Well, it seems that I have a bit of learning to do. There were 37 in the Cat 5s, the course was a race track that was mostly a false flat that netted us around 1300 feet of climbing for the entire 20 mile race, the temp was below 35 and it was windy as heck on the only down hill section. My expectation was that the 37 would stay mostly together and work together to pull in the break aways, if a strong break away went, I would give it a go with them and if not I would stay towards the front for a good spot at the finish. The race went NOTHING like I had imagined.
After an early attack I found myself in the front pulling him back in, I then threw out a counter attack of my own, 2 joined me, but I soon realized that I was to excited and racing stupid, plus they had no intention of working because when I slowed they did to, so we fell back into the main group. I stayed 6 or so back in the main group to try to stay out of trouble, good thing I did because before we finished the 1st lap of 8 there was the distinct banging of bikes and someone rolling in the grass 10 or so back over my right shoulder. I continued to stay 6 or so back with the same guys in front of me at this point we were putting out a pretty hard pace and I was starting to feel it a bit more than I wanted so early in the race. There were a couple of hard attacks that I did not go with because the pace was so hard I figured we would certainly get caught, but then no one seemed to want to pull them back, I would watch as they would ride away until I could not take any more and chase them down my self, problem is I would tow people back up every time. This happened at least twice, the 3rd time 3 got off of the front and got a good gap on us, I jumped hard after the attack and managed to only bring one guy, who I dropped. The break meant business this time and I had to work really hard to get on, but I did, so there were 4 of us. Problem is by the time I got on, the guy in the front (who had been hammering in the front most of the race) decided that if we were not going to work he was slowing down, I wanted to work, but I did not have it in me from just chasing. So all that work and 5 more guys caught us to make it 9, we maintained the 9 for the rest of the race, lapping some of the group who was now scattered across the track. Final lap bell rang and no attacks the 1st half, so I figured that at 4 back I was in a decent spot for a sprint finish and had just enough in me. With about 1k left the guy who had been in the front most of the time and was still in the front attacked right off of the front, I had a chance to follow him, but we were still a long way off and I thought he would never make it. He may not have if we had worked together, but everyone just took off like a bunch of crazy people and I did not have enough to make it from as far out as we were. So I gave it my all to grab a 6th place finish. Looking back I think I made quite a few mistakes, the biggest was not going with some of the breaks most importantly with the guy who had proved he was a beast by staying in the front the entire race. Had I went with him I would have at least taken 2nd, maybe even beat him out for a sprint. I hate hind sight!! Feel free to tear apart my poor strategy or lack of....
After an early attack I found myself in the front pulling him back in, I then threw out a counter attack of my own, 2 joined me, but I soon realized that I was to excited and racing stupid, plus they had no intention of working because when I slowed they did to, so we fell back into the main group. I stayed 6 or so back in the main group to try to stay out of trouble, good thing I did because before we finished the 1st lap of 8 there was the distinct banging of bikes and someone rolling in the grass 10 or so back over my right shoulder. I continued to stay 6 or so back with the same guys in front of me at this point we were putting out a pretty hard pace and I was starting to feel it a bit more than I wanted so early in the race. There were a couple of hard attacks that I did not go with because the pace was so hard I figured we would certainly get caught, but then no one seemed to want to pull them back, I would watch as they would ride away until I could not take any more and chase them down my self, problem is I would tow people back up every time. This happened at least twice, the 3rd time 3 got off of the front and got a good gap on us, I jumped hard after the attack and managed to only bring one guy, who I dropped. The break meant business this time and I had to work really hard to get on, but I did, so there were 4 of us. Problem is by the time I got on, the guy in the front (who had been hammering in the front most of the race) decided that if we were not going to work he was slowing down, I wanted to work, but I did not have it in me from just chasing. So all that work and 5 more guys caught us to make it 9, we maintained the 9 for the rest of the race, lapping some of the group who was now scattered across the track. Final lap bell rang and no attacks the 1st half, so I figured that at 4 back I was in a decent spot for a sprint finish and had just enough in me. With about 1k left the guy who had been in the front most of the time and was still in the front attacked right off of the front, I had a chance to follow him, but we were still a long way off and I thought he would never make it. He may not have if we had worked together, but everyone just took off like a bunch of crazy people and I did not have enough to make it from as far out as we were. So I gave it my all to grab a 6th place finish. Looking back I think I made quite a few mistakes, the biggest was not going with some of the breaks most importantly with the guy who had proved he was a beast by staying in the front the entire race. Had I went with him I would have at least taken 2nd, maybe even beat him out for a sprint. I hate hind sight!! Feel free to tear apart my poor strategy or lack of....
