Race Recap - Updated!

Saturday Race:

Saturday morning dawned cold and clear, twenty eight degrees was what the thermometer read at seven o’clock, but at least it was not raining. The start line brought together what I thought was an unlikely looking group for a bunch of bike racers. These were the guys that had been training all winter to whip my narrow ass? Bring it……….
The first lap was uneventful enough with only a telltale bobble here and there and my charge seemed to be enjoying him self in the pack. I was, as usual, trying to stay out of trouble and keep an eye on the half-wheelers. The top of golf course hill is its usual bitch and never fails to sift a few fatties out of the pack. Next time around I push it to the limit on the hill and I can barely hang on at the top from the effort. I did not have it in me to look back but at some point in the second lap we lost quite a few riders. Last lap of three, everyone seemed to be really solid and I was kind of hanging back getting a good look at what we had left. My teammate was also at the back, getting pinched out I am sure as everyone was jockeying for position for the upcoming finish line. I was not too concerned as things usually favour the patient, but he seemed to get agitated and was chomping at the bit to get to the front. My team mate was trying very hard to motivate the pack fodder to pick it up or let him through as most seemed to be soft pedaling, saving up I am sure. He cannot find a hole so across the yellow line he goes and everyone starts complaining and here comes the motorbike to relegate him. With the chorus of “DQ, DQ” hanging in the air I see heads lift, a bobble, and then absolute mayhem as riders slam to the ground and into each other, loudly moaning in pain. Given, I am still fairly new to bike racing but I have not seen the like of that yet, disturbing. I manage to avoid the pileup and continue towards the line, still unsure of things. I was content to soft pedal to the line but I feel someone coming in on my wheel so I stand it up a bit to hold my place 9th and my teammate took 13th.

Sunday Race:

Although I am sure people will dispute the details and make comparisons where there are none to be made, I was there. My teammate said he wanted absolution, I sad fine but wait, he said he was going from the gun, I said rock it! Or something along those lines. And so we line up and bang, off he goes. I know Al and I have seen his TT times and that boy can hammer. Behind me I hear “he will never hold that”, at least they hope. I stay towards the front and try to disrupt the chase as best I can. A lucky few go off the front in pursuit, that would be me ordinarily but not today, I have to do my job in the pack. Holy shvazoli it was windy and I was a hurting pretty bad. I sure did get the smack down for not pulling and even got the eff bomb thrown at me. So it is, I think that I did a pretty good job for my first time. I did manage a few feeble pulls on the last lap and as we were catching the race debris, the motor bike pulls up alongside me and I know what that means, a quick look back confirms, we are all that is left, four up front and six chasing. Hammering for the line I put my head down and manage to hang on for another 9th place.