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Pescadero Coastal Classic Road Race |
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| DATE: June 26, 1999 | WHERE: Pescadero H.S. |
| DISTANCE: 56mi, 2 loops | |
| TIME: 2:38:12 | |
| PLACE: 9th / 45 category 5 | |
| TEAMMATES: | |
 This is my first cycling road race. It's a 2 loop, 56mi course circling Pescadero, San Gregario, and Haskin's Grade. I biked a loop of it the day before, paying special attention to the hill profiles and the corners on the steep descents. (during that ride I met Jay & Adam, 2 expert mtn bikers also in my category. Jay ended up winning the race. Adam was close behind but DQ'd because of center line violation.)My plan is to follow the advice of friend, Roy Sueda; always draft & stay with the lead pack. Last thing I want is to wear myself out by puling too much, get dropped on a climb, & have to ride 56mi alone. But I'm also scared of a group crash or possibly going down in a corner because of an oxygen deprived judgment call. 45 of us start. On the first climb along Stage Rd to San Gregario, the pace is very hard but most fizzle out near the top & I find myself cresting with the leaders. On the next hill I'm 2nd to the top and stay tight behind the leader, a big guy named, Kurt. But Kurt doesn't seem smart as he continues pulling on the flats while the pack is inevitably catching us. On Haskin's 2mi climb I'm 2nd again. I pass the leader in the first corner and coast away through the technical descent. I'm really flying through the corners but the pack always catches up quickly. But 30 guys have already dropped and our group is down to 15. On the 2nd assault of the Stage hills, I crest first and have a clean shot on the descents. The pack stretches... but snaps back like a rubber band. Kurt continues going OTF (Off The Front), but Jay organizes us into an impressive rotating paceline which reels Kurt back in each time. Now, from everything I've heard about the fragmented style of category 5 racers, these rotating pacelines could be history in the making! On the final Haskin's climb we lose 2 more riders. I have a lead on the descent and hook up with another guy dropped from a previous group and we work together. 4 of the pack catches me and we try to work but quickly the group of 13 is reunited again. Kurt is pulling hard again which is crazy with a mile to go. I'm barely hanging on in 3rd place when all of a sudden everyone stands up rocking... Jay squeezes by, threading a needle of riders... my legs are burning.... we shoot out of the trees... at 30+ mph, the instant I notice spectators I also notice a white finish line go beneath us! 13 of us finish in the same second and, quickly, the race is over. All the excitement of 2.5hrs of racing came down to a fleeting moment and it's over. Weird. Although most everyone passed me in the sudden sprint, I still finished 9th (top 10!) because of some DQs. Despite his overexerting pulls, Kurt amazingly finished 3rd.  
It was a thrilling experience. I know now to be stronger and more attentive in the sprint. -Troy |
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