Well, I didn’t win Category 3, far from it in fact. I ended up 8th, which given my (lack of) training in the last month or so, it does not surprise me. The race was fairly fast, but all the new talent that came to the race didn’t seem to make it that much faster. Next year, if the payout improves, some with return with one under their belt. The good news is that my teammate Will, ended up defending the Cat 3 win for Memphis. He is riding strong and clearly earned it in every way.
The race started out like last years. First, the US61 “neutral roll out” where improving your position is the name of the game. Two riders crossed up in front of me at a pavement transition (US61 through St. Francisville is still under construction 1 year later, no visible progress). When we turned off the main highway, I was maybe like 2/3 of the way back or so. I would move up and slide back from the middle to the back over the course of the 25 miles to the first gravel. The narrow back roads that make up a good part of the first part of the race were pretty much edge to edge despite not having a rolling enclosure. This time it didn’t result in any close calls in the 4-5 cars to meet us coming the other way (riders just moved over nicely this year).
Hitting the gravel, I was again about 2/3 the way back and used the first part of the gravel to improve my position as some riders stalled and generally failed at riding the gravel. The condition of the road was generally good, with not much deep gravel for the most part. I moved up pretty much constantly until maybe 4 miles in and finally found my equilibrium, which was about 50 yards behind the main field. I got in a small group that was closing the gap, but as I pulled through, I sunk down in some deep stuff (maybe mile 6 of 8?) and couldn’t bridge the gap to the main field.
I came out of the gravel section with a single 1/2 rider and we traded pulls for a few miles (and steadily lost ground to the field), until we were caught by small group. We worked together (although I will admit I wasn’t giving it my all since I wasn’t going to pull these guys up to 2 of my teammates in the field.) We made the catch at the Woodville feed zone and it was a nice ride all the way to Fort Adams. At this point, the field was the front of the race. As we approached Ft. Adams, there were some surges as racers tried to move up to set up for the 2nd gravel section. Bryant Funston (M-B, cat2) was a few rows ahead of me and Will Stoffel (M-B, cat 3) was a few more ahead. Things were looking good. My shoulders and legs felt tight and I was generally pretty tired, but I hoped that I could make it alright.
As a group we made good pace through the trailer park neighborhood, the sketch bridge, and the sketcher potholed road to the base of the first important climb of the race. The field was stretched in front of me as we approached the deep sand half way up. Riders were stalled in all over, so I did the only sensible thing, I dismounted, ran through the sand/gravel (hoping my Speedplays would work after that punishment) and remounted just on the other side. All of this went reseasonably well. The next part (the rest of the climb) didn’t. I went backwards and left the 2nd gravel section well of the field and with another rider (Greg Casals/ MetroMoto). We traded pulls and were joined by Frank Moak (Herring) after 5 miles or so. The three of us entered the 3rd gravel together. All of us clearly not feeling it today (all 3 of us are better than the pulls we made to the Tunica gravel).
On the big and steep first hill, the gravel this year had a bunch of eroded pockets in it and I was unable to ride it in my 39×28 (last year it did it in my 39×26). After trotting through the steepest part, I remounted and continued on the climb through the rest. Frank stayed ahead and Greg behind and after a while, I realized I was alone (Frank climbed off at the end of the gravel). I exited the gravel solo (like last year) and caught a Herring rider and we worked together (although he wasn’t racing for money as a 1/2 out of the money, so I did most of the work).
With a few to go, I cramped up bad on my left leg (calfs and top quad). I laid up and drank some of my bottle and was able to continue. We ended up getting caught by two others and when we turned up the finishing hill, they sprinted up the hill as I just rode it out (all of them were 1 and 2’s) and I didn’t want to revisit the cramping episode.
So this effort put me as the 8th place Cat 3. I rolled in in 4:54, which was worse that my last year’s time (4:44?). My power numbers were lower… I am sure it was a combination of the free ride from Woodville to Ft Adams and lower fitness. Hopefully this race will springboard my fitness…daylight savings time and better weather await.
My wife (still sounds strange to say/type even after 3 months), didn’t have a great either. We are both looking forward to the turn around… maybe we can race well into June this year.
