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Aaaaaarrrrrghhhh! Can't catch Rob!
photo: Jenny Peng |
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With teammate Neil Leary. Not pictured, winner Rob Easley
photo: Kevin O'Donnell |
Teammates:
m45: Kevin O'Donnell, Henrik Schubert,
Neil Leary, Jeff Bell, and me
m55: Dan Wood, Scott La Perle
The field was a blend of m45+ and m55+
riders. The groups race together, but are picked separately. After
getting so much support for a good result in my most recent race, I
offered to work for other teammates in this one.
Plan A
(evolved during our pre-race
conference call)
Kevin/Henrik (breakaway riders)
The peloton has seen CW's m45 cat 4
squad execute fairly conservative race plans this season, with good
results, but we wanted to try something different this race... the
breakaway. Somewhere in lap two, teammates Kevin O'Donnell and Henrik
Schubert would hammer out a 5-min z5 effort to snap a big, decisive
gap. If lucky, 4 or 5 guys: Kevin, Henrik, Rider C?, Rider D? (maybe
a Zoca guy?). If it doesn't work the first time, hit 'em again.
If Kevin/Henrik successfully get away
with a small group, Neil and I don't help chase. We sit in, still
protecting Dan. Staying fresh for the finish, whether the breakaway
succeeds or not.
Glen Kinion (m45)
has two jobs: Mark the main
competition, namely Zoca riders, my buddy Rob Easley (m45) and his teammate Tim Davis
(m55), as well as the state's top ranked cat 4 road racer, West
Kurihara (m55) (Team Fremont/FFBC pb Chipotle). Job 2: help Neil
Leary (m45) protect Dan Wood (m55). Dan has been looking forward to
this opportunity to have some support from our deep m45 squad.
Therefore I'm marking the top competition in both age groups, to
allow Neil to focus on staying close to Dan.
Dan Wood (m55)
is the protected rider
Neil Leary (m45)
protects Dan, keeping him fresh until
final sprint. I cover this job if Neil has a mechanical. Neil will
keep an even pace on climbs, while keeping Dan safely near the front
of the main group. This is where I plan to be doing my work anyway,
so both of us will be pacing Dan.
The Race
Team Zoca seemed to be really organized
early on. Their fantastic looking orange and blue kits were in
control at the front of the field. This made it easy for me to keep
track of my marked guys (though I needed Dan to point out Tim and
West, as I didn't know them.
No surprises on this lap, easy pace on
climbs, no attacks. On each lap, the “lumpy bits” consist of
essentially two climbs: Mama Bear and Papa Bear (there is a Baby Bear
but it's nothing more than a gentle rise that doesn't warrant a front
shift off the big ring). Starting the ascent of Mama Bear on this
lap, Kevin and Henrik quietly cruised to the front, then artfully and
painfully increased tempo. The peloton reacted just like a blob of
Silly Putty when it's pulled in two directions... it snapped. I
intentionally soft-pedaled at the front of the rear group to define
the gap a bit, more. Neil was next to me and I could see him
instinctively cranking hard ahead to regain contact with the 15 or so
in Kevin and Henrik's group. A few in the rear group were starting to
line up for a free ride behind Neil, so I moved over and put my hand
on Neil's shoulder and quietly explained that as counterintuitive as
it seems, we need to let the front group go in order to give Kevin
and Henrik's effort a chance. Their lead group was probably too big
to be organized into a successful breakaway, but if the pace stays
hot enough, half of them will be shelled out the back. This will
leave a group of about 6, which if they can work together, can build
a gap that can succeed. Later in the third lap, Kevin and Henrik
would work several tactics to reduce their workload, while fatiguing
the others in the breakaway, hopefully improving a chance for a CW
1,2 finish.
Rob and Tim (Zoca) were riding away in
that group. Before the race, we agreed that if either or both of them
joined, they would be controlled by Kevin and Henrik and then I would
devote my efforts to Dan. I could tell Neil was frustrated watching
the front group ride off, but he eased up and we sat in as others in
our trailing group moved forward to do the chasing. To tell the
truth, I wasn't exactly convinced of my decision, but it felt like
the one that matched our plan A the best. Shortly, halfway through
the dip just past the top of Mama Bear, others in our group gassed
themselves towing the rest of us up to the lead group anyway, where
Kevin and Henrik must have really been churning the watts with their
impressive acceleration up the climb.
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So ensconced, you can barely see me (mid-group, white helmet and shoe covers) right behind Kevin's left shoulder. I'm busy marking Rob (orange jersey). Next to me is Dan Wood. Henrik is just behind Dan.
photo: Katie Truong |
Somewhere before the ascent of Papa
Bear, Dan notified me that Neil had thrown his chain, so I needed to
focus on protecting him until Neil could chase back into the group.
The pace up Papa Bear was as calm as on the first ascent, except for
Kevin, who was doing another hard effort, trying to draw Rob and
anyone else who wanted a chance for glory, off the front. I was
giving Dan a steady wheel when I saw him fly by. I came alongside and
indicated that he was making it hard for me to be there for him by
doing so. He apologized and said he'd seen another m55 rider he was
concerned about who looked like he was making a move. Kevin and Rob
were off the front over the top of Papa Bear, apparently talking
about whether to keep growing a gap. The group reunited on the long
descent towards the junction with San Pablo Dam Road. And by this
time, Neil rejoined us and I went back to marking riders as before.
We're just beginning lap 3 now. Henrik
and Kevin can fill in the facts here, as I'm a little fuzzy on the
“whens” and “wheres” but on the long haul up San Pablo Dam
Rd. Henrik whispered a “get ready” to Kevin. This stretch of the
course wasn't one that was considered ahead of time for an attack,
but here's to thinking on the road. Henrik surprise attacked,
bringing another rider along. They were away around the turn onto
Castro Ranch Rd. The group was slow to react, and on the painful pair
of kickers on this road, the other guy faded while Henrik kept on the
gas, increasing his gap. He got over the top and down the other side,
to Alhambra Valley Rd., before getting caught. West Kurihara, who had
been hanging out in the back of the peloton decided to ride closer to
the front after these powerful CW surprise attacks. And I'm sure
several in the peloton were getting tired from chasing them down. I
was still fresh, having cruised in zone 1 & 2 all morning,
letting others chase.
I checked with Henrik, and he said he
was pretty cooked, and wouldn't likely be able to join Kevin on the
remaining attack they had planned, somewhere along the rest of
Alhambra Valley Rd. or on Bear Creek Road. The peloton was watching
everything we were doing now, happy to cruise easily along behind us.
I moved up to the front to check in with Kevin, letting him know
Henrik was done. I was about to suggest I go with him on this next
attack, but he mumbled something about being pretty cooked himself,
and I might as well figure on saving myself for the “bunch sprint”
this last time up Papa Bear.
I was a bit unsure, but dropped back a
few wheels to get behind my marks while I giving both of my mates a
chance to recover if possible. I was thinking things over: They had
each put in very taxing efforts that had a big impact on the race so
far. Each attack wasn't a coordinated, two-man attack as we planned,
but I wouldn't even be seeing straight if I were in their shoes, so
best to give Kevin some space. Then I look ahead and Kevin is making
his own space! He's stealthily grinding away 30 meters, 40, 70,
100... Two from Zoca are chasing, but seem concerned about zapping
their strength, so they ease off. Two Berkeley Bicycle Club riders
take on the job, and with great difficulty, eventually reel Kevin
back in. I can't remember if the chase continued part of the way up
Mama Bear too.
During each of my teammates' attacks,
all of my marked riders had to put in big efforts. Good job K &
H!
Near the top of Mama Bear, Marty Panos
(CA Racing) “hail Mary-ed” going to the front. He always puts it
all out there, but this was too little too late. Neil and Dan were
right with me as we carefully threaded our way towards the front of
the group at the base of this final climb up to the finish. It was
time for plan B.
The attacks Kevin and Henrik executed
were an attempt to end a dynamic all too common in category 4 racing:
The big, clunky, bunch finish. In this case we were still a big
group, but only a few of us were fresh. So thank you so much Kevin
and Henrik for wearing the others down. Plan A was still going to be
a success after all.
Dan wanted me to pace him up the climb
as long as I could hold back, and Neil was free to go his own pace.
The front of the pack was already thinning within the first minute up
the climb. I saw my main competition, Rob Easley go to the front
earlier than I had hoped, so I had to abandon Dan (sorry Dan!). I
didn't want to ramp up my speed too much yet, so tried to simply not
let Rob's gap get any bigger than 10 or 15 meters. Rob and I have
climbed a lot together, and I have yet to stay with him, but he does
make a good “rabbit.” While trying to match his pace, we had a
big gap on the rest of the field. With 200 meters to go, I shifted
two cogs smaller, got in the drops and drove my heart rate to 182,
but it was clear that Rob was unstoppable. Glancing under my arm at
the chasers, maybe 40 meters back, it was also apparent that I would
stay away for 2nd.
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Rob goes off. Even if I hadn't delayed while trying to pace Dan for a bit at the bottom, Rob's un-catchable.
photo: Jenny Peng |
Rob and I congratulated each other,
then I was thrilled to see teammate Neil come in 3rd! Coming across
4th with a flat front tire was Dan Schaefer (Christian Cycling), who
finished right behind me at the Copperopolis Road Race last month.
Then 5th overall, but 1st among m55s, CW teammate Dan Wood! Great
results considering this was “plan B!”. Crossing the line we each
heard raucous cheers from CW teammates who rode out to watch the
race. Paige was again a huge help during and after the race.
Henrik and Kevin were “in it to win
it” with these successive attacks in plan A. We felt pretty secure
that we could execute proper protection for Dan in the m55 group, and
still be ready for Neil and I to play out plan B if needed. I'm
convinced it's only because of the stress that Kevin and Henrik put
on the rest of the peloton, that made that second plan a success.
Once again a thinking team shows how to get results. Great job guys,
and thanks for the sacrifice.
Thanks for reading, and for all of the
support. Any comments, questions or discussion are welcome. As are
any corrections from my teammates.
