Crits= Crack!

So, the first half of my road season is behind me. I got a late start, I did Copperopolis first but that doesn't really count. I didn't finish. I didn't finish Wente RR either, making my total road race "results" 2 DNF's. Instead of slugging it out and suffering up the climbs of nor-cal, it seems that I've developed into crit-trash and focused on doing hard work throughout these fast flat races for my BPG/Montano Velo team.

In past years, I've done my share of crits. Some of my favorite races have always been crits, but these have had hills in them. Cat's Hill is a good example of a race that I've always thought suited me (I won it as a 3 and I was 9th there in the p/1/2 a couple years ago). But I've never been comfortable in flat criteriums. My strategy has always been to try and get into breakaways at this kind of race since I've always figured that I'd never be able to contest field sprints since I'm a small climber guy. Crashes seem less likely if you're off the front... I'll admit that this was a big part of this strategy too. Just getting to the front in the final laps has always scared the bejesus out of me.

But this year has been different! I've discovered that my strengths are great for crit racing- I have a good hard jump for bridging to breakaways (or at the finish!) and I can handle the bike well enough to stay out of trouble. This is the first year that I've raced with a radio and a director who can read a race (Sergei Badeka). Because of this, I've realized that I have a lot more matches to burn than I thought. There have been many races in the last few months where I've been getting in a breakaway, getting caught and then going with the counter move sometimes 2 or 3 times in a row! With Sergei yelling at me, I don't get to think about how tired I am I just keep following directions and do what he says. This has really brought me to where I feel comfortable on the front and I am getting better at thinking about what's happening in the race.

Most surprisingly (to me) has been my new ability to get into position on the final lap. I haven't made the podium yet, but I was 4th a few weeks back at the "Dash for Cash" in Livermore, a race that I've always thought was the pinnacle of ridiculous parking lot racing. There were a lot of racers in this one- they let the 3's race with us and there were 130+ starters. I actually was pretty terrified at this race because I didn't want to tangle with less experienced racers. I did finally get 666 for my race #, which I thought was a good omen since this race is promoted by a christian cycling club. I raced really hard that day, I was in a bunch of action in the later part of the race and on the last lap I went up to the front... I came through the last corner in 4th and no one came around me! This was a revelation- I was positioned badly and I couldn't really try and sprint, but the fact that I got up in there was sort of mind bending. Hmm, these things can be pretty fun!

I've had some other top 10 finishes as well. I think my best near miss was at Davis where I came around the last turn in 5th I think and in the sprint someones quick-release went in my wheel and broke 2 spokes. I limped to the line with a dragging brake and I was 13th but I replay that one again and again in my mind... even if I'd just held on to 5th I think this would have been my best ever p/1/2 race. Unfortunately, that was the last race for me till august- I'm taking a little rest and letting my sharp fitness fade for a couple weeks to get ready for cyclocross. I'll race more crits before that season starts so I'll have more chances to try and get a win.

I think crits are a lot like cyclocross in many ways. The constant accellerations feel a lot like the efforts that happen all over a 'cross course- out of corners, away from barriers, etc. There are a few courses that really feel like cross- the Napa downtown crit is a good example. There is a very tight 180+ degree corner that forces everyone to slow way down and then accellerate hard to get back up to speed. This felt exactly like cross to me and the course was so short at that race that we had to go around that turn about once a minute!

Oh well, it's an addiction. I can't wait to start doing hard efforts again to get ready for more of these fun, fast races and then.... Cyclocross!