J
HI All,
Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:
http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p
How the hell that happened, I don't know.
They didn't get hurt. But another guy who was a victim of a hit and
run was injured. I always ride on the right no matter what. A ditch or
tree is always a better option than a car.
My riding buddy in the red jersey lucked out. Later in the day there
was a 8-10 person crash going uphill right in front of me where I
actually got to use my track-stand skills (really!) while I looked for
an out.
Highlights of the ride for me were allowing Anita Valen to go in front
of me at the starting gate so she wouldn't get caught in too much
traffic, and pulling a group of about 50 riders up a 3km 6% hill (All
the good climbers had been dropped long ago on a steeper hill) with
spectators lining the road cheering. It was like some sort of
alternate reality. Low point was getting stuck in a group that was
going too slow, but wouldn't let me just ride away. I would just ease
my way past the 10 guy rotation they had going at the front, and they
would jump to catch me, then they would jump up the small hills, I'd
get stuck in traffic as they all sat up from winding themselves
uneccesarily, only for the whole show to repeat itself. So I opted to
just sit back and wait for the final km's to make my move after the
final hill into a headwind. I didn't participate in the rotation
because there was a guy wearing Phonak shorts and a Yellow Jersey that
pedaled like he had a rash who was about the most dangerous rider I've
ever seen up there.
The ride is 170km with a major steep hill at 5km, and a second longer
hill at 25km. This always ensures that the 600+ riders who start in
one big group end up in smaller groups of more or less comperable
levels. I almost managed to hang with the 2nd group over the first
hill, but it didn't happen, and I was "only" 6 minutes off the pace at
the 38km split after 500m of climbing. But as always, others who climb
at my speed can't match my speed on the flats so at the end of the
ride I was 30 minutes back. If I had managed to get up the hills 2
minutes quicker I would have managed to stay with a group that
finished only 10 minutes off the pace. Maybe next year!
Joseph
Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:
http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p
How the hell that happened, I don't know.
They didn't get hurt. But another guy who was a victim of a hit and
run was injured. I always ride on the right no matter what. A ditch or
tree is always a better option than a car.
My riding buddy in the red jersey lucked out. Later in the day there
was a 8-10 person crash going uphill right in front of me where I
actually got to use my track-stand skills (really!) while I looked for
an out.
Highlights of the ride for me were allowing Anita Valen to go in front
of me at the starting gate so she wouldn't get caught in too much
traffic, and pulling a group of about 50 riders up a 3km 6% hill (All
the good climbers had been dropped long ago on a steeper hill) with
spectators lining the road cheering. It was like some sort of
alternate reality. Low point was getting stuck in a group that was
going too slow, but wouldn't let me just ride away. I would just ease
my way past the 10 guy rotation they had going at the front, and they
would jump to catch me, then they would jump up the small hills, I'd
get stuck in traffic as they all sat up from winding themselves
uneccesarily, only for the whole show to repeat itself. So I opted to
just sit back and wait for the final km's to make my move after the
final hill into a headwind. I didn't participate in the rotation
because there was a guy wearing Phonak shorts and a Yellow Jersey that
pedaled like he had a rash who was about the most dangerous rider I've
ever seen up there.
The ride is 170km with a major steep hill at 5km, and a second longer
hill at 25km. This always ensures that the 600+ riders who start in
one big group end up in smaller groups of more or less comperable
levels. I almost managed to hang with the 2nd group over the first
hill, but it didn't happen, and I was "only" 6 minutes off the pace at
the 38km split after 500m of climbing. But as always, others who climb
at my speed can't match my speed on the flats so at the end of the
ride I was 30 minutes back. If I had managed to get up the hills 2
minutes quicker I would have managed to stay with a group that
finished only 10 minutes off the pace. Maybe next year!
Joseph