| Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix Criterium - with no sprinters |
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In an effort to keep my regular readers coming back for more, I hung out on the west coast this week to ride the Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix criterium. I went there expecting our team’s classy crit riders, such as Jono C and Bernie S to be there to work for, but those boys are spending quality time with their loved ones for the moment. Instead, we lined up with Michael Grabbo Grabinger, Ben King, myself, and the Tour of California hard nut – Curtis Smoking Gunn in his first team race back from injury.
Our goal was to be aggressive as the race had the fast sprinters, Bahaati, Williams, Cruz, Murphy, Borrajo to name just a few. We didn’t want a bunch sprint with these guys and so we went on the attack hard, with each of our four guys getting up the road in breakaways. Eventually I found one that stuck and I was able to use some of the good form I have had in the past few weeks to drive them to the finish. I was joined in the front by Grabbo, two Rock Racing guys marking for the sprinters in the peloton, two Colavita riders including Borrajo, John Murphy and two others….a little like Noah’s Ark.
The boys in the break didn’t seem very committed in getting the break to stick though and I must admit, it was a lack of sprinting confidence on my behalf that saw me sacrifices my chances of winning the crit by being the driving force in the race. Lap after lap, Grabbo and I wouldn’t miss a turn, with a little help from Colavita. Without good communication on what was happening behind us in the peloton, it was almost like we were running scared.
Coming into the final lap, one of the Rock Racing riders who had been sitting on attacked and eventually I found myself chasing the move….only catching the guy just before the finish line and setting up the race perfectly for the other sprinters in the break. Four guys got around me and I ended up crossing the line in 5th and Grabbo just coasted across the line as he had hit the deck earlier in the race.
Looking back on the race, I am happy that I felt strong, but also wondering a little what if I had been a little more conservative and confident in winning the crit… In any case, my good form continues and I carefully documenting this period of time so I can replicate it later in the season. There is certainly no hiding anymore.
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