Date:
20 November 2005
Location: Golden Gate Park
Category: C
Distance/Time: 4 laps
Field: 69
Conditions: Clear & chilly with a cold wind
Teammates: None
I got an early start this morning as I wanted
a chance to ride the course before the women raced.
The men's C's started at 8:50am but he Women B
and C's started at 8am and there was no preriding
the course while another race was going on. I
got a prime parking spot right across from where
the bathrooms were and the trail to the start/finish
line was. Guess it helps to arrive at 6:30am...
Did a couple laps to get a feel for the course
it was a nice laid out course but the big downfall
for me was a lot of technical soft turns or some
real sharp turns. Stuff that I knew was going
to cause problems the 1st lap. Plus with 69 starters
the field was huge and we starting 1 minute behind
the Masters B men who also had a big field. So
alot of riders on the course makes for some tough
passes.
I chatted with a few of the sandbaggers I was
racing with prior to start as we all made sure
to stay close and get a good start to avoid the
bottle necks. As we staged I was in the front
row but down the polo field section I was being
passed by a lot of people and sure enough the
first half of the 1st lap was spent dodging people
stuck in the sandy soft turns. What a mess and
I was caught behind it all. So I spent the next
2 laps recovering my lost ground. On the 3rd lap
I caught my Pen Velo guy and we discussed tatics
as to where the leaders were, actually it was
more like 1 word sentences as we were both spent
from the day before. I passed him and with his
cheering for the masters B riders to get out of
way we made decent time and gained a couple spots
but a few of the Masters guys did not want us
to pass and on single track it is hard to make
a move to pass. I know that cost us some time.
But we were both trying hard just to finish in
our current spots.
As we made the final turn I could see 2 other
riders who had just made the turn and the sprint
was on but with nothing left in the tank I did
a half attempted sprint and didn't catch them.
I was hoping for a top 10 so 11th is decent but
not where I wanted to be. All the usual people(sandbaggers)rounded
out the top 10.
Next race: Sunday Nov 27 CCCX #4 Prunedale (Manzanita
Park)
Travis Tonn.
San Jose Bicycle Club
Racing since 1939
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