Race Report: Johnson City Omnium

Well, I had high hopes for Roan Groan, but I think in the back of my mind I was skeptical all along. And when we hit the climb, it became clear to me that I am still weak. And very slow going up.

The peloton approached the climb together with no breaks. As we started ascending, I was sitting 3^rd wheel behind Hicks pulling and Nathaniel 2^nd wheel. Couldn’t have asked for it any better position wise. I shifted down to keep a high cadence, but never really fell into a rhythm. My heart rate shot up to over 180 and stayed there. About 2 or so miles into the climb it became clear I was not going to be able to hang when Hicks accelerated again and a huge group came around me to stay on his wheel as I went back through the field. It was a huge group and very demoralizing. I was spinning a high cadence, but I just couldn’t go any faster. My heart was pounding and it was all I could do to keep on pushing the same pace I’d been going. The climb was relentless too. Around every turn was just another long rise. There were some great views though. I yo-yoed with some other riders for a while as we pressed on. I wish we had finished at Carver’s gap because that’s about where my body started to really hurt and wanted to quit. But no, we took a right hand turn and continued on for another 1.75 miles. At this point we were climbing into the clouds that covered the road limiting sight of the ever-rising road. The temperature was dropping and the wind was strong. This section of the climb really seemed to go on and on and I never knew where the finish was supposed to come. My computer already read over the stated mileage of the race. Then all of a sudden out of the clouds there were some volunteers telling us to stay to the left as we made a right turn. Weird to be on the left. Then there was the finish. The monstrous climb was finally concurred. The wind and 40 degree temperature on top of the mountain made it very chilly up top while we were standing around. Thankfully, I got a ride from a teammate so I didn’t have to bike the course backwards to get back to my car.

After a short rest and some lunch, I was back at it warming up for the TT. It was supposed to be a 3.2 mile straight course with a one mile climb and a 6.7% descent on the backside. At the start line, I got some advice from last year’s RR champion which I think really helped: attack the hill hard and do what you can for the rest of the race. Well, I hit it hard and caught my 30 second guy at the top of the hill which was definitely less than a mile. The descent was definitely not 6.7% so I didn’t get to recover much from redlining it on the climb. I pushed on, but began to run out of gas and struggle as the finish line was nowhere in sight. On the flat straight I continued to give it as much as I could until I saw some cars including a cop car up a slight rise blocking the road off. I figured this was the finish so I backed off a bit in preparation for the rise. About this time, I saw the true finish where the officials were. So I ran out of gas, but I think attacking the hill was still the better thing to do. Finished in 8:26 good enough for 3^rd, 7 seconds behind 1^st and 5 behind 2^nd.

Sunday’s crit started out very fast. I think we probably dropped half our field in the first 5 to 7 laps. It got the HR up and going and made me shift up to the big ring; something I don’t usually do until late into the race. At some point, a small kid went off the front at which I told myself not to worry about him because I didn’t think he was strong enough to stay off for the next 10 or so laps. I don’t know when or how it actually happened (wish I had seen it and gone with him), but a BPC rider bridged the gap up to the solo leader. No one in the peloton wanted to work with Will and me so our efforts to pull the two leaders back were futile. The group was going to be sprinting for 3^rd place. I knew where I wanted to jump and then launch my sprint since I had scouted the course earlier in the day between some other races. What I hadn’t planned on was leading the entire last lap. However, it was working out just fine. I had a strong pull and accelerated on the rise preventing anyone from attacking me. I came through the last corner in first and shifted into the appropriate gear. I gave another acceleration and still no one was beside me. It was beginning to look like I was going to take the sprint without ever actually sprinting. Then about 25 meters from the finish line, the announcer said one lap to go. I was confused. I was pretty sure that they rang the bell last time around, but the laps-to-go had seemed to be jumping around and we had only been riding 35 minutes in a 40 minute race. I sat up at which point two racers passed me before the line. Ended up that was actually the last lap and I took 5^th.  I was pissed. I tried to talk to the announcer after I finished my cool down lap, but it was obvious he was an idiot and didn’t know what he was doing. It was too difficult and frustrating trying to talk to him so I just left and did another lap.

Good things about the race were that it was a really fun course with two sections of narrow alley way and tight corners combined with wide sweeping ones right after. I also took the first prime of the race away from Will as we were coming through the last corner. Then for the second prime, I passed Will in the corner and then beat another rider about 10 meters from the line. It felt good to snatch those away. I also have to consider it a positive that my legs were feeling good, I timed and planned the move right, and I was outriding my competitors. Really wish I had gotten those 7 more BAR points and 20 more dollars though.

I managed to hang onto the BAR leader spot but just barely. Things have been shaken and I need some good performances at the next few races if I want to pull it out. Time to get back to training. 

Some photos I took of the Cat 3 race.