The course was the 3.3 mile loop around Prospect Park in Brooklyn. I slept on FlantasticDan's couch, woke up at 5:30, and rolled to the park in time to register, pin, and warm up before the 6:30am start. Being a 0 turn course with a mild climb to thin the herd, this would be the perfect reintroduction to the racing scene for Dan, who hadn't competed since April '06.
Ever the 'crosser (and AngryMark's teammate), I got the holeshot and immediately drove the pace up the climb. My policy was "learn how to ride in a pack some other time... if you're unsafe, I don't want you in my pack".
And so it went. I formed an unspoken alliance with a couple of other lone wolves (Harvard and DKNY [you ain't got no alibi!]), bullied CRCA into doing work, drove a couple of breakaways, and generally played with the front of the pack. What a great morning... there is nothing like it in the world.
I made a mistake with about 300m to go. Riding down the center of the road, I expected a surge to my right, and started drifting that way... and then a whole slew came around on my left. I fought into their line, came around some of them, but it was too late. Dan had clawed his way up to my wheel, and we finished 9th and 10th, respectively.
A fantastic result? Maybe not. But definitely one I'm proud of.
One more road race and I'm a Cat4!!! How glamorous...
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2 comments:
and those hot guys you hang around with. where do they buy their cycling gear? autie em's antique attic? sheesh. they are cute and all, but few things bail one out of a neon skinsuit...
I'll have you know that Dan's jersey was the finest in possibly-German, possibly-African mid-80s style. Why've you gotta be such a hater?
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