'2007-07-14
Today I contested my first race. It was the XXIII Premio Nuestra Senora De Oro, only 108 km (67 mi) in length, it was a generally rolling terrain with a number of significant climbs, it finished up a 4km climb with sections of  17%. Oh and it was quite windy indeed.

Registering for the race was easy, I just showed up and handed them my papers.. and that was it!! All the race officials were hanging out enjoying a nice mid morning meal of tortilla Espanola (potato Omelette) and some crusty bread. They were even cracking open a bottle of wine.

Anyways, about 130 people started the race and it was fast from  the gun, I think the first attack came at around 50 meters, and they didn't let up for a while. Despite all the activity, no significant group got away. And it was all together more or less until we hit one of the more significant climbs when the field then broke up.

Anyways, it was descending down from the climb that I had a little mishap. Those who wear contacts will know that sometimes they get a bit dry and they can kind of get disoriented in your eye, but just blinking rapidly usually fixes the problem. Wellllll, as we were descending down this hill, I was experiencing said sensation, I started to blink rapidly, and then the next thing I know… I am missing the contact in my left eye! Terrific! unphased, I soldiered on. I thought about pulling out because it was kind of disorienting at first, but then eventually I got used to the sensation. Whenever the race had to navigate a sharp corner, I would go into Cyclops mode, and only use one eye at the detriment of my peripheral vision, however everything was a lot more clear and lucid.

I rode up next to my friend Javi and tried to explain to him my situation, he just yelled back "YES GOOD TRAINING"

Anyways, the race carried on and I had no idea what group I was in, I got into a small group and we were going along nicely and then started to climb up this one climb, at the TOP of the climb there was a race official there to greet us with the wonderful news that we were no longer in the race. There was a rather animated discussion between a number of the other racers and the official. It turns out they decided to DQ anyone who was more than 2 min behind the lead group. It turned out that this was by far the majority of the race.

Around 130 people started, only 25 were classified at the end – I don't know if this is normal or it the race officials were just feeling frisky today or what.

Anyways, it was a ton of fun – I was pleased to find out that I was not the slowest guy out there… the guys who were in the lead group and who eventually won – they are on a totally another level. But the vast majority of the other races out there – sure they are fast and strong, but it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it was going to be. I rode a conservative race as throughout I kept thinking, ok when is it going to get going? I didn't want to do something stupid and then be out the back in the next km. but in the coming races I will definitely be more active.

There is actually a criterium here in town this Friday, its by "invitation only" I have no idea what that means, but people have assured me that I will be invited. Then there is a race I think on Saturday, I guess it starts in France and ends in Spain someplace. I hope to go to that one and partake.

See ya

-Scott

Trofeo San Lorenzo - Report (~8/10/07)

 

Hi guys, I am back with another little race report from Spain. Since my last race I haven't raced, still training – but instead of racing I've just been enjoying life and learning a lot.

Anyways, This time it was the Trofeo San Lorenzo, totaling 124km (77mi) with 3 classified climbs. Located over in the province of Cantabria near the coastal city of Santander, around 130 riders lined up for the late afternoon start. In attendance was the Saunier Duval-Prodir espoir team along with the usual host of amateur teams. Anyways the race started off fast with riders throwing down stupid attacks. Guys would ride to the front and attack so effin' hard and then just sit up and look at each other. But people never seemed to tire of this so it continued until a group eventually formed off the front. Things calmed down a bit but people were still active and kept attacking a bit.

Anyways, rolling into the first climb I was closer to the back than I should have been. On the first climb only about 4.5 miles long the group blew apart. I worked my way up passing a ton of people in the process, over the top of the climb I just missed the group and got into a good chase group, we made it back without any difficulty. By now half the field was out of the race, the chase group had been caught. The race carried on with a series of uncategorized climbs. They absolutely gun it into the climbs and sprint up the first little bit but then slow down. Every time I would be in trouble at the start, but then just motor back on before the top, not ideal but it was working.

Anyways, coming into the second to last climb the Saunier Duval team decided to drop the hammer so to speak and absolutely gunned it up the the climb. It was steep and narrow and windy. this is where I ran into trouble, over the top I could still see the group and chased like a maniac on the flats on the top before the descent. The descent was on perhaps the crappiest, most rutted out dusty farm road I have ridden on. Ok that's an exaggeration, but it was not a fun road to descend while trying to catch up with a race. I almost ran off the road twice in my desperate attempt to catch back up. But it was not to be.

So in all, I am happy with how it turned out. I lasted until just about 15km to go. By that time half the field had been shelled. Next race is probably this Sunday. Until then..

Adios!

 -Scott

LIV Circuito Aiala (~8/10/07)

 

So not much to say about this one, it was a circuit race, 6 laps or something like that, 2 small hills, the rest relatively flat. It started in a town that currently is celebrating town wide 'fiesta'. This is nice because it gets a lot of people out to watch the race, but this also means the road is basically covered in broken glass and the stench of urine pervades from the previous all night reveling. Nice.

It was fast from the gun, I was hanging out at the front for the first few laps, but it gets tiring up there because when people launch their suicidal attacks they then look to you to chase after them, which is ok if you have a team but when your solo, its not so good.
Anyways, we were hauling ass into this small town and encountered some speed bumps. The speed bumps here are like mountains. I think this was the third lap, I don't remember. But I had slid to the back of the group a bit too far, anyways to make a long story short there was a crash on the narrow road, presumably caused by the speed bumps.
I heard the crash, tried to break, but we were going around 30mph so there is not much you can do on a narrow road. Luckily when it was my turn to 'crash' the road was already strewn with bodies and I had been able to slow down a bit, I think more than a few people cushioned my fall. In the end I only got a little scrape on my back, and broke a front spoke. SO I am ok, it didn't really hurt.
This was actually the second crash at this exact same place, there was a crash the lap previous but at the time I was at the front and didn't see/hear it.
After the crash I was sitting on a bench on the side of the road talking with this kid, he assumed I was from France or Germany based on the Hagens-Berman name. this is the second time someone has assumed I am on a German team based solely on the name. But I get a lot of comments about how much everyone likes the style of the team kit!! People have even told me how much they like my Giro Helmet.
Ok take it easy,
Adios.
-Scott