Ha, no scoop on the results here, just an empty feeling that I have since I won't be racing with my teammates today. I was really looking forward to this race from several different perspectives.
First, quite a few of my teammates felt this course was suited to my strengths (no, I won't let you know what they all are...but they do include knowing the proper footwork for setting a well-executed pick'n'roll, conflict resolution, program management among other things). I went out there 12 days ago to scout out the course with a couple of teammates and they were right. A good mix of rollers leading up to the first climb, and then a series of climbs over the next 6~7 miles that weren't too steep, but enough to shed people. My kind of climbing...and that doesn't even address the hardman wind that will come into play down there. Now it just needs to have some rain mixed in for a true classic, but that won't happen today. Damn hot, and hydration will be key.
Second, I was hoping to get myself off of the equipment failure stump. Twice in the last three races I've done my efforts have been undone by some weird, yet common to most, problems. The first was the rolled rear tubular at the Ronde crit. That was most disappointing because I had second locked up with 2 laps to go in our 2-man breakaway and then the rear tub rolls coming out of the hairpin. That result would have given me enough points to upgrade to the 3's. The last incident was the flat tire I got while descending on the first lap of Wente RR coming down Flynn. It's one thing to say that tubulars are more 'supple' in their ride (which I totally agree to 100%), but when you realize that the suppleness you're experiencing while going 35+mph is due to a slow leak, then it absolutely sucks. The higher powers of the bicycle gods know that I've put in my fair share of equipment sacrifices.
Third, our team was going to have a strong showing of riders in the M35+ 4/5 category. Nothing more fun than riding with 8 other teammates and executing our strategy. None of it for me today. Half the fun of the racing is all the stratergery (thank you President Bush for making this a word that others can use...) that occurs between the team via email beforehand. Whether we can execute is another thing, but just taking about who's going to do what and when just gets my juices flowing.
In the downtime, my list of honey-do's has been filled up with things needed for getting ready for the new baby girl. Put a new coat of pink paint in the girls room...check. Get down baby stuff from the attic...in progress. Secure three weeks of vacation when the baby arrives...check (man, I'm about to use the family medical leave act to its fullest...thank you to the state of California). Amazing what things in life you have time to focus on when you're not racing and the back is on the mend.
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