For the first 25km, fairly uneventful. There is a surge and my poor positioning caused me to fall back for a bit. I bear down and put myself in the middle of the group. That will be ENOUGH of that.
We are on the right, then the lane gives out to gravel.
I bunnyhop to the paved road along with the group.
thud...
thud...
thud...
Flat on the front. 35km in to the race...85 to go.
And...what goes through my head.... one of my daughter's iPod songs:
Riding solo....riding solo... riding solo......sooooolooooo
I get a switch very quickly, but the pack is long gone. I ask for a push, NO... I try to get behind the motor cycle for a pull, NO! I try to draft off of trucks.... NO
Okay... well, its early. I can't catch the group, I have to find my comfort level and resign to work hard. I know with more then 70km to go at that point, there is a very good chance many other girls will fall out and I can just pick them off... 70km a lot can happen.
And it did...
I passed three fairly quickly. The fourth hung on my wheel. Okay, I got 5th, my GC will be smashed...no chance for anything better then 5th. I make the woman rotate but not long. She can't hold the speed, but I really needed some rest. We pick up a few others... but eventually, they can't hold... I can't be bothered... I take off.
Its always a tough decision. Stay with the small group and rest so there's a chance for the next day... or just take off and try to preserve something.
At the end of the route, a 10km out and back. I pass the finish line so I have 20km to go. I see Alex with Nick and he gives me the thumbs up. At that point, I am humiliated...I start to cry... all those weeks of training...and it comes down to a freakishly hot day, flat tire, and not being pushed back (I was suppose to, it was stated very, VERY clearly the night before).
I just do what I can do to finish. Hopefully everyone sucks at climbing and somehow, I shine a bit and I can take some time back. Those are my thoughts, get to tomorrow, put this one to rest.
I cross the line... put my bike on the truck... get lunch... Now I have to tell everyone what happened.
Alan Grant told me: "Get a stage win tomorrow, Tina!"
I eat with the Spice girls... "You can work with us, you are strong!" Maybe, but now tired.
I never see Alex and glad...I'd just cry and I was already humilated and I didn't want to admit it... I just shrugged it off and laughed with everyone else. What could I do... I got a flat. I didn't plan it. Really, it was my fault, I know better then to be on gravel... if I were better placed in the group perhaps it wouldn't have happened, but then again, maybe it would have.
I take the bus back to the hotel. Alex meets me and has taken care of getting me a room, ordering me a massage. I was so relieved, last year, often there weren't enough rooms.
Had a shower, pulled myself together and started to think about the next day. What else could I do.
When Bobby returned my wheel, I asked him, "Hey, aren't we suppose to get a push back to the group when we get a flat?"
"Yes, that didn't happen?"
"No, today or last year".
"Your time will be adjusted"
Suddenly, I was back in the race. I got the same time as the last girl in the group to cross the line. It was a full minute behind the winner, but I was really relieved. Worried that the other women would be angry, I didn't ask. I explained to them that I didn't get a push, Bobby adjusted my time... I didn't ask... but reminded them I was exhasuted now... They seemed to feel the adjustment was the right thing.
aauugghh....
live and learn.
Luckily, I came to the race with the attitude of having fun... and even with the day's event, I was having fun.
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