Early Bird Criterium #3 Race Report, Robbie

Robbie Race – Early bird report Sunday 17th

Clinic – this week they taught us more about pace line and be comfortable. Coach Robert taught us a bunch of that last year so this was like refresher. I got stuck in with 7 women to practice so that was kind of interesting.

Cat 5 race- This one was a lot harder and faster than the other ones. Maybe it was because the weather only had out serious riders. It was a pack of about 45. The last two weeks they broke us into 2 groups. This time they kept us all together. The race started fast. They were averaging about 25 – 27. After about 4 laps the back of the pack (where I was at) started to get dropped. We were doing about 20 – 21mph after that. I saw the big gap opening up and I wanted to go catch up. I didn’t realize how big a gap it was but was going to go try anyway. I am pretty sure I wouldn’t have caught up but was going to go for it. Then one of the OLDER mentor guys started yelling for me to stay with the group. I was not happy but since it was for learning I stayed with this group. We got lapped on about the 9th lap by the fast guys. I stayed in our group and was able to keep pace. I felt good about the race since overall the pace was pretty fast. I saw lots of guys getting dropped and picking back up on the next lap so that made me feel better.
I sprinted for the finish in our group and was somewhere toward the front of our group at the end.

Jr race – It really started raining hard right before we started. I don’t know why but was I still cold from the earlier race and was shivering. I just had nothing. I raced anyway. Joe and his team took off really fast. I got dropped along with some others almost right away. I think most of them were older so I didn’t feel bad. I was soaking wet, my face was covered in dirt or mud and rain. I raced the rest of the way with another guy and we helped each other draft. The main group split in two and we jumped on their wheel as they went by. We were doing about 17 – 20mph. I was in the GONE cave.

It was fun and I learned again not to be in the back of the pack. Once they start to go away it is really, really hard to try and catch them. But I got some good training and exercise.

Thanks for reading,
Robbie