After two DNF's in a row, it was great to have a successful race! This was my first full race as a 3 (the first race that I actually finished as a 3, anyway), and I managed to land myself on the podium still. Great end to the season!
I got a great start from the first row. Went through the prologue (about 2/3 of a lap in third wheel). Laid down some power in the one flat stretch to pass Ella (the tiny pre-teen on the second step of the podium) for second wheel. On the first full lap, Jenna (third step on the podium) was leading but totally ate it on the run-up. I passed her for the lead. I was nervous, because I didn't want to be responsible for pace-setting. At that point, there were four of us together in a group, with a good gap back to fifth place.
I tried to discipline myself to slow down and not waste energy, but it's hard to ride steady when you can hear heavy breathing behind you. My plan was to attack on the final lap and try to get a gap, rather than letting it come down to a final sprint. I was working really hard, too. I was on the limit, and couldn't have gone much faster.
Lisa passed me in the second-to-last lap, but I passed her on the inside on a technical corner to retake the lead. On the final lap, she accelerated around me, and I dug to catch up. After a few turns, though, it became apparent that I wasn't going to be able to hold her pace. I lost contact on a pair of corners, and was never able to accelerate back up to her. But I could hear Jenna breathing heavily, and I was pretty sure I could hold Ella off (because I've ridden away from her on other courses).
Jenna managed to get around me somehow coming into the barriers for the last time, and I lost my rhythm going over the planks. I messed up my remount, ran my handlebars into the tape, and lost just a few seconds disentangling myself. But that was enough time for Ella and Jenna to get away from me. They had maybe 5 or 6 seconds on me through the rest of the race, and I never got them back. So I hung with the winning group through the whole race and lost it in the final lap.
Logically, I know that I didn't actually lose. I'm standing on the podium up there! But I can't help but think of the ways that I could have maybe stood a step or two higher on that podium, and there are no races next week for me to move up further! Still, it's a pretty great way to start my career as a cat 3 (Capital Cross Classic last weekend notwithstanding).
Now it's time to build some base for the road season!
No comments:
Post a Comment