Speed Week: Charlotte

     Saturday we brought the crit. invasion to the Charlotte, NC community of Dilworth for the Dilworth Criterium. This course was tougher, featuring a very long climb to the start/finish line. The back of the course was nearly all downhill. To add to the difficulty, there were two hairpin left turns. One came at the bottom of the hill, making for a tricky end to the descent and a very hard start to the climb. The other hairpin was at the top of the climb. So essentially, you started and ended the climb with a 180-degree turn, which translates into sprint as hard as you can over and over.

Dilworth Criterium course

Cat. 2/3 Men topping the hill

Cat. 2/3 Men

Pro Women at the top of the climb

Pro Women in the hairpin turn at the bottom of the climb

Pro Women on course

Cat. 2/3 Men finish

     I knew my chances were slim on this course. The repeated accelerations from the hairpins would hurt me at the pace this group would be setting. I was not as fortunate with my start spot today and was on the next to last row. Again, well over 100 riders on the start line. The start was not too furious since there was a descent almost immediately. The first few runs up the hill were manageable. Then came the primes. I hate primes! The pace got ugly and I was immediately struggling. Guys were getting dropped on lap 4 and the gaps were everywhere. I got gapped after 6 laps, but managed to get back on in time to see one of the Kenda riders take a pee while going down the descent. That takes talent that I don't have.

3 riders jumping off the front early in the Pro Men's race

United Healthcare split the field early on. It eventually came back together, but not before many riders were popped off.

Pro Men race up the climb

     My race was short as I got dropped on the climb on lap 11. I nearly got put in the curb coming off the turn before the climb and that was all it took to get me dropped. Once I lost my momentum, it was all over as I was hurting way too bad to stand up and sprint the climb. I got pulled after 12 laps and just 16 minutes. I was disappointed to get pulled so early. I'm just not strong enough to hold 24.4 mph average speed on a course like that. It sucked, but there was still a day to go and another chance to hang on longer.

Me after getting popped off the back

The break of 4 that got away near the end of the race and stole the show

The pack goes into the hairpin turn at the top of the climb

Pro Men come off the hairpin turn before the climb