bay area super prestige cyclocross #4
cccp
coyote point, san mateo
2005/12/05
senior b
4th/30
series: 6th/73
just like two weeks ago, i felt way better going into the second race of the weekend on sunday. head more in the game. legs a little heavy, but not bad. i did my 2 minute warmup efforts in the same place as yesterday, starting out by the fishing pier and wrapping around and up the hill to the museum. i found myself getting to the top of the hill about 5 seconds faster than yesterday, which was a good sign.
got a better start off the line and up the hill. not at the front, but not too far off. pretty much with the people i've been finishing with in other pilarcitos races. this was one of those days i love, where people just keep coming back to you. it's a great feeling no matter where you are in the field. i'd bridge up to the next guy, sit in for a bit, and then be unsatisfied with the pace, so go around and repeat. it's also way easier to find wheels to suck on days like this, and i think i only rode the straightaway by the beach unaided once.
i think the course in this direction is better for me too. i seem to pull away from people on the small power humps up the hill, and was suprisingly running around people in the sand. coming into the last lap, i managed to hold onto the wheel of eric nelson from east sac. i was feeling good and in the need of redemption from the sprint i lost yesterday, so pretty much just decided i was going to beat him. let him pull me all the way to the curb drop before the last corner. i don't know why he took the corner wide with someone on his wheel, but i just apexed it a little tighter and sprinted right past. pretty much textbook. just 5 seconds off the podium, and 27 from the lead. with the double points for the finals, this solid finish bumped me up from 8th to 6th in the series. just wish i could find this kind of speed earlier in the season. i hope i can make it last until cccx finals in january.
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