The Monterey crew relaxing after the race.
Event: Watsonville Criterium
Weather: Sunny 65 degrees, light winds.
Length: 17 laps
Category: Cat 5
Racers: 33
Finished: 13th
This race was 17 laps (.75 miles per lap) with many turns, dips at the corners and a small hill to the finish line. I was joined by two other Velo Club Monterey teammates and a few other Monterey area locals from different teams. The total number of racers (CAT 5)were around 40 or so.
My goals were as follows:
1. don't crash.
2. stay with the front group.
3. finish with little to nothing left.
I am happy to say that I was able to accomplish goals #1 and #3 so it was a good race.
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As with any criterium the race started out fast. After a few laps the pace leveled out. The many turns on course made it difficult to keep the momentum through the turn (lots of breaking the first 8 laps) At 8 laps to go the pack started to break up and I found myself loosing contact with the front group. I was able to battle my way back to the front group on the next lap. Now all I wanted to do was recover and wait for the attacks to come. In order to stay in contact with the front group I made it a priority to stay out of the wind on the backstretch. With 6 laps to go the attacks started. I was able to hold on for half a lap but once a gap formed I was unable to bridge it. The last four laps were at around 95% MHR so if I did make a move it would not last long and by now the front group was over a block away. I kept the HR around 95% the last two laps and then sprinted for the line with all that I had left in the legs.
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