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Cyclocross Nationals |
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Team Bikeman -
Race Reports
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Written by Matt DeMeis
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Monday, 18 December 2006 |
2006 CALIFORNIA GIANT BERRY FARMS USA CYCLING
NATIONAL CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Roger Williams Park, Providence, RI
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AHHH!!!! NATIONALS!!!!!
I decided I would much rather spectate the slugfest for the Elite title than suffer in the fray, never seeing anything close to the front of the race due to the quality of the field. So I raced the Master's 30-34 race the day before. Mind you it's still CRAZY fast even though it's 15 minutes less than I normally race. The field is also peppered with big dogs and pros to ensure a hearty beating. So on to the race!
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It's a pretty nerve wracking yet incredible feeling lining up for a US national championship race. This year I was very impressed with the staging and organization at this event. I don't think I've ever raced in an event where the staging went so smooth, and at a CROSS race no-less!! Usually it's a battle of elbows and sneaking to get as close as you can to the front, packed in like sardines. This leads to off the line pile ups and such. None of that here, very impressive.
The course was sweet and the weather was perfect. Chilly, not cold, so no leg coverings needed, just some hot sauce and a pair of regular long fingered mtb gloves, nice. I love it when things are greasy and the track was perfect today. Not sloppy mud, just slippery enough to make bike handling a plus.
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Off the start I had to battle quite a bit to hold my position and I had a few close calls with guys sliding around and almost sending me through the tape, but that's to be expected. Once the thinning out was over I found myself riding with a group of about 5 guys. I knew i could ride the cambers and turns faster so I would hang on for dear life on the long paved road sections, try to rest somewhat in the draft, then turn the screws in the technical stuff. We shed one guy with about 3 to go and were down to 4 in the group including myself. I felt pretty bad actually since I had been fighting a cold and had some kind of hacking cough tearing up the lungs for a few days prior so I wasn't able to gas it like i normally can. I had to play the strategy card, which ended up biting me in the ass.
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As we were about to go through into 1 to go, I went to the back of the group to rest on the final paved section before the start finish area. Resting accomplished, we negotiated a series of slippery turns with some roots before dropping down to the start/finish and the 1 to go bell. In the last rooty turn I was 4th wheel, bad move. The 3rd guy laid it down and I got hung up on him. In an instant, 1 and 2 from our group were gone. I got untangled as quick as I could but there was no way I was going to bring those two places back. Maybe if it were 3 laps earlier, but two guys working together vs. one guy alone... not going to happen. I left the other guy and buried it for the last lap to roll in 21st on the day. Not all that psyched with my result but that's bike racing. It's been a long season and I feel pretty exhausted. I'm looking forward to some lazy time and some fine brews that will soon be going in my belly!!
See you all in 2007
Matt
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