Banff Bike Fest - ITT and Criterium

Saturday, June 19

Race Lesson #347: Do not go out zumba-ing until the wee hours the night before having to drive all the way to Banff for an 8am start...!

21 km Time Trial

Tired, but stoked to try out the new Orbea in a race. Scott came along for moral support and let me borrow his FlashPoint FP60 wheelset with Powertapp! It was cool to see my wattage go through the roof everytime I hit a riser, about 5 seconds before my heart rate did the same, but I tried not to think about it too much except to keep both a little lower during those big climbs. Also tried to make sure I kept the watts over 200 for the descents immediately after a climb; that proved hard to do.
Was feeling pretty good in the saddle, although when I got passed by my 30 sec, then 60 sec, then 90 sec guys, I remembered that my fitness was indeed not at my desirable level. I did pass my 60 sec guy, as well as an RV that practically cut me off on the descent out of the Minnewanka loop; veering onto oncoming traffic at >50kmph.
Ended with a dissappointing 34:55 (last year I had 34:12). Definitely a stronger cast this year though, as evidenced by the HC results from Thursday.
I did put it all out there again, though, and felt I put in a consistent effort throughout. Just didn't have the legs.

Lezyne Criterium
Cat 5 - 5 pm start - 22 laps (lap distance 1km)

Well, a cloudy and at times drizzly day, combined with lack of sleep and lack of confidence after two poor standings left me with little desire to race again in the afternoon, even if this was a race much more suited to me.
Had a decent warmup on the trainer under the speed theory tent, then went off for my practice laps as the drizzle continued. "Crash-corner" was pretty slick, and we were worried about the big painted lines in the turn. My heart sank as I passed the start line followed by the announcement of the final lap... I was gonna be stuck at the back again! Not in this race...
Raced back to the start, damn... a good 30 men already lined up. Saw a rather large gap a row up from me and kindly asked could I move up (funny, Scott and I discussed this very problem earlier in the day and he suggested I do just that, knowing I wouldn't be one of the obstacles for someone trying to maneuver to the front.) Know I was right in the middle of the 8-abreast 3rd row. Saw Darcy at the very front, along with Kyle Husband (Deadgoat), and a little shy of 100 RMCC riders. Even as they're counting down I'm thinking I really am NOT feeling into this race...

And we're off... good clip in and easy to the "crash-corner." People were very cautious, nearly stopping to go around it, THEN the race begins.
Rows of 8 turn into 1 or 2 as the speed goes nuts immediately. I'm still about 20th as the next couple laps roll along fairly predictably. Then crash. Not where I expected, the corner heading into the long straightaway. I'm behind it but manage to avoid getting swept in it. Apparently it took down about 10 racers. But wouldn't ya know it, now there's a break, and I'm not in it! Grr. I bust my ass to catch it, and get a sinking feeling of Deja Vu from last year. Me soloing behind a break for 2 or 3 laps. This time the break was bigger, I would have no chance to catch them by myself, nor was I feeling as spunky as last year. I look back. There's a spattering of guys a ways back. I decide to wait up for them. (took me about 10 laps to figure that out last year!)
In come some teammates, Rob Wooley and Matt Joss, along with a couple other guys.
I take a few easy laps to recover but the group is working pretty well together. We are not bridging though.
A few attacks come from some guys behind us and I latch on to each of them. I do not want to be lapped today, and anything behind chase group 1 will be another dissappointment.
For some reason I seem to be able to keep this up, conserving when I need to and responding to each surge.
There seem to be about a dozen people in my pack still.
2 laps to go, time to make my move... damn, Joss ahead of me launches an attack. I whip past a few guys to catch this one. Pace is crazy quick and there are little opportunities to pass people. Final turn and Joss out of reach, but the peddlehead kid between us I think I can take. Single file through the turn and it's red zone time. I do all I can to try and pass him in the last 80m but I run out of real estate and he does well to stay ahead of me. Didn't see anyone behind me but looking at the results there were at least 10 people within a few seconds of Joss. He got the coveted 11th and I came in 13/47, with 6 RMCC guys finishing in the top 9.
Excellent job by Ferenc to have bridged the gap during the crash and dueling the RMCC gang for an awesome 2nd!

Thoughts: Would I have performed better if I had slept in, skipped the ITT, driven to Banff later and been refreshed and excited? Would I have been in that break if I had lined up next to Darcy at the start?
Likely yes to both.
All things considered, I was actually pleased with my crit performance. It was a fast group of guys, but our chase pack only finished 30 seconds behind them.
I chaulk this one up to first race lack of killer instinct. By the end of last season I realized what it takes to be in contention for the podium. The looooong offseason of rain and snow had dulled my intensity, but now it's back.
I can't wait for the next road race or crit. And the one after that.
Too bad they are so few and far between during this part of "summer."

On the other hand, it's probably better that I get some more training time in so as not to be so devastating in my climbing and fitness.
Gotta get the longer rides and 3x weekly run/stair workouts in to lose some fat and build some high-intensity endurance.