On the Road Again! US Pro Race Report

This time last year Christian, Paco, Nate, Bobby and I were fending off a mosquito infestation during our week-long stay in a cabin near Saguenay, faced each day with the question; "do I go right or left on the road?" Left was better. Paco was busy riding up a dirt path to the top of the ski resort and getting a flat tire. We all gave our best at our newly created Strava Segment "American Champion Climb" which Paco now holds, the only Spaniard on the trip. 

Oh the things that can happen in a Year.

Today we are in the race hotel for the Gran Prix Cycliste de Saguenay which starts tomorrow, a mere 40 miles from the infamous cabin of a year ago. I felt like a local when I was able to tell everyone that the town of La Baie, which is beautiful, is French for "The Baie" and that there is water here, just like I remembered. 

Ok so Im not much help, but the internet is quite good and I have some free time, so I figured I would review the last week and a half on the road, my first trip back racing from a broken collar bone 9 weeks ago.

After a solid 0.75 races done on the NRC calendar, I figured it might be good to more than double my race days with the US Pro TT, where I was 7th in 2012 but since then have not had great time trials. It being my first race back, I didnt expect a whole lot and thats what I got. I was happy I could ride hard for 40 minutes without exploding and started looking forward to the start of the new season. Then:

US Professional Road Race

I can't remember a time I was more nervous before a bike race than before this year's National Championship Road Race. Normally by the time nationals come around you have a solid half season of racing on your legs, you've righted the ship if need be, or just cruised on good off season training, but this year I was coming in cold with 18 days on the trainer and another 2 weeks on the road after collar bone surgery. Ill admit that I was far more worried about crashing than I ever have been before, partly because I hadn't been in the peloton much, but also because the accident in Redlands has really effected my attitude about the safety of sanctioned races.

From the gun it was clear Gamin wanted to be in the break, which I thought was interesting, so I thought it would be important to cover some early moves despite having the freedom to sit in an wait. The break went in the same place it went last year, 11 guys, including Sam Bassetti, worked well together on the opening circuits, and before we hit Lookout Mountain the first time the gap was already 6 minutes. Right then I knew it would be all about saving energy, maintaining cohesion in the group, and hitting the 4th and final time up lookout with my best effort. When Ben King, Chris Jones, and Julian Kyer attacked, all better climbers than me, I decided to ride my best 10 minute effort and hope it was enough, I caught on to those three half way up the climb, and we finished off the last climb with a bit of tempo, last time check was a minute to the remnants of the break and 2 minutes to the chasing field.

The break headed  up Lookout Mountain

That's when all cohesion stopped. From the bottom of Lookout to the finish line there was always someone hoping to sit on the group and get a free ride to the finish. Eric Marcotte, eventual winner, caught the 4 of us first and seemed willing to work, but he is also one of the best sprinters there is, so going to the line with him was not an option. Any time someone sat on, I tried to attack and make them work, you never know how people's legs are in those situations. When Alex Howes showed up with a small group of chasers from the peloton I was somewhat devastated that my chances of winning were now less, so when McCabe and Zwizanski attacked I thought it would be the best chance to stay away from the large group of strong riders, so I gave everything to get across. 

Under 10k to go!

McCabe, leading the NRC, was the clear favorite in the group, so its no doubt both Zwizanski and I wanted to get ahead of him before the finish. Zwizanski attacked first, and in my mind if he would have waited until after the short climb, the National Champion would have come from our group, but its Nationals, and everyone wants to win, so cohesion was a bit too much to hope for. McCabe did a great effort to pull him back and the 3 of us cat-and-moused all the way to 500m to go when I tried my last effort, but having cramped just 500m earlier I couldnt make it count. At the same time the chasing group was catching us, and Marcotte came through the last corner with about 4 mph on all of us and won a well deserved victory, and I was able to hang on to 6th after a long day of fighting. I was heart broken to be that close and to have worked that hard, also completely exhausted. 

Finish Camera Shot

 Im sure McCabe and Zwizanski, like myself, had some trouble falling asleep for the past week or so thinking about that move, replaying it, wishing you could tell your past self to just give a little more at the right moment, but Marcotte for sure earned that win, and Smartstop rode a great race taking 1st, 2nd, and 5th on the day. I was pleased to be back in the mix, and I credit Frank at FasCat Coaching for making the plan and calling me all the time and checking in while I recovered. It makes me really excited for the rest of the season!

Its all up from here!