The first race of the year is always a nervous time with my main aims of keeping it rubber side down and not getting dropped (looking like a total hack donkey)! L’espirit RR in Louisville this last weekend was a great opener with warmish weather and a benign, safe course. Riding in the Cat3/4 was a great fit for me as the 70-rider bunch wasn’t as twitchy as it may have been in the Cat4/5 event but the pace wasn’t enough for me to fall foul of the great dropping fear!
Fitting with the course the racing was rather steady with a break of maybe 3, maybe 4, maybe 5 or maybe 6 riders heading up the road early and not being chased hard by anyone in the bunch. Of some surprise to me was that if anything, I didn’t work hard enough as when I did take off the front on the only rise of the race (with about 5 miles to go) I was involved in the racing until the very end. As there was no money or glory on the line (due to the break up the road), I decided to police the front of the bunch ‘Hinault-like’ until the final corner which I went into in 3rd position.
Great position I think you’ll agree..…which would be even better if I had a sprint! Subsequently 30 riders passed me by as with their thrashing legs and bumping handlebars they competed for the glory of 10th place in an early season no money, no points race! Nice job guys (sarcasm attached!). It was greatly enjoyable start to the race year and has lit a fire under me to do significantly more racing than I did last year!
Added to that- it was 65F the next day so Gary, Tom, Bruce, Dave and I got in a great 60miler south of town!!