I try to keep my head up and always tell myself that I have a good chance, no matter how disappointed I am from recent rides or races. We were listening to the radio on the way over and the song "Alive" came on from P.O.D. The first line reminded me that all was not lost yet: "Every day is a new day." We were a bit pushed for time to get ready due to my late afternoon nap. I was pleased to see dry conditions when we arrived. But Mother Nature could not stay kind to us for very long with parts of Hurricane Isaac still swirling around Missouri and Illinois. It was also very humid which was spawning even more pop-up showers. Just as the Pro Women lined up, the bottom fell out. Shannon and I got soaked getting back to the car. We brought a 10' x 10' pop-up tent for the weekend and actually had the space to set it up this time. I was able to sit under the tent and warm up on the trainer while it poured buckets. I felt bad for the women as they raced in the middle of the downpour.
Kids Race
The rain stopped just prior to our scheduled start time. I stayed on the trainer as long as possible to get in as much warm-up as I could. My legs were good, but I couldn't hit the heart rates I saw on Friday night. I got to the line just before the start, which got me a spot on the back row of probably close to 100 riders.
Race distance for the Tour de Francis Park was 75 minutes plus 4 laps on a 1.3-mile square course around Francis Park in the Francis Hills neighborhood of St. Louis. The course begins with a slight uphill to the first of four 90-degree left turns. The straightaways are all about the same length. It's flat between turns 1 and 2. A downhill follows turn 2 that leads to a fast and somewhat off-camber turn 3. This turn is followed immediately by a sharp climb that tops out a good 150 meters before turn 4. The start/finish straight is slightly downhill coming out of turn 4, then begins to rise slightly just before the finish line. Overall, it's a very fast and wide course. The biggest dangers are a grouping of deep manhole covers at the bottom of the downhill and some bumps and manholes in the middle of turn 3.
Tour de Francis Park course
We did not start as quick as we did on Friday. I took full advantage of this and moved up in the field on the first lap. Most of the race, the inside of the course was the place to be if you wanted to move up. It was often more open than the outside. The rain may have stopped, but water was still coating the entire course. There were several ripples and dips in the pavement before, and in the middle of, turn 2 that were holding water. There was one puddle on the outside of the course just before turn 2 that was deep. I had feared the slickness of turns 1 and 3 prior to the race. Turn 1 got slick last year with just a light drizzle falling. It only took 2 laps to find out that turns 2 and 3 were going to be the challenges. I could feel my bike sliding through turn 2. We then had 6 or 7 riders go down the second time through turn 3 after somebody slipped on one of the manhole covers.
The peloton heads toward turn 4 on wet roads
Peloton going through turn 4
I was hurting a little coming out of the corners, but I held my spot unlike Friday. I found a good line through turn 3 just a few laps into the race. One lane up from the far inside was smooth and fast, letting you hold more momentum onto the climb which made my life much easier. There was a crash in turn 2 early in the race as well and I was well away from that. I actually got comfortable in the group after 30 minutes and went to the front to wait for a prime and keep myself out of danger.
Cole House attacking up the left side of the road
I mixed it up at the front for a while, not always on purpose. I kept following wheels toward the front and just kept finding myself on the front. I stayed in the top 10 for a few laps, following the accelerations as breaks tried to materialize. As tempted as I might have been, I resisted the urge to follow any of the attacks. I like to go hard when I feel good, but I'm not stupid. I can't make it stick and I know that. My best option is to stay put and wait for the sprint. I did go for one $200 prime, but couldn't make it happen. Two guys slipped off the front on the downhill. I tried to bridge through turn 3 and up the hill, but I just drug the whole group with me and got smoked by five guys through turn 4. The good thing was that by being at the front, I missed out on a huge crash that happened in the middle of the group going up the hill. There was a rider laying in the road for 3 or 4 laps that we had to go around. He ended up being carted off on a backboard. There must have been 50 riders involved because it was a HUGE pack coming out of the pits the lap following the accident.
A break trying to form off the front of the peloton
The pack rolling through turn 4
Two riders off the front
There were a lot of active teams, but no break ever got the right combination to stay away. The course was drying out some near the end. The sun actually came out for a few minutes, which blinded us all going into turn 1. Turn 2 remained really wet and slick despite the sun. There was just too much water puddled there for it to dry all the way out. We had another big crash there with 8 laps to go. Again, I slid by easily on the inside. I was feeling tired now and slipped back in the group. I dropped back, but I never got farther back than halfway in the group. I managed to work my way back up into the top 20 with 4 to go. It was hard to stay up front. The speed was high. Jelly Belly was again controlling the front.
One rider out front in turn 3
Turn 3
More riders trying to slip off the front on the downhill
Slippery turn 2
Riders passing one of many churches along the course
A Jelly Belly and Mercy duo trying to escape
I was top 30 with a lap to go. One guy sprinted for the line and raised his hands in triumph only to hear the bell ringing for one lap to go. That must've been a terrible feeling, especially since he was celebrating so hard in front of a big crowd. I got a good run up the inside after turn 1. I had a rider ahead of me, but he slowed down before getting all the way up front. I wasn't content to stay in 30th, so I shot around him with my momentum. I was out in the wind, but I was sure I could get a draft as I moved up. It was so fast that everyone ahead was single-file. I was kind of screwed. I tried to weasel my way into the line, but was met with some elbows. I tried again with the same result. My options were to slow down and try to squeeze in or stay out in the wind and hold my position. I was not about to back off so I held the hammer down and stayed in the wind.
2 laps to go
This rider though he had won...but there was still a lap to go.
I was hurting bad as we entered turn 2. I got pinched into the curb a little and lost some spots. I was blocked in down the hill, but squeezed out a few positions entering turn 3. I had good legs, but I was maxed out already. I was just able to hold my position up the hill and to turn 4. A few riders came flying by on the outside just after turn 4. I did the whole sprint seated and picked off a few riders to maybe crack the top 45. I haven't seen official results yet, but I counted 43rd on Shannon's finish video clip. I think I could've done better if I hadn't had to be out in the wind so long, but that's the way it goes. I did the best I could with the situation I was in.
Rider streak through the finish line
I am very happy with the effort here. It was 100,000 times better than Friday. It made the trip seem worthwhile. No matter what happens the rest of the weekend, at least I had one good day! We completed 40.5 miles in the race in 1:25:50 with a 28.3 mph average speed. My average heart rate was 173, with a max of 187, hit in turn 2 on the final lap. CyclingNews race report is posted here. We got poured on again shortly after the race, before we could get the bike and tent packed up in the car. You know it's been a rainy weekend when your hairdryer is working overtime to dry shoes and clothes are hanging up to dry in every corner of the hotel room.
Elevation and heart rate profile for my race
Attempting to dry out my riding shoes
Wet clothes hanging everywhere for the second day in a row
Race video from Tour de Francis Park
No comments:
Post a Comment