This was MY stage....My stage to shine. The one I waited for, the one I trained for. This was the stage last year that gave me the time back I lost on the flat with a bike issue. This is a Tina Taiwan made for me stage!
I wasn't nervous at all.
But, I was a bit tired. It took quite some time to sort out our room situation. We ordered massages (actually hired about 8 girls from Bangkok to follow us around to get massages) and it took a considerable amount of time to get it situated. I didn't get my massage until 9:30pm... my legs were quite tired. I am not confident I had enough water to drink, nor the right 'recovery' stuff.
We were told we'd ride out with the Juniors and Masters. Someone must have complained because we were originally to ride out with the M40's again. I was looking forward to this as I knew the pack would be stable and slightly more conservative as they had 90km more then we did. There was a lot of wheel sucking to be done on the climb.
So, we take off with the Juniors and Masters. The Juniors surge.... fast/slow..... on/off... it just goes on and on and on... finally a good surge that lasts a respectible amount of time and a couple drop, two of the women and a couple of the old guys.
Thud....thud...thud... I look back....oh... my tire looks a bit ... 'fat'. NOT GOOD!
Its flat alright!
"Where's the neutral wheel guy?" AAUUGGHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Finally, he stops. Change out the wheel, and off I go. We were told the rules were that you get a push back to the group you fell out of, if you were in a group. I was.... but no push. He sped off before I could protest, but yelled quite loudly.
So, I try to overtake the riders who had fallen, maybe a group will form?
A few of the old guys are just hangin on.... one holds my wheel for quite some time.... then I say, "hey, we need to rotate here!" we do, he falls back for my turn and then he simply falls back.
I come up to one of my teammates. I thought she was waiting for me. But, as it was, she was just taking it her own pace and wished me luck.
I just bear down....hoping to catch a few on the hill.
I see the very back of the peloton, but guess what..... my wheel.... so I stop to look really quickly... (as it turned out, I eventually loose the break pad, so... ) The peloton is gone and up the hill. thinking we only had 6km to go, it was more lik 12km. Again...not entirely clear information!
My climb was pathetically slow.
The heat was unbearable. I was having pains in my chest and really wondered if I would be getting heat stroke. The water support was amazing, there was just nothing in me and I never, EVER felt so sick on a climb.
I climbed a full 4kph SLOWER then the year prior.
Finally making it to the top, I do pass one rider, and see the next. Thinking if I catch her, maybe a 5th place....I never do, but see her cross the finish line.
Her time: 2:22,
My time: 2:27,
The girl that I passed and watched her cross a few minutes after I finished: 2:27,
My Polar/Garmin time: 2:24...
hmmm......official times weren't even released until late that night.
Whatever....
I lost about 14 minutes on my GC, but still had a large enough time gap to keep 3rd if I didn't drop, flat, or crash tomorrow.
By this time, I was so upset with the flat, no push, no pull, bad timing, and having learned others were going to request MORE time be added to my time.... I felt really alone.
It was not a good race day.
I wasn't nervous at all.
But, I was a bit tired. It took quite some time to sort out our room situation. We ordered massages (actually hired about 8 girls from Bangkok to follow us around to get massages) and it took a considerable amount of time to get it situated. I didn't get my massage until 9:30pm... my legs were quite tired. I am not confident I had enough water to drink, nor the right 'recovery' stuff.
We were told we'd ride out with the Juniors and Masters. Someone must have complained because we were originally to ride out with the M40's again. I was looking forward to this as I knew the pack would be stable and slightly more conservative as they had 90km more then we did. There was a lot of wheel sucking to be done on the climb.
So, we take off with the Juniors and Masters. The Juniors surge.... fast/slow..... on/off... it just goes on and on and on... finally a good surge that lasts a respectible amount of time and a couple drop, two of the women and a couple of the old guys.
Thud....thud...thud... I look back....oh... my tire looks a bit ... 'fat'. NOT GOOD!
Its flat alright!
"Where's the neutral wheel guy?" AAUUGGHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Finally, he stops. Change out the wheel, and off I go. We were told the rules were that you get a push back to the group you fell out of, if you were in a group. I was.... but no push. He sped off before I could protest, but yelled quite loudly.
So, I try to overtake the riders who had fallen, maybe a group will form?
A few of the old guys are just hangin on.... one holds my wheel for quite some time.... then I say, "hey, we need to rotate here!" we do, he falls back for my turn and then he simply falls back.
I come up to one of my teammates. I thought she was waiting for me. But, as it was, she was just taking it her own pace and wished me luck.
I just bear down....hoping to catch a few on the hill.
I see the very back of the peloton, but guess what..... my wheel.... so I stop to look really quickly... (as it turned out, I eventually loose the break pad, so... ) The peloton is gone and up the hill. thinking we only had 6km to go, it was more lik 12km. Again...not entirely clear information!
My climb was pathetically slow.
The heat was unbearable. I was having pains in my chest and really wondered if I would be getting heat stroke. The water support was amazing, there was just nothing in me and I never, EVER felt so sick on a climb.
I climbed a full 4kph SLOWER then the year prior.
Finally making it to the top, I do pass one rider, and see the next. Thinking if I catch her, maybe a 5th place....I never do, but see her cross the finish line.
Her time: 2:22,
My time: 2:27,
The girl that I passed and watched her cross a few minutes after I finished: 2:27,
My Polar/Garmin time: 2:24...
hmmm......official times weren't even released until late that night.
Whatever....
I lost about 14 minutes on my GC, but still had a large enough time gap to keep 3rd if I didn't drop, flat, or crash tomorrow.
By this time, I was so upset with the flat, no push, no pull, bad timing, and having learned others were going to request MORE time be added to my time.... I felt really alone.
It was not a good race day.
No comments:
Post a Comment