JayP

With RAAM on the horizon I thought it would be a good year/time to start racing road bikes. I've been riding road bikes just as long as mountain but just never got involved in racing that scene. Partly because I did not want to race in the lowest category of 5 and this crowd is just a little to up tight then what I am use to in the free for all friendly kicked back mountain bike crowd. In road racing you have to earn your rankings starting from the bottom, thats fine, but I have been racing bikes and riding road for almost 15 years and feel my strength and experince on a bike is not worth endangering (due to a crash) or the frustration of racing in with the cat 5's. I have given a resume and tried talking my way to a cat 3 a couple years ago but they are pretty much by the book these days.

Well I am now 36 years old and the category of Masters 35+ is a choice for me. Overall this is a fast paced experinced crowd including riders from the Cat 2-3 field. This is definitly where I belong as I work on my individual Cat status.

So, OK I have done 2 road races in the past. One a few years ago, Bear Lake Classic, where I raced Cat 5 and just did'nt feel the vibe, just some frustration. Then last year I raced the Adirondak 540, RAAM qualifier, and won. The past several years I have been saying I want to start road racing regularly and now I'm off.

Two weeks ago Jackson had it's first USA sanctioned Crit race. Easy enough, no travel, and help support cycling in and around Jackson. I have never done any crit racing but this was a prime oppurtunity to get the feet wet. I got soaked by entering two categories. Master 35+ and Cat 3,4,5's. The masters race was first. I was'nt really sure how to go about racing this so I read the pack as we circled the .9 mile course for the first half the race. Did my share of pulls, attacking and keeping the pace up. With about 12 minutes left I shot of the front thinking I could hold a strong tempo for that long. I eneded up doing about 6 laps on my own with the help of 1 guy, Nate, giving me a pull 2 times at just the right moments. First crit was a first win. The second race was equally as hot paced but with no breaks being allowed, which made it come down to a final sprint. I had a tough position, but a safe one, and took 3rd.

This past weekend I went to the Garden Creek Gap road race in Pocatello. This was my first road race in with the fast guys of Masters. I was very excited to be racing this crowd and was nervous since I am not familiar with anybodys ability's. I asked around to a few of the folks I do know and it was mentioned to me if you can stay around and challenge the guy in the Walmart kit that would be a high level gauge. So at the start/finish, which was on top of the climb, we rolled out on our own just the 35+, not grouped with the 45's. Small group of us but solid. About 10 miles in I realize the Walmart kit is a few ahead, perfect, a gauge. The 25 mile lap was'nt really going to break anybody up till the climb which was at the end of the lap. Going into the climb the first time I set myself back a few bike lengths and let Walmart and another set the pace going up. Walmart would repeatedly attack and look back, I stayed steady to not let the gap increase. As we approached the last third of the climb I got on Walmarts wheel, pulled along side him, then passed him and as I heard him trying to go for a counter pass I picked up so he could not. I crested the top first. I probably should not have shown that I was a threat. On the next lap the hesitation among everyone was apparent. The pace actually slowed a touch and the pulls of some people were very short. When it was time for Walmart or I to pull we were both pushing the pace. As we rounded out the last flat to the start of the climb, where I was pulling, I tried letting somebody else lead it but they obviously were going to make me set the pace up. So I did. Riding the climb at a fairly strong brisk pace I was anticipating the attacks and finally at about 2/3rds through Walmart launched through. Bam, attack, I responded. Then again, again and again. He finally made me crack. 2 others also got buy while I was reeling my tounge back in. I finished the race 5th with some guy  passing me with all he had as I was sitting up spinning to the line. Yep, he was one that never really pulled or initiated anything during the race. Funny stuff.

I really had a lot of fun at these past events and am looking forward to building on my road racing experince and category. I have/was reminded and learned quite a few things at these event. Always race to the finish. You can't have enough patience in road racing. Gambling on a big effort will sometimes pay off but also sometimes back fire. I am pshyced to be keeping up and riding with these riders. I will always be a mountain biker.

No more road racing till later this summer and I am already looking forward to it. Bigger fish to fry starting next week. Tour Divide.