Post by jamisbabe on Mar 23, 2008 18:47:26 GMT -5
Probably one of the craziest weekends I have ever had in racing was this weekend. For starters they delayed our road race on Saturday for 2.5hrs. Why they delayed it that long I don’t know. When our race started it was suppose to end. The officials new a large storm was moving in Holly even went and told one of the officials. They ignored it and said it’s small. Before we left off it was lighting very badly, raining fairly hard and very loud thunder. I personally believe they sent us off the line just so they didn’t have to refund our money. The officials IMO made a very bad call and should be fired from there position they had plenty of warning and ignored the calls they put cyclist life’s in danger. About 6 miles into the race it begins pouring rain. It was soon accompanied by ~ 60mph+ wind gust and large size hail. The race was then considered cancelled after they heard a tornado also touched down nearby. I wasn’t worried about who was in front of me nor was the Time team that I was trying to make it back to the car with. I wasn’t worried about anything else at this time but my safety. It was hard enough as it was to stay on the bike luckily cars were stopped because the weather was that bad. Finally I arrived back at the car to find Holly waiting on me ready to come get me. She was pretty outraged that they even started the race.
Now for the good part. Sunday was the criterium in Salisbury, NC. The course was very hard. It had two steep little hills right before the finish but with a flat spot in between each. There were A LOT of pro’s there. I seen an A&F rider, Bissel Pro Team, Time Pro Team, DLP, Rite Aid pro and not to forget Scottie Weiss (Dunno if I spelled his name right) but that guy is a beast. I knew the race was going to be hard and super fast before we even started. We take off and right out of the gun ~ 7 pro’s break away on the 8th or so lap it seemed and no one could run them down. Bianchi hincapie missed the break and did everything they could to try to catch it but I don’t think there was no hope in catching 7 pro’s up the road. So now there was still a huge peleton left. If I am not mistaking it was ~ 65-70 who started the race I do know it was 60+. People were dying off about 1 per lap from what I heard. About half way through the race at the safest point in the race (IMO) some guy totally ran into my front wheel how he did it I really can’t answer. To me it looked intentional but I think he was just so tired that he blew up at the peak of the hill and just ran right slap into my front wheel. My first thought is oh shit I am going to wreck. Lucky me the guy falls down and goes right under my bike (Yeah I ran over him). I look back in disbelief that I didn’t just wreck. I raise my hand to pit in because I thought surely he just messed up my rim. I pit in and nothing is wrong with my bike lucky me again I thought. I get back in to look back and realize more people are still dropping off like flies. Josh’s team was there and they too seemed to be struggling up the hills. Scottie laid down the hammer most of the race so much I was amazed how strong that guy was. I had a rough day I struggled most of the race doing intervals in the back I just never could get in good positioning but I passed people every time on the hill maybe this would pay off in the end. 3 laps finally came and I chose to stay near the back because I figured people were so dead that I could pass with 1 to go. 2 laps to go and I still wait but make a small move up to pass ~ 10 people. 1 lap to go and I was right patience paid off on this course. 2 curves to go and I make a big jump up near the front. I set in behind a few pro’s wheels. The 1 small hill comes I wait patiently but still in great position. The flat spot comes I start busting out a huge sprint passing people left and right. Soon I see what I think was a DLP jersey and Inferno sprinting it out. Once I looked at the results it was Inferno, Priority Health, Time, Rite Aid, and ME (YIKES – Team Clint all the way [Major inside joke]). I sprint as hard as I can to wind up with 13th. I was so close to the money it wasn’t even funny 10th was money. Improvement each race was what I was aiming for so that has happened I have went 24th, 16th, and now 13th. I feel that my sprint is really strong so strong that know I can sprint with the pro’s. In front of me was all Pro’s and 1 Cat1 so pretty good for an incoming Cat2.
I set goals at the start of each season. I never speak of them until I accomplish them if they are odd goals. One of my goals was to beat the entire CTM team. I accomplished that goal today with the exception Josh wasn’t there. Hopefully, if I choose to apply next year that will be a good resume builder. Giving myself goals each race really helps me push myself. When I get things in my head like rejection, attitude from another ride, or the feeling that I need to beat someone to accomplish something it allows me to excel because I can race off of it so much. I don’t think I will ever be the strongest rider in the field but I feel that I can be one of the strongest mental riders in the field which I feel gives me a big edge over a lot of riders. Surely, I am still a beginner in the world of the P/1/2 field and still learning. Well hope you enjoy the post! ~ CLINT ~
Now for the good part. Sunday was the criterium in Salisbury, NC. The course was very hard. It had two steep little hills right before the finish but with a flat spot in between each. There were A LOT of pro’s there. I seen an A&F rider, Bissel Pro Team, Time Pro Team, DLP, Rite Aid pro and not to forget Scottie Weiss (Dunno if I spelled his name right) but that guy is a beast. I knew the race was going to be hard and super fast before we even started. We take off and right out of the gun ~ 7 pro’s break away on the 8th or so lap it seemed and no one could run them down. Bianchi hincapie missed the break and did everything they could to try to catch it but I don’t think there was no hope in catching 7 pro’s up the road. So now there was still a huge peleton left. If I am not mistaking it was ~ 65-70 who started the race I do know it was 60+. People were dying off about 1 per lap from what I heard. About half way through the race at the safest point in the race (IMO) some guy totally ran into my front wheel how he did it I really can’t answer. To me it looked intentional but I think he was just so tired that he blew up at the peak of the hill and just ran right slap into my front wheel. My first thought is oh shit I am going to wreck. Lucky me the guy falls down and goes right under my bike (Yeah I ran over him). I look back in disbelief that I didn’t just wreck. I raise my hand to pit in because I thought surely he just messed up my rim. I pit in and nothing is wrong with my bike lucky me again I thought. I get back in to look back and realize more people are still dropping off like flies. Josh’s team was there and they too seemed to be struggling up the hills. Scottie laid down the hammer most of the race so much I was amazed how strong that guy was. I had a rough day I struggled most of the race doing intervals in the back I just never could get in good positioning but I passed people every time on the hill maybe this would pay off in the end. 3 laps finally came and I chose to stay near the back because I figured people were so dead that I could pass with 1 to go. 2 laps to go and I still wait but make a small move up to pass ~ 10 people. 1 lap to go and I was right patience paid off on this course. 2 curves to go and I make a big jump up near the front. I set in behind a few pro’s wheels. The 1 small hill comes I wait patiently but still in great position. The flat spot comes I start busting out a huge sprint passing people left and right. Soon I see what I think was a DLP jersey and Inferno sprinting it out. Once I looked at the results it was Inferno, Priority Health, Time, Rite Aid, and ME (YIKES – Team Clint all the way [Major inside joke]). I sprint as hard as I can to wind up with 13th. I was so close to the money it wasn’t even funny 10th was money. Improvement each race was what I was aiming for so that has happened I have went 24th, 16th, and now 13th. I feel that my sprint is really strong so strong that know I can sprint with the pro’s. In front of me was all Pro’s and 1 Cat1 so pretty good for an incoming Cat2.
I set goals at the start of each season. I never speak of them until I accomplish them if they are odd goals. One of my goals was to beat the entire CTM team. I accomplished that goal today with the exception Josh wasn’t there. Hopefully, if I choose to apply next year that will be a good resume builder. Giving myself goals each race really helps me push myself. When I get things in my head like rejection, attitude from another ride, or the feeling that I need to beat someone to accomplish something it allows me to excel because I can race off of it so much. I don’t think I will ever be the strongest rider in the field but I feel that I can be one of the strongest mental riders in the field which I feel gives me a big edge over a lot of riders. Surely, I am still a beginner in the world of the P/1/2 field and still learning. Well hope you enjoy the post! ~ CLINT ~
