, and was turning around to get out of the way and psssshhhhh. My front tire pinch flats. Glad it happened there rather than on the way back down the mountain, but had to get a ride down the mountain.

Still can't really move my right shoulder around much. Will hop on for an hour tomorrow and see what I can get out of the arm. Injuries suck.

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Cycling in Iwakuni Blog