Pedalling Squares

Pescadero RR

Description: 28 mile loop, with one 600 foot vertical, 2 mile climb (Haskins Hill) and two shorter climbs on Stage road. We did 2 laps, and part of another lap, finishing at the top of the longer climb for about 75 miles total.

How it went down
My plan was to chill for the first lap, and do something (get into a break, or attack on my own) on the second lap. If we're still together after 2 laps, just try to see what happens on the final climb. The last time I did this race it didn't finish at the top of Haskins but at the bottom about 10 miles down the road. I had a pretty gnarly crash on the descent that year so I was hoping to do better this time around.

The first lap was pretty uneventful. It looked like Patrick was doing some chasing and Demian was helping out. We didn't really discuss the team tactics much, but I was definitely sitting in on the first lap. As we approached the feed zone, Patrick told me he was probably going to go backwards on Haskins after his efforts chasing. Demian came up to us and seemed to be doing a little better than Patrick. We passed through the feed zone, Patrick gave me what was left of his can of whoop-ass, we had a group hug, Patrick kissed me tenderly on the forehead and said goodbye. Then the climb started. I started further back than I like to, but didn't have too much trouble moving up. Not too much happened.

I was in the first third for the descent and a little nervous since the last time down this hill, I wiped out! No problems though, aside from one sketchy moment. But then that always happens. We pretty much cruised until the second time up Stage road. I stayed near the front and felt comfortable for both of the climbs. As we turned up Highway 84 again (which connects Stage to the Haskins climb and it slightly uphill the whole way) it was time to be attentive. Somewhere in here a little break escaped up the road. I didn't quite notice who all was in it - bummer.

So then Pat Caurant launches a fierce bridge attempt - just the move I was looking for. Giddy-up! I'm on that immediately. The two of us opened up a good little gap and started working it to catch the break. We could see them up the road - and it didn't look too impressive. It was clear they weren't working together. Anyway, after a few minutes of hard chasing, we caught them - a few miles before the feed zone. Pat and I continued to work, despite the fact that the other guys weren't taking their pulls. Oh well, eventually we got a paceline going and then turned up into the feedzone. I didn't need anything, and neither did Pat, so we just cruised through it. Then I look back, and there's no one with us!!!

"Shit, we dropped 'em!"

Pat says, "Screw it, we don't need 'em, let's go!"

There was still one stud up the road - Wayne Puckett. Wayne is a great time trialist so if we could catch him, we would have more than enough horsepower to stay away for 30 more miles. As the climb started, I'm thinking I'll be setting the tempo - Pat's a bigger guy, probably 15 lbs heavier than me. I was wrong. He was working me all the way up the climb. I took a few turns at the front, but he was definitely pushing me when he moved to the front. We could start to see Wayne in the distance, and we caught him near the top. We rode the descent carefully, but quickly and organized as soon as we hit the bottom.

At one point, Wayne pulls up and says "I'm going to take really a long pull, ok?" So we let him - what a horse! He did that again a few miles later! We got a time check of about 2 minutes as we approached the town of Pescadero. After negotiating a little traffic jam, and watching Pat almost get doored, we changed up the paceline as we approached the Stage climbs again. Pat unknowingly won the $10 sprint - we didn't really care about that anyway. Wayne said he didn't care so much about winning, he just wanted to stay away. He promised if we got him over the climbs he would "throw it down" on 84. I just hoped I could stay on his wheel!

Pat and I rode tempo over the climbs. We got another time check - we had extended our lead to nearly 2:30 after descending the second hill. Despite the fact that our lead seemed to be increasing - when we got onto 84, we ramped it up another notch. Geeez, we were movin'. I was taking my turns at the front, but I would have preferred to take it down a notch. At this point it was pretty obvious we'd stay away. We had plenty of horsepower, we were maintaining/extending our lead, and working well together - all was going well.

I started thinking about the climb. Wayne is not a great climber - he admitted that. He can't respond well to accelerations. I really didn't think I could beat Pat - he climbed so well the last time, I just didn't think there was much I could do, unless he was tired. But, as we turned up to the feed zone, it was all quickly decided. . .

I was pretty wiped from the effort on 84 and it was getting warm - in the 90's or high 80's. So I kept asking for neutral water as I rode up through the feed zone, but couldn't get any until near the end of the feed zone. I got some, and doused myself with it. I looked up, and Pat had a good gap up the road. Wayne was right there with me. I gave up my dreams of winning right then. I turned to Wayne and told him I was happy just to ride tempo and sprint it out near the top. He agreed. So we started the climb together.

It didn't take long though, for Wayne to slowly ride away from me. I made a few efforts to stay with him, but I was cooked. So I decided to be happy with third place. I looked over my shoulder - no one behind me. I maintained a good tempo and rode in for a solid third place finish.

What a great race. In addition to getting a podium finish, it was nice to be in a break with 2 other guys who worked so well together and who were so strong. Cool!

Average HR: 162 bpm