SLO-motion crit

One good thing about having data from your races is that it keeps you honest. Otherwise, as you recount the race for friends and family, the magnitude and intensity of your exploits tend to get just a bit exaggerated. Those two laps you spent dangling off the front of the field slowly grows to become half the race. And you almost lapped the field. And surely you were going 30 mph the whole time until the entire pack did one huge TTT to bring you back. And then you pegged your heart rate for a massive last lap attack only to be caught just before the final corner (and conveniently out of view)...

Alas, I had my trusty Garmin aboard for the SLO criterium 45+ race yesterday and the data does not lie. I rode like a lightweight (which I am of course) and it probably cost me a win.

I'll keep this short. The field was pretty small--maybe 30 guys--and I didn't know most of them. I was solo but that was ok because nobody else had a strong team either. There were two Amgen (Bob Neary and KK) and two Morgan Stanley guys and then a lot of other solo riders. Nothing too noteworthy until the last couple laps when a couple guys got small gap. I gambled that other guys would bring them back, which is what happened thanks to a great effort from Brian Starr and others. Unfortunately I stayed on wheels too long and by the time I started to really sprint there wasn't enough road left to catch Jeff Woolsey (1st place) and Bob Neary (2nd) so I got 3rd. Normally I wouldn't be disappointed with a 3rd in a crit, except this wasn't a strong field and I didn't leave much on the road. That's what the data shows. A 35 mph final sprint?? Come on... that was 5 mph slower than one of my prime sprints. And most of the race was in zone 4. Weak.

But overall it was a very nice day because Gina, Brian, and I spent the afternoon in SLO with my baby sis and my brother and their spouses. We had a nice lunch at The Big Sky Cafe and then just spectated the other races. I took some pictures which I'll post later 'cause it's 73 degrees outside right now with no wind and I need a ride!