So The Rumors Are True......

Yes, racing in Europe is fast, very fast. Todays race was in a town a couple miles south and consisted of eight loops that totaled 79 miles. Upon arrival to the "pre race area" I was amazed to see all the team cars, it looked like we were at a pro race. The riders even had a special area to change, put their numbers on and do all the other pre race stuff. i have to say it was pretty cool. Once we had all of our gear together, we got our bikes from the mechanics (numbered, tires pumped up, and ready to go) we went and did a short spin to test the wind (there was a really strong wind blowing in from the north) and loosen the legs. We signed in and waited for the start area to open....

We actually got really good starting position, i think the whole team (five of us today) were positioned in the top twenty( there were 185 riders in the race, the biggest race I have ever been in). The motorcycle took out the red "neutral" flag and the race was on. However, the neutral section was anything but that. Riders quickly rushed past us using every means possible: the gutters, the sidewalks,, cutting corners, anything that would gain them a few spots. This is where I made my first "newbe" mistake, I let too many riders past me. Anyway, the motorcycle finally took out the green start flag and the race was officially on. The pace quickened and even more riders past me. By the time we reached the cobbled climb I was pretty much at the back. The climb was cool (even though it was really short) but instead of everyone fighting for he six inch wide gutter (barriers were in the way) everyone just plowed into the cobbles. The noise of all those riders on the cobbles was pretty deafening. Carbon rims were crunching and aluminum wheels were bouncing all around. The first lap finish had no real drama, besides a crash that happened right in front of me and was the main reason I was in the back. The second lap was far less fortunate for me. I noticed that my seat kept getting lower and lower with each rough section of the road. I decided to think nothing of it because to stop and fix it surely meant the end of my day. By the time the third lap came around, my knees were almost hitting my chest and I decided to stop. I dropped back to the follow cars, and found our team car. Our mechanic doesn't speak the best english so the repair took a little longer than was probably necessary, but oh well. He pushed me off and I began drafting the cars, trying to make my way back to the field. I discovered leap frogging cars was incredible difficult. You think drafting cars would be easy, but its not, trust me. The effort quickly became similar to an all out TT. i would pass some cars, and then the pace of the field would quicken and the cars would pass me back, this happened over and over. After about a lap I finally made it through all the cars (there were forty total cars and I have no idea how many I had to pass- too many) and finally attached myself to the back of the pack. The legs were shot though, and of course i got back on right before the climb, which was the icing on the cake, it was everything I had to stay in contact with the rider in front of me. The next two laps I was the last rider in the pack, and i was just trying to recover and take in some food. By the time the sixth lap came around, i thought enough was enough and decided to make my way to the front. It took me about 5 kilometers to get up with the leaders. I did a couple of attacks with some other guys, which didn't work out, and then the pace suddenly slowed so I was swarmed again, and before I knew it I was at the back again, although the pack was quite a bit smaller. The seventh lap was incredible fast and guys were being shed like crazy. The wind forced us into the gutter, which was kind of sketchy in some areas because after the side of the road there was usually a steep irrigation trench. The eighth and final lap came around and everything slowed down. The pack swelled and riders were taking up every inch of space, sidewalks included- making moving up nearly impossible. This was the most frustrating part of the race because your position from 10k's out was the position you finished in because you just couldn't move up. So I ended up finishing somewhere in the peloton.

I ended up being the only guy to finish from our team and probably only half the guys who started finshed. This was a good learning day though. I discovered you have to do everything possible to move up and stay in the front, even if it means risking crashing, or using the sidewalks, or what ever. The Euros race fast, but they are not invincible. Everyone was tired by the end, so I can't wait to see what some real climbs will do to the field. I could have done better today if I had raced a bit smarter and didn't have the mechanical, but at least I learned quite a bit. Our next race is on Tuesday down in the Cezch Rep. and it is supposed to be one of the hardest, if not the hardest junior stage race in Europe. So easy ride tomorrow, and a long drive on Monday.