July 25, 2004, BC Masters Criterium Championships
Cobble Hill, BC 13.0 miles
This was a BC Masters race, where the only categories are for those over 30 years of age and broken up by 5 year age groups.
I was in the Masters 50-54 age group race, which had only 3 entries out of a total of 16 participants, which included the older riders and women racers.
Since this was a small turnout, we were grouped into 2 races, rather than their standard 3.
Ours was the first group off, with my 50-54 age category being the youngest of the group.
Our race was to be 25 minutes, plus 3 laps.
The course was just over a mile, covering 13 miles in our 12 laps, or about 1.7 km per lap.
Just after the start/finish was a 90 degree narrow turn followed by a slight slope downhill.
With less than a kilometer to go there is a sharper than 90 degree turn and then one last sweeping 90 degree turn with 450 meters to go.
Starting at 400m to go, we hit a climb until about 180m to go where it is not quite as steep.
The course bends slightly to the right with 200m to go.
The course was not closed to traffic, so we had to stay in the right lane (yellow line rule) on the already narrow roads.
The weather was very sunny, with temperatures in the mid 90's.
There was a slight cross wind from the left at the finish.
With this short distance and no hills, I should not experience any problems with the cramps that plagued me on the last two races.
Also, I've made some seat adjustments to try to solve that problem.
My competitors were Murray Drew (winner of the Mt. Washington Hill Climb on 6/19) and Bill Yearwood (overall leader in the BC Masters series for 2004 and 2nd at Mt Washington).
The other top riders in BC did not show up apparently because they realize they do not have a good sprint and would have a tough time placing well.
The start got off to a moderate pace and Bill and Murray were usually near the front, with me right behind trying to size up their strengths.
We had shed a few of the slower riders in the beginning, but just before the halfway point of the race, Murray attacked on the hill.
He got a slight gap and I started to chase, but so did Bill and I followed Bill's wheel to see if he would close the gap for us.
Bill was able to keep Murray in check after the turn and I brought the pack up to Murray to finish the chase.
However, this effort shed a few more riders and we were down to a pack of 6.
2 laps later, a rider that had shown some strength previously, got a little gap in front of us.
Murray was at the front of the pack as we went up the hill, the gap was starting to grow a bit, and we weren't going at a hard pace.
Just before the turn, I decided to take the lead to pick up the pace, but Murray moved over into my way and kept the moderate pace.
Just after the turn, he seemed to slow even more.
Apparently he was letting this rider get away in anticipation of establishing a break with him later (a good move for him).
With just 6 of us, I figured my best chances were to maintain this size group until the finish;
if we broke into a smaller group, I'd have to work harder which would detract from my strength in the final sprint.
So I took over the lead and brought the pack up to the lone breakaway attempt.
Murray then would stay behind me, which made it difficult to keep an eye on him.
Bill would often be at the front setting the tempo.
With 2+ laps to go, I had just taken a turn at the front before the last corner and had let the pack follow through.
While I was trapped on the outside, between the riders and the yellow line, Murray attacked on the hill on the right side.
I jammed on my brakes to get behind the other riders, swung around to the right side, and chased Murray down before the line, at which point he eased up.
Apparently Murray has some knowledge of tactics and enough power to have to worry about; can't play mister nice-guy with him anymore.
Murray tries another attack on the hill with 1+ laps to go and Bill is able to keep him in check with me right on his wheel.
He eases up and pulls behind us and Bill takes the lead.
I would prefer to be on Murray's wheel coming into the final sprint, but he refuses to give up his position.
If I slow to try to get behind him, he slows also, which lets Bill get way out in front.
I'm not sure if he'd gamble letting Bill win just to stay on my wheel, so I take a turn from Bill on the back stretch in hopes I can shave Murray off when I pull over.
It doesn't work and coming to the final corner, Bill leads us through and I'm in second.
I do a fake attack through the corner in hopes to excite Murray into an early effort, but as I feign giving it my all, he only comes up to half a length on my left.
This got Bill working a bit more though and he picks up the pace.
Still we've got 350m to go and I'm ahead of both of them and we're going up the slight incline.
I slow quite a bit and the two of them get in front of me and I work my way to Murray's left side to prepare to come around him in the final 200m.
But Murray moves over towards the yellow line and there's no room for me to get through without violating the yellow line rule.
I ease a bit to come up his right side, but now Bill has moved more to the left and with 180m to go there's just not quite enough room for my handlebars to fit between the two of them, who are neck and neck at this point.
Since I'm overlapped by a wheel on the two of them, I figure there isn't enough time to brake and come around Bill's right side.
Reveiwing the stituation, I see myself getting third just because I'm trapped, but I know I can outsprint these guys.
I can't politely ask them to give me some room and expect a favorable response, so my only tactic was to give a quick, loud yell that sounds a bit like panic (a short AAH).
I get enough of a reaction that the gap widens, so I squeeze through and once I'm slightly ahead, I get out of the saddle to finish the job.
I got the Gold medal for my age group and 1st overall of our starters.
Bill got 2nd, followed by Murray.
The race averaged 22.9 mph, so it was a relatively moderate pace, partly due to my tactics to keep the group controlled.
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