Date:
19 November 2005
Event: Crankbrothers US Grand Prix
Category: C
Field: 38
Conditions: warm
Teammates: none
I was anticicpating a big field for this race
because of the publicity of it. The final weekend
of the USGP of Cyclocross so it was going to bring
out the people plus with the Sacramento series
done I know a few of them would make the drive.
Sure enough 38+ started and a pretty technical
somewhat flat but 1 good size run up and 1 real
long and steep run up course. I prerode the course
twice to get a feel for it. I could tell I was
going to over power the course. There was a lot
of flat sections where I could make up lost time
from my horrible negotiations of the technical
stuff.
I was 17th overall in the Surf City series going
in to the fianl race. Top 5 overall got a nice
goodie bag so I was shooting for a win to catapult
me into 5th overall. We started a little late
and right off the bat we were bottle necked for
the 1st half of the 1st lap until a long straight
section so we could get spaced out. I felt like
I couldn't get a good pace going and was picking
some bad lines and I was paying dearly for them
by going too hard on the flat sections to catch
up. I consistently made an attempt to reel in
each rider as I closed the gap on them. With 3
laps done I was hurting but I could see one of
the top riders for the category so I made it my
mission to try to pass him. I really had no idea
what place I was since there was 3 races going
on and all were big fields. I passed the 5th place
guy about a 1/3 of the way into the last lap and
had my sight set on the Pen Velo guy who ended
up 3rd. I did as much I could to power through
the course but he was too smooth and I would lose
time on the technical stuff only to go all out
to gain the time I lost on him. On the homestretch
I had him in my sight but ran out of road. My
goal was a top 5 finish and I succeeded at that.
1st would have been great but I will settle for
4th. Overall for the series I was 8th.
I watched Christine Thorborn race her 1st race
but missed Chris Horner's debut at cross but I
read he came in 13th. I will try to stay to watch
him tomorrow at Golden gate Park.
Next race: Sunday Pilarcitos US GP of Cyclocross
Finals
Travis Tonn.
San Jose Bicycle Club
Racing since 1939
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