Bear Mountain

Well, we just got back from NY after racing the Bear Mountain Spring Classic.
If you've never done this race, it's a little reminiscent of the OBC GP, but basically double the climb, about a 10 minute climb.
It's a good race, for the men 160 km, women do 90. But for some reason they put the finish on a downhill, which makes the hills almost irrelevant in the end.

I was racing solo, so I had to play my cards right. I was ultra conservative the first 2 hours of the race, then got into position for tagging some moves and attacking. For some reason felt like I was a little marked, I couldn't get any room, and guys just kept on chasing me. Sure enough right after I attacked, a few guys rolled off, as I thought "as if...". But so a break went, they had a pretty solid gap, almost 2 minutes. I contributed to a little of the chase then left it for the last lap and fired off a bullet. I sensed that it was strung out on the hill, then drove the pace attacked a few times, got off and closed a minute gap on the hill, bridging to the leaders at the top. I think this was good and bad as I felt so frigin strong, I attacked the break shortly after reaching them. I kept on trying to break free as I knew the finishing sprint was a crap shoot. But it was more of a crap shoot than I thought as I was caught a little off as I misjudged the final km, thinking that there was another series of climbs to attack on and the group ended up rolling at 74 km an hour fanned across the road, I was two bikes away from where I needed to be. Shit.
To tell you the truth, I love winning and I hate loosing and this one hurt, as I was really happy about my effort to go across on the hill, but a little disappointed in myself that it was so close and just a little inattention cost me the win. Nature of the beast of I guess.
On the bright side, going across like that, to the break, was good. I said to myself at the bottom of the climb, the break is off, I've got one shot, I have to go so hard up this hill that I will either make it, or have to walk with my bike to the finish. Funny thing is, it's coming together, I've always been good at hard efforts 2/3 through the race but often lacked in anything after 4 hours as last year at Nationals I fell apart. This was just miscalculation today, nothing more. I wanted to win and it was close, but it keeps me hungry and focused and it will come. Maybe I tried a little too hard to take a solo win today, as this is the way I like to win, it feels more rewarding, but sometimes it's hard to just ride away from 120 guys, by yourself, who would have thought.
The result sheet said I was 8th, I could swear that there were not more than 5 guys ahead of me at the end, but really 6th, 8th, it's not really going to change anything, so I took I cheque and got out of there.
Funny that the speed on the downhill was 84 km/hr, into a a hairpin, but it didn't feel fast. 160 km didn't feel that long and the race didn't really feel fast. It was a little sketchy at points, but noticed that I was smiling and enjoying sketchiness, and feeling relaxed. Guess riding down mud cliffs in France does teach you something.

Tash was still on antibiotics and recovering from her strep, she says she feels fine, but she was 6th, so I beg to differ. We stayed in New Jersey with Mara and Randy, friends of Tasha's teammate Elisa, and they were really cool. Now I know why bagels and pizza are so good in NY and NJ...

Had a Red Bull on the drive home and time seem to fly...guess Red Bull gave me wings. OK that was pretty lame, but hey c'est la vie. Got home at 10:59 pm, funny as I said we would be home at 11.

Life in C wall is going to be a little different as Nephew Ethan is at his new home (Castle) a few lanes away. My mom is getting getting over the "flu". And when I say flu, I mean flu as she was really sick. So, that's about it.

Durka Durka