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Peter Taylor
Copperopolis Road Race
03/26/05
6th
Juniors 13-14
Field:25
Teammates:Aaron,Lilly
Aaron and I arrived at the race 2 hours before the start. Once there we went to registration and received our numbers, and went back to the car to get our trainers. Aaron and I then made our way to Lilly’s car where the three of us warmed together for half and hour before junior role outs. Then we waited for the race to start.
When the race started there was a 100m neutral start, after which no one attacked immediately. For about 1 mile Daniel Tisdail (who ended up second), and Lance Wolfsmith (who finished first) set the pace. The race really began to pick up after the feed station when Daniel Tisdail set a very high pace at the beginning of the first hil l.Thisgraduallydroppedridersoffthebackuntil it was down to 5 or 6 riders. Aaron, Lilly, and I were still in the pack. After a while I dropped off the back and was so tired that many riders past me so I got a bit discouraged and dropped more ground to those in front of me.
At the end of the first decent there is a right angle turn going to the left, where I saw a group of four who had already turned. I looked at my odometer, and decided to make a rough estimate of how far ahead the group was. They were about a mile and a half ahead. I then decided to try to catch this group and time trailed at 20 plus miles an hour for about eight or nine miles. I eventually caught up with them just in time for the last hill but I was very tired. At the beginning of the hill Lilly said she was going to try and break from what was the main pack. I said I would block for her on the decent. At the end of the hill Alex Wick was not far behind. He chased Lilly so I had decided not to follow him but to keep blocking the others. Was this a good decision?
At the end of the decent I tried to break from the group with about one kilometer to go. Only one rider was able to keep with me and he was from Wolfpack. He beat me on the final uphill sprint for 5th place.
Peter Taylor
Snelling Road Race
2/26/05
4th
Juniors 13-14
Field:25
Teammates:Adam, Aaron,Lily, Nick R, Alex.
The race was a great experience due to the fact it was my first overnighter. I woke for the race at five, after a long night with little sleep. However, the adrenaline kicked in, and I was ready and warmed up before departing from the hotel. We reached the parking lot where the race was to take place. I did all I normally do to warm up before the delayed race started in the fog.
At the first hill, before the race had even started, there was a crash. I was just a bit to the side of the main pile up, and road over some downed rider’s wheel yet managed to stay up. The next crash came after the race had started even though we still thought we had not started. In this frightful occurrence some younger rider swerved into me. Some how my foot unclipped, and a part of my shoe got stuck in his water bottle cage. I managed to get it out at the expense of the other rider who crashed!
There were a few other crashes all of which did not endanger the team. Only later on the first lap did I see Adam come off the road I didn’t know what happened, but didn’t wait. I later found out Adam had been “pushed” off, and Alex had waited. At the end of the first lap we saw the finish line placed on a hill where everyone was cheering. We now knew we were racing and only had a lap to go. I sprinted up the hill to look like I was doing well though it may have not been that smart energy wise. Minutes past with attacks coming from Lily, and the eventual winner. All of these attacks failed With about a mile to go I identified a series of land marks on the course and realized the finish was close and began to fight for a good position. I went out to early for the sprint, and ended up fourth.
Cherry Pie Criterium
2/06/05
8th Place
Juniors 13/14
Field: 27
Teammates: Alex, Adam, Aaron
Even though I did the early bird "crits", this was my first official race.
The race had a mass start with all juniors together. As I knew this was going to happen I decided to let the older kids go ahead and race with my own age group. This strategy proved to be a mistake as Idid not know who was in my age group and I found that many of the top finishers stayed with the leaders as long as possible. Even those that dropped off the back of the leading group had a big lead that the rest of us in the Tieni Duro team could not catch even when working as a team.
All in all I think we did well and learned a lot. Next time the team might try and keep up with the leaders as long as possible and see what happens.
Early Bird Crit #4
1/23/05
4th? Place
Juniors 13-14
Field: 25?
Teammates: Alex, Adam, Nick
This was my third race and I was very happy to see my teammates there. The race started at a higher tempo than the other Early Birds and many attacks came in the first lap. However, with the help of Adam, Alex, and Nick we pulled them all back. After a few of these laps the tempo settled down with the field still together, however, it was quite frightning with everyone jostling for position. With around five laps to go and a sudden acceleration after the last turn a breakaway of four went tearing off the front. I tried to chase it down, but they were too experienced and already had a pace line going. I decided I would go for 5th. But on the last lap we caught someone who came off the back of the break. With one lap to go someone attacked; due to my position in the field at that time I was the only one who could keep with her. I'm not sure she realized I was there so she just kept on pulling. Within 200 meters of the finish she realized I was there. I then pulled alongside her and with 100 meters to go I gave it my full effort and got 4th? place.
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