NC State Wolfpack Classic

Earlier this month I got my first race of the season in at the NC State Wolfpack Classic.

In the week leading up to the race I had excellent sensations in the legs, but was having some breathing problems (allergy related). Luckily this was mostly cleared up by race day thanks to some allergy medicine and a neti pot.

I could not talk anyone into making the 2.5 hr drive with me because the predicted 28degrees at the start scared them off. Their loss because it warmed up quick and turned out to be a great day for racing. The course was 4 laps of an almost 8 loop after a neutral rollout. There was one climb right after the start/finish line and a second near the halfway mark, then the back side of the course was mostly downhill.

About 50 riders lined up for the 4/5 race including two teams that had four or five guys each. I was hoping that with that many guys they would be certain to sent someone up the road, and a break was what I was looking for. I have not done any sprinting this year so I knew I didnt have much of a chance in a bunch sprint but felt good about my chances in a long breakaway.

Unfortunately for me, this race turned out like every other 4/5 road race I have been at, parading about at 22mph dropping a few stragglers up each hill and after each acceleration out of a sharp corner.

After making it up the first hill the first time without blowing I knew I was going to be ok and settled into a spot about 20 places back from the front. This seemed to be about where the pack split coming out of the corners so I was able to stay in contact without fighting for position while a big gap opened behind me and some but not all of the field managed to catch back up.

This was how it went for 3 1/2 laps until the final trip down the back stretch when the speed stayed up a bit higher and things began to string out single and double file instead of three and four wide. I was feeling good and moved up to about 15th before the last corner. And that was my mistake. I should have pushed my way up a bit further. There were some matching kits in front of me and I was planning to latch on to a promising leadout, but as the leaders slowed for the bumpy broken pavement of the final corner, the bunch accordianed together and several guys from behind me filled in the inside of the corner. There was a lot of extracurricular braking for all but the first 10 or so guys through the corner. I came out of the corner somewhere in the top 20 and got on the gas going up the small rise to the finish but it was too little too late and I only managed to pick up a few places on the way to a 14th place finish.

Overall I was pleased with the result for a first race. The new position on the bike felt great (flipped stem and seat moved forward) and the legs were there. If I could do it again, I would have been more aggressive and tried to get a break going, but race and learn.