I love Downers Grove - it's not my favorite race but it definitely ranks in my top 5. The course is technically difficult - 8 turns and not much of it is actually 'flat' per se. Most of the time you're going slightly up or down except maybe between the last two corners. It can make for a long and painful day if you get stuck in the back and find yourself riding the tail of the dragon to a DNF. Before the race my feeling was that if I could get top 20 it was a good day. If I could finish in the top 10 it would take a bit of luck but it was definitely do-able.
I had a solid warm up and my legs were feeling good which helped my confidence a great deal. A very cool thing happened while I was waiting in turn 8 watching the Cat 2 men's race finish - my teammate Adam WON it!! Nice job, Adam - you are riding like a mad bastard this season! Standing in the corner I was also able to do some catching up with old teammates and friends I'd not seen for a while - that helped keep the anxiety at bay a bit.
We were called to the line and after some introductions we were underway. My plan was to stay in the front third for the first half of the race then gradually move up as the laps wound down. I was able to do that but did get caught up in a small wreck in turn 2 about 10 laps in. Some dweeb who was riding with her hands on the hoods and touching people who were too close to her hit some of the squishy tar and took maybe 6 of us out. We were close to the wheel pit and rejoined the field on the next lap.
Things were sort of twitchy and tight early on but it got better as riders eased in and got more comfortable in the turns and the field shrunk due to attrition. I was told there were between 70 and 80 starters - I believe it. After the halfway prime I tried to pick up a few positions every lap and found myself in a decent place with two to go. TIBCO and Colavita were keeping things hot off and at the front so I just tucked in and held on. In the end I crossed the line in 13th position - a finish that I am pleased with. There was a lot of high-caliber talent there so I think 13th is pretty respectable.
I may have been able to finish a place or two higher if I'd been more aggressive and taken more risks in the end but on the whole, it was a good performance. Not 15min after we finished and the category 1 men got underway the rain started coming down incredibly hard. I spectated a bit, talked with some friends and was witness to the decimation that was the cat 1 race. Lots of guys going down, getting gapped - I felt bad for them. It had to be near impossible to see let alone go fast and keep track of what was happening in the race.
If I happen to come across any photos from Sunday, I'll be sure to post them. Coming up - a few time trials, some track stuff and a tandem adventure (!!!). Maybe the state road race championship, if I'm feeling the love. 'Cross season starts in about 6 weeks and the bike's getting overhauled right now. Thanks for reading!
I had a solid warm up and my legs were feeling good which helped my confidence a great deal. A very cool thing happened while I was waiting in turn 8 watching the Cat 2 men's race finish - my teammate Adam WON it!! Nice job, Adam - you are riding like a mad bastard this season! Standing in the corner I was also able to do some catching up with old teammates and friends I'd not seen for a while - that helped keep the anxiety at bay a bit.
We were called to the line and after some introductions we were underway. My plan was to stay in the front third for the first half of the race then gradually move up as the laps wound down. I was able to do that but did get caught up in a small wreck in turn 2 about 10 laps in. Some dweeb who was riding with her hands on the hoods and touching people who were too close to her hit some of the squishy tar and took maybe 6 of us out. We were close to the wheel pit and rejoined the field on the next lap.
Things were sort of twitchy and tight early on but it got better as riders eased in and got more comfortable in the turns and the field shrunk due to attrition. I was told there were between 70 and 80 starters - I believe it. After the halfway prime I tried to pick up a few positions every lap and found myself in a decent place with two to go. TIBCO and Colavita were keeping things hot off and at the front so I just tucked in and held on. In the end I crossed the line in 13th position - a finish that I am pleased with. There was a lot of high-caliber talent there so I think 13th is pretty respectable.
I may have been able to finish a place or two higher if I'd been more aggressive and taken more risks in the end but on the whole, it was a good performance. Not 15min after we finished and the category 1 men got underway the rain started coming down incredibly hard. I spectated a bit, talked with some friends and was witness to the decimation that was the cat 1 race. Lots of guys going down, getting gapped - I felt bad for them. It had to be near impossible to see let alone go fast and keep track of what was happening in the race.
If I happen to come across any photos from Sunday, I'll be sure to post them. Coming up - a few time trials, some track stuff and a tandem adventure (!!!). Maybe the state road race championship, if I'm feeling the love. 'Cross season starts in about 6 weeks and the bike's getting overhauled right now. Thanks for reading!
