K-W road race

Applied Cycling physics 101:

Position is not an indication of effort applied...

Sounds like a good excuse ;0)

So yesterday was the next round in the O-cup series, the K-W classic.

I like that course, fast (safe) descents, false flats and short punchy climbs.

I was feeling pretty good so I thought I'd try to be a bit more pro-active with the breaks.

There are certain things I fail to understand but have however come to accept about bike racing and those that do it.

Like why is it some people put in a huge effort to create a break, get 50 feet or more on the pack and then promptly sit straight up and give up? I mean what exactly was their motive in expending all that effort only to give up as soon as it seemed to be working?

Maybe they are afraid of success, perhaps as soon as they see they might actually have to commit to the implications of the effort they just put out they decide it's all too overwhelming.

Anyway what ever it is I decided to roll over the top of one such break and keep going; pausing only momentarily to offer a short critic of their riding styles.

I hooked on with a Z team guy and together we managed to stay away for nearly two laps. Although it wasn't ever likely to succeed with only the two of us, I hoped for some more people to bridge across.

And when a group of 5 or so came up the road, I hoped it would stick.....the peloton had another idea though.

So after that I worked hard to get away for another few laps but nothing happened.

Then just as i sat up to rest in the pack, top up my water supply (big thanks to Sandra and Ernesto for working the feed so well)

7 guys went up the road without me....typical.

luckily though two of our guys were there.

When they had put 1min 30 into the group I thought we would never see them again.


But with the break bought back with 1 lap to go it was all to play for again


and coming in to the final corners I was exactly where I had hoped and planned to be.


I had been playing the race through my head, a lot in the weeks before hand, in fact pretty much from the end of it last year.

however apparently my plan had some flaws in it and my dream position wasn't the quite the place to be after all (you live and learn though right).

Leading out on the final straight I tried to kick but had nothing.

I looked back to see the pack massing behind to take control, and I watched powerless, with nothing more to do than counting those that came around me as we raced towards the line.

Final placing 16th....one worse than last year, but like I said no reflection of the effort applied.

El Capitain got 7th, popping out from behind me.

The "Vegas Fund" continues to grow....

avg speed for the day 26.1 mph/42 kmph ...