Carrera D’ San Rafael

Mst. 35+ 123

Standing room only for spectators at this very cool event in San Rafael. You gotta love these downtown races that shut down so we can duke it out in lycra. Kudos to this promoter for a well run race. Banks sent me a great description and race strategy, which was dead on except the part about resting and recovering on the backstretch downhill….. we had the wind nazi that laughed and said no rest for you.

On the start line they announced two former Olympians and Priority Health Rider and “McKinley who is so good they named a mountain after him.” Very cool to be racing with high such high caliber folks.....blah, blah blah. Where’s my frickin' elephant gun? AMD and EMC had four each, Safeway had three who all raced Coyote in the morning and some other usual suspects. AMD hit it hard with Innes and McKinley trading attacks (thinks that's who it was). It was strung out and fast from lap one. Sarah said we were clocking about ~ 1 minute laps the first five laps - ouch. We got a bit of breather, but the attacks and counters ensued, which were aggressive and viscous. I stayed close to the front, followed wheels and hit the hill hard a couple times. This race did not feel like there was going to be a field sprint as that pace and attacks were gonna kill some folks and we had wind. So about halfway through a group of five got away with Holtz from EMC, Innes from AMD and three others (I think Derdenger and another sprinter) so it was dangerous, especially since the field was tiring and two big teams were represented one of which is their best sprinter. Safeway did some work to pull it in cause they were not represented, but it was sporatic and I was concerned as they all raced earlier and didn't pull it back at Davis either. Pasco pulled for about a lap and a half hard and EMC was second wheel. Pasco looked for someone else to pull and EMC said “sorry Robert.” I felt bad, and was going come around, but he pulled for another half lap with no help from his mates. A few of us came by and helped a bit but nothing got too organized. I pulled a bit and did some work along with a few other lone rangers.

My strategy is usually the same riding solo with no teamies - to work off the bigger teams and stay positioned. The gap was about 10 seconds or so. With no one looking to commit further and guys getting tired, I decided to bridge solo and attacked. I would have been happy with one other of course to share the pain. It took a lap or so to bridge kind of like Burlingame and I made it. Unfortunately, the pack must not have like it and they chased hard and also caught not too far behind. Knowing there would be a counter I watched for a wheel to come and follow, but none came and three got back off the front – Holtz, Innes and unattached Barlow(don't know the guy but he must have a good engine). Needing a breather from burning about half my matchbook on the bridge, I paused thinking no way three would get away after already being in the break. The whole pack must have been thinking the same cause the gap grew and EMC did a great job of protecting and covering at the front the rest of the race – schooling everyone. There were flurries of mini attacks throughout the rest of the race, but nothing solid and the gap grew to 20 seconds and I think even greater than that by the end of the race.

On the last lap I was 2^nd or 3^rd around turn 2 in good position then a huge acceleration from McKinley came around and spoiled the being first into turn 3 plan. I tried to match and got out of the saddle on that backstretch, but the string of a few guys hit it a bit harder and forced me to get in line and ended up 10^th – out of the single digits for the time being. Holtz took the win and McKinley won the field sprint.