Golden State Crit - 45+ 3/4/5, 35+ 3/4

Golden State Crit Race Report 24 May, 2008
By Michael ORourke

After a brief rest after the Elite 3, we’re cuing up for the 45+ 3/4/5 race. The road has dried. Generally the Masters riders are more stable, so in my mind, the hardest part of the day is over and I can think less about the other racers and more about my own game. I know a few of these guys and the biggest question in my mind is will there be a break, or field sprint. Jes is in the field, as well as Mark Patten. They’re former teammates. Both these guys can stay off the front if they want so I’ll have to watch them. For the most part the race was pretty uneventful. As expected, no crashes or goofiness. No breakaways either. 30 minutes went by before I knew it, and then the lap cards come out with 5 to go. I eased back a little with the anticipation of moving up at three to go, which is exactly what I did. A stroke of luck for me on the last lap as someone stumbled a bit thru the hairpin. I smoothly slipped up my favorite inside line and into 6th position with relatively little effort. Perfect, right where I want to be! It had the added benefit of forcing the rest of the field into a chase that would tap their legs a bit for the sprint. Never forget that luck always factors into crit racing. The trick seems to be staying relaxed, fluid and dynamic so you can quickly recover from or exploit events as they present themselves. So, down the back straight and I’m safely tucked into the draft around 6th place. Cool, frosty and fresh. Thru the next right with one turn to go. I can see the guys in front of me glancing at each other, sizing each other up. I think they were trying to assess who might jump first after the last turn. Remember what I said about exploiting opportunities? It couldn’t have happened at a better time. 350 meters out and these guys are thinking about it?! Without hesitation - more of a reflex than a thought - I grab two gears, drop to the inside and pin it. A hard line thru the corner, and as soon as my bike came back something close to vertical, “Ride like you stole it”! This time that feeling of pulling it off turned out to be right. The jump must have caught these guys unaware, and it was over before it was done. I didn’t look back (another rule of mine), but I’m told by the race officials there was a good 20 to 30 meter gap. Finally, a “W” and some upgrade points.

Another rest and the 35+ 3/4 race is under way. By now the officials have removed the hairpin as too many riders have crashed. So now it’s a straight up 4 corner crit, with some wind. Yup, just begging for a breakaway. The strategy? Wait for some guys to get off the front…not too far…and bridge up when it looks like it’s the right mix and might stick. After a little over the half way thru and a few break attempts, it looks like this one will stick. Mike form Chico Corsa, whom I know to be strong, another Mike from Davis, Jes (remember him?) and one other are in the break and they all have a strong team contingent in the main group. Jeff, from Chico Corsa and one of the other teammates are already trying to block, and the others will soon follow suit. The timing couldn’t be better! As I jump up the left side on the home straight, I see Ron from Rio Strada coming up the right with the same idea. I meter my effort to merge neatly behind his wheel for a nice tow to the lead group. As we approach I pull thru and continue the drive as Ron yells at the others to get on. For the next 10 laps or so the six of us work together fairly well. Some guys needed a little more prodding than others, but we were getting it done. Again, before I knew it, the lap cards came out with 5 to go. Time to start thinking about the finish. We can’t let up or start attacking each other yet or the main group will pull us back. Here’s the part of crit racing that’s a little like poker – the bluff. Look like you’re really hurting and barely hanging on. Gap a little at the back and skip a pull. Not too many…just one here and one there. When you do pull thru, make sure it’s only enough to do some work. Remember, you’re racing with and against each other at the same time. As we cross the line with 3 to go it looks like we’ll stay away. Then, the craziest thing I’ve seen to date: what appears to be a 5 or 6 year old kid has made the executive decision to run across the course right in front of us!! Of course he’s a kid, and half way across he panics and does his crazy squirrel impersonation. “I can make it..no I can’t..wait..I can”. Fortunately, no one got hurt. Unfortunately, it split our little group into threes, with those less fortunate (Ron, Jes, and the other guy) getting swallowed up by the main group. Just me, Mike and Mike. Three Mikes in the break. Told you it was a strange race! Chico Mike seemed to be suffering the most and Davis Mike seemed to be superfresh, with me in between. Again, I figure my best chance is a 300 meter jaunt to the line. The trick is to take my last pull early enough to force someone else out front before the sprint. In hindsight, I should have tried to force Davis into the last lead out, but it didn’t work out that way. Instead, I attacked Chico Mike at the same spot as last race, with Davis Mike on my wheel. As expected I dropped one and the other pulled thru for the win. Still, I’ll take second place over a poke in the eye any day, and three top tens in one day doesn’t suck too bad either