Weather permitted and we raced the Saturn Whitnall Park Circuit Road Race yesterday. The course is a 2.5mi rolling circuit with a short steep hill before the finish. I again rode conservatively and kept my face out the wind in favor of letting the teams take care of the chase work. We rode 19 laps today and everyone was pretty much together by the time the final sprint came - uphill and around the curve to the line.
We were about 200 meters from the finish line when a rider on my right pushed me (yes, literally pushed with her hand) into another rider on my left - at top speed. My front wheel locked into her rear derailleur - shredding my $700 wheel and taking me down with her in the process. Words do not describe the anger and frustration at that moment. I had to walk away to keep from screaming and saying things that could have repercussions in the future. I returned a few minutes later to retrieve my bike and walked it across the finish line, dead freaking last. There is no doubt in my mind that I again had a top 5 finish. It was taken away by a rider who made a 'questionable' move - not cool at all.
I decided to come home this morning because I'm still angry - I couldn't be around that girl today. I'll head back up to Milwaukee for the Shorewood Criterium tomorrow....
We were about 200 meters from the finish line when a rider on my right pushed me (yes, literally pushed with her hand) into another rider on my left - at top speed. My front wheel locked into her rear derailleur - shredding my $700 wheel and taking me down with her in the process. Words do not describe the anger and frustration at that moment. I had to walk away to keep from screaming and saying things that could have repercussions in the future. I returned a few minutes later to retrieve my bike and walked it across the finish line, dead freaking last. There is no doubt in my mind that I again had a top 5 finish. It was taken away by a rider who made a 'questionable' move - not cool at all.
I decided to come home this morning because I'm still angry - I couldn't be around that girl today. I'll head back up to Milwaukee for the Shorewood Criterium tomorrow....
