All the cat 4 head's of state showed up Saturday morning for the 56 miles, 5 climbs + risers course through beautiful Avery Trace outside of Cookeville, TN. I knew who would be attacking early, who would push the pace on the climbs, who would threaten the sprint finish, and overall who I needed to stay with.
The race started out as I had predicted. We started the first climb and one of the junior riders attacked immediately. He was in a bend up the road maybe 6 riders ahead of me when he crashed. That's right, crashed going up the first climb. It appeared he was attacking with too much gusto, lifted his front wheel, the wheel came down a little sideways, and he went over the top (I later heard him say he pulled out of his pedal.) I couldn't help but laugh a little as I road past him (It was okay; he hopped right up and was getting back on the bike.).
That first climb did make me push a decent amount and even then I went back through the peloton a few positions. We descended and shortly after started climb #2. The same junior was back and ready for more. He attacked again and took two more guys with him, I think both juniors as well. We let them go knowing they wouldn't be able to hold it and our group could pull them back whenever we chose. This 2nd climb was a little easier for me as I stayed in the front. It wasn't long after I led the descent down the backside of climb #2 that we were onto climb #3. It's a little fuzzy in my memory, but I believe I stayed up there in the front again, because I'm pretty sure I led the charge down the backside and the first pull on the flats to try to bring in the junior breakaway guys. The rest of the group wasn't as set on bringing in the break yet, so after 2-3 pulls we just chilled and strolled along until we hit climb #4: the most important climb in my race book. We had caught 2 of the 3 breakaway guys, so only the eager junior attacker was still out front as we started climb #4.
Climb #4 started gradual and then picked up, and so did everyone else. I'm assuming the climbers and other top guys in the race all had the same idea: "Drop Matt on this climb." We hit it hard. I started to fade and watch several riders pass me. I could see the head's of state going up the road. That's when I ponied up. I said heck no. I kicked it and accelerated hard. I caught back on a wheel and stayed glued to it. Pleasantly the climb ended shortly after that. The field didn't let up though. They were playing it smart and knew that if they had made any gaps on me, they could capitalize and put me away with a big effort on top of this plateau, as the descent from this mountain would not come until 16 miles down the road. We were hauling on top of this mountain and I was hanging on to the last wheel in a group of guys strung out maybe 15 riders long. The gradient tilted my way a bit and I eased back through these guys and up to the front. I'm not sure, but I'm betting they were shocked to see me. I was at the front again as we started to slow back down and we could see the lone breakaway guy just up the road. Once he turned around and saw us, he sat up and waited to get absorbed.
We continued on pretty easily for the next few miles; no one wanted to do any work. I remember taking pulls on the front and letting my mind wander as I gazed at the beautiful landscape around me. We strolled up to the feed zone where I was able to get a nice cold bottle of water thanks to awesome volunteers out there in the heat giving up their Saturday. Somewhere over the next 2-4 miles, I guess I was dazed with the countryside and not paying attention to the race, as were most other riders. One rider got off the front and out of sight. Most of us (only the breakaway rider's head of state teammate and one more guy knew) had no idea there was a rider off the front. And the lackadaisical riding continued once we passed the feedzone. So, we were cruising around at 17 and 18 mph through the valley with one rider riding away with the State Road Race victory. Somehow we all came to that realization with about 8 miles to go. The pace picked up and attacks started going off the front. We were back to racing. The eager junior also made another appearance with a big attack when I was leading the group. No one responded, so it was up to me to drag this guy back in. Starting slowly I reeled him shutting down the attack by myself. We made a 90' left hand turn and started up a decent sized hill. There was the lead rider. We could see him 3/4's up the climb. He was within reach and we would not be racing for second place (that's always a crappy feeling). As we got to the top of the climb, the race officials told us to pull over and stop riding. We were being neutralized. The reason and tragedy was then explained to us on the side of the road. The Master's 40+ race that had started before our race had a crash at the finish line, a very bad crash. The official told us there were bodies laying on the asphalt and an ambulance at the finish. We were being stopped so they could fly a helicopter in to pick up the rider that had crashed so badly. Now that things have settled, we know he was flown to Vanderbilt and taken off the ventilator later Saturday night. I'm told he will be okay now suffering a broken jaw, broken teeth, heavily lacerated tongue, and severe facial contusions. Another rider in the same crash was better off and only had a broken collar bone and transported via ambulance to a local hospital.
Now that we got some perspective and let our legs go cold from standing on the side of the road for 25 minutes, they were going to restart our race. The officials determined the lead rider had a 53 second gap on the field at the turn at the bottom of the hill, but since we were closing in on him, they were only going to give him 45 seconds when we restarted. They let him go and the clock started. I lined up in front next to Michaelee, teammate of the lead rider, so that I could get a jump and start the chase. We told each other best of luck and to make sure to ride safely. At this point we were all happy to still be upright on our bikes. At 45 seconds the official let us go. The five mile man hunt was on. I took a big first pull knowing I wouldn't be getting any help from Michaelee and his other teammates. Thankfully, there were still a few other guys that wanted to work and race for 1st, not 2nd. Once we had the lead rider in sight again, two guys attacked and bridged up to him, one was a teammate of his. We kept pulling along in the pack. At 2K to go, the road went up again. I had to put in another big effort to stay with everyone as they attacked. Just over this hill we caught the 3 lead riders. Now it was the downhill run into the finish with less than 2K to go. We started charging and were close to top speed by the 1K to go sign. Michaelee was moving up on the left along the center line. I was towards the center/right, but there were still two guys in front of me: one dead center in the road and one to the right along the white line. They were staggered with just a bit of a gap between them. If the center guy had accelerated or the right guy slowed, I would have been trapped and the race would have been over. Thankfully that did not happen; if anything the gap opened slightly as I approached. I saw the hole and jumped through gaining ground to be back alongside Michaelee. About that time, Michaelee stood up and kicked to start his sprint. We were far out, still about 600 meters from the finish. I couldn't wait though. I had to go with him. I jumped too. 500 meters to go and I had moved pass Michaelee and sat back down in the saddle, still no finish line in site. We came around a slight bend in the road and there was the finish line. I took a look over my left shoulder. Michaelee was still close, about 5 bike lengths. I stood to kick again as we passed the 200 meters to go sign. I took another look over my shoulder and could still see Michaelee, but this time I felt comfortable. I sat up just before the line and flew through the finish line crowd, the 2013 Cat 4 TN State Road Race Champion.
I must give credit where credit is due though. Thomas Evans riding for Knox Velo practically adopted me as a teammate for the day. We conversed throughout the race, he agreed to help guide me up the climbs, he worked with me to pull guys back in, he set pace on the front when no one would, he gave great efforts in the final five miles to pull those guys back in. Without Thomas, I'm pretty sure the day would have been very different. Thank you Thomas and I hope you get to read this. If there had been money on the line, it definitely would have been split with you.
No comments:
Post a Comment