Pedalling Squares

Sea Otter Circuit Race, April 17, 2004

Description:
This is on the actual Laguna Seca Raceway. It's a 2.25 (I think) mile circuit with a steady and somewhat steep 300 foot climb, bomb down through the corkscrew then through a few turns, a hairpin and then the finish.

How It Went Down:
We started off with a crash about 10 feet from the S/F line. Rob and I had to maneuver around, but did so without much difficulty. My plan was to see if I could make something happen or get into a break early on and then to help Kevin or Rob if it stayed together.

I think on the 4th lap 5 guys accelerated a little at the top of the climb, so I jumped up to them for the descent. We had a great little gap open, but the guys were playing possum and sat up. Pussies! The group closed in on us and that was that. Oh well.

On the 5th or 6th lap, 2 guys got away after the descent somewhere in the flat section. I wasn't too worried, but stayed vigilant. Coming through the start finish I was near the front and feeling pretty good. One of the breakaway's teammates tried to put me in the barriers - said he was trying to protect his teammates' lead. Rookie! So I went around him and bridged up on the hill just to see what would happen. A few other people bridged up, we bombed down the descent and the same thing happened. They were all wussing out, afraid to take a pull in the wind.

So I chilled out. Kevin rolled up to tell me Rob wasn't with the main group anymore. Oh well. Rob had said he was feeling a little sick all week, so I wasn't too surprised. We strategized for the last lap. I told Kevin I would try to tow him around for the last lap to keep him ready for the sprint. We quickly moved to the front on the climb. Kevin was out in the wind killing himself to stay in the front (there was a stiff wind at the top). I told him to get on my wheel, but he was struggling. There was a little gap opening up and I yelled to Kevin to stay with it over the top. He finally told me to go on without him.

So again, we had a decent gap after the descent and I'm screaming at guys to work, but they weren't into it. Saving themselves for the sprint. Oh well. So I tried to hold my position, waiting for the countless attacks that would come in the last 1K. We came around the hairpin and I was still in the top 20. A big Solano guy by me and I thought I try to stay with him - he was a good draft. I tried to wait until the last minute and just keep following wheels. At 100m I ran out of wheels and started my lame sprint. I passed a few guys and held on for 10th.

In my opinion, that race is too short. We only did 8 laps and that's just not enough to make anything happen. Oh well. Maybe next time.