bicycle.net -- cycling news, product reviews, original essays, podcasts & video :: Tour of California 2009

June 3rd, 2007: CBR California State Crit Championship, Costa Mesa, Ca.

As a member of the Kahala La Grange CAT IV race team, I had very high hopes that we would be taking home the Golden Bear Jersey. With two great sprinters on the team, the whole team had higher hopes for our soon to be win. The field was familiar with most of the same riders we have seen at the other crit races. And we fielded the largest squad by far, with 7 riders total.

Since this was my first CAT IV race, I was a little anxious, and when we rolled to the start line I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I looked down at my heart rate monitor (a POLAR CS200CAD) my heart rate was at 110bpm. I thought that I was the only one, but with a few seconds before the start I looked around at the other racers computers and it seemed that everyone had about a 110bpm, so far so good.

The race starts without much excitement, and the speed is relatively modest. Yes, my biggest fear with this new upgrade was that I would get dropped on the first lap. Yes, one lap down and, well who knows how many more laps, but I’m thinking I am going to be able to help the team. I go to the front of the peleton and stay around 10th to 15th position with the role of chasing down breaks (which there was only one) which another teammate took care of for me.

I was a little surprised by how squirrelly these CAT IV’s were. I was told that the biggest difference between the 5’s and the 4’s is that the 4’s are smoother. Well not today. Not this race. Guys were bumping, leaning, and just having a tough time holding their lines. The other thing that I was not surprised for was the number of flat tires. Someone near the front, BAMM, someone near the rear of the peleton, BAMM, someone in the middle of the peleton, BAMM. These guys must be pushing their tire pressure to the max, BAMM.

At one point I hear what sounds like “BING”, as if metal is being cut while it is under pressure. No wonder, some guy gets his front wheel hooked up with another guys skewer and has 3 or 4 of his spokes cut in half. Both sides dangling from the rim. The amazing part is that neither rider goes down, the dudes front wheel does not fold, and it still rolled. Rolf made one hell of a strong wheel that day.

Any how, back to the race. With 6 laps to go I drop back and help pull the Blue Train (La Grange) up to the front of the peleton. As we are working our way up we get to about 10th position when I drop back and fall behind my 5 other teammates. As the speed starts to pick up going into lap 5 we are on the outside line, hooked up and getting ready to take the front of the peleton when, two guys right in front of us panic. Looks like one guy hit the curb, swerves, bumps the guy to his right, he swerves back to the left and then down they go. And as if we some gigantic magnetic pull, down goes the first four La Grange riders in our train. 1, 2 3, 4, down they go, and as they do they pile is moving right. The rider in front of me (Dan) slams the brakes, counter steers, and is some how riding his bike sideways all the while trying to avoid the pile up. My front tire hits his rear dérailleur, and then I slam my brakes, counter steer, and hit the guy to my right, who hold his position and allows me to lean on him. All of a sudden Dan (my new hero) gets his bike straight and stays upright, and completely gets around the crash, which allows me to get straight, and get around the crash. Wow, that was the closest I have been to hitting the asphalt all year.

If not for Dan and his amazing bike handling skills and the guy to my right who allowed me to lean on him with my shoulder and helmet, I would be tending to my road rash.

The outcome was that we lost most of our team in this unnecessary crash, but we got gapped and had to work hard to get back up to the peleton. I pulled hard for about a lap, but once hitched back on the peleton I barely had any legs left. I noticed two riders who I knew are strong and had the ability to win. So I tried to hang with them, but when the took off with about a 1/2 lap to go, I had no chance of hanging onto their wheels, and finished back int he middle of the pack.

The worst part was that are highest finish was 19th, and one of our riders suffered a broken collar bone, as well as a cracked helmet and bike damage. I know it is all part of the game, and we know what we are getting ourselves into, but it just makes me angry when stupid mistakes have a race changing outcomes.

Hey Matt, get better, take care of that collar bone. And next year that Golden Bear is yours.