OVR - Lynchburg

This race consisted of the most strategy I've seen so far due to the fact that it was extremely flat. Sometime during the second lap, a Revolution and Kenda girl got away. Apparently I was either too far back to notice, daydreaming and/or chatting. Consequently, Wendy brought it to my attention that Revolution and Kenda were then working together to block us.

The SHC women did a great job launching attacks and working together. At one point, we tried to get off the front and paceline, but got chased down. I really didn't know what to do because I knew Tracy (Revolution) could and would chase down any attack. So I figured I would just sit in and conserve some energy for my least favorite skill, sprinting, at the finish.

The accident on the final stretch shook everyone up.. but all the women were very supportive, which was nice to see. As the finish line approached, Brooke did an awesome job leading me out, however I waited a little too long to jump off her wheel. Thanks and good work ladies!

Another fascinating day on the bike. Two women off the front at the beginning of lap two, two more escape near the end of lap two. We try to chase them down, and get boxed in and chased down ourselves. Tactics are just so interesting to me.
Last lap was not good. Gearing up for the sprint the pack had an accident. I don't know what happened, I was lucky enough to be on the opposite side of the lane. The women still on their bikes finished, u-turned and went out to help our fallen teammates. An ambulance later, Janene from Kenda was on her way to a hospital.
To Shari, Amy, Brooke, and Kelly: It was great racing as our own pack. Thanks for all the encouragement and tremendous effort to help try to chase those women down. Great Job LADIES.

What was the best description of this race? hmm. A promenade on the flats comes to mind. I think it was the third lap that we passed the first turn and several people sprint out around the turn, I noticed we had a nice break so i jump out to the front and I hit the gas. I pulled hard roughly a mile and then peeled off to admire my handywork. Yes we had a nice seven man break, except now we'd slowed down a lot and uh.. why is everyone's number starting with a 5 all the sudden? Oh no....
Anyway, the pack pulled us in by the next turn. I tried the same trick on the last lap but only got one guy to go with me, with the same ending result. The Dark Horse team spent the remainder of the lap pulling; with me, craig and Jim siddling up to front to make our big attack. We rounded the corner and I attacked, then switched off with Craig. after he finishes I'm thinking Hmm where's Jim? I sat in for a bit and then attacked again. Still no Jim. By this point more people are popping off the front and I'm trying to maintain my position and figure out where Jim is at the same time. Finally at the last 200 meters I say the heck with it and make a last jump off the front. Big mistake, I get devoured by everyone else who had the sense to sit in the pack the whole race.

nuts....

What a gorgeous day for a race. Near 70 degrees, low winds, beautiful blue skies. We had about 21 in our field. During our pre-race strategy session, we had decided that Brooke, Amy, and I would attack early and often, to soften up some legs.

I think I threw in half a dozen attacks the first 2 laps, and Amy threw in some good ones, too. After the second lap, I knew I'd have to be conservative if I wanted anything left for the finish. It would be Wendy's job to lead out Kelly, but I was supposed to be along to help block.

Sometime in the third lap, two riders got away, Revolution and I can't remember who else. Wendy said let them go, they weren't in the GC. Then someone bridged, I think that one was a Kenda; and then Pascale from COBC was the last to bridge. Meanwhile, we stayed in the field. I was getting popped off more often. On the third lap, I had an asthma attack. I was touched that so many women asked if I was ok, and tried to convey that I wasn't nearly as bad as I sounded. The speed slowed again, and it was what my body needed to recover.

When we got really slow again, I made another attack, and I heard Wendy shout, "Go, Shari!" I gave it what I could, pretty meager by then. We got shut down fast by Tracy of Revolution--it was the first time two SHC's had been making an attack together. Tracy pulled the field up to us in short order, and passed us doing probably 30, looking like this was just a casual ride for her. Wow!

Brooke had been saving herself, riding smart and well in the front quarter of the field. Since Amy was further back, and I was out of gas, it became Brooke's job to chase things down. She knew when Tracy was going to attack and did a fantastic job of matching the sprint speed while I once again ended up the last one in the field. Argh!

The stretch to the finish was the bad part of the race. Christy made a pass on the berm, and from what I saw she got caught in a patch of pure gravel just as she was cutting back onto the roadway. She went down hard, and Janeen of Kenda had no place to go but into her. Amy and another rider both chose the ditch. Since I was just in the process of catching the field, and Wendy was already on the outside, we both missed the accident. I made sure Amy was all right, then chased back on. Janeen came out of it the worst. We're all hoping she heals fast.

In the field sprint, Wendy was still set up on the outside; Kelly, Brooke, and I on the inside. I had nothing left to give as a leadout, so Brooke told Kelly to grab her wheel, and Brooke gave what she had left to set Kelly up. It was a great team effort, and a lot of fun. Props especially to Brooke for how well she was aware of what was going on during the race.

One word: Disappointing.

The race went well for the most part. As usual in Lynchburg the weather was great, the sun burned us all (even through sun screen). A couple of breaks tried to go up the road but nothing came even close to sticking. Felt really good all day.

Strange occurance of the day, in 15 years of racing I've never had it happen. The lead group fo 5's caught us about 3 laps in so the official stopped the field and let the 5's continue on then held us until they were around the next corner. Nothing like a timeout...

I started to feel a bit like Petacchi with his lead out trains as mine started to form with just over a lap to go. Going into the second turn I went a little wide, caught some debris at the side and could nearly feel the tire roll. For a while I thought it would hold and might let me sprint if I could get through the last turn. No such luck. I rode a flat for the last 2 miles. There goes the GC.

Anybody know a good exorcist for these tire demons?

Well today I felt great and did everything I wanted to do during the race and more. So the race was good chased some attacks and even avoided a prity wild crash. Kelly, Wendy, and Sheri you all did so great thanks for geting me out there. Todd you are so great and thanks for stoping when you saw orange on the side of the road tells us how much you care. If you don't know the women who show up to thease races they are so great, I thank them all they make it all worth while.

A slow and uneventful race. Sit in and lead out. Except our sprinter was not there due to a flat coming into the finish.