6 August 2011
As most cyclists are aware, anytime the big names are gathered from around the area for a touring event like this one, it's a given that the lead is group is really assembling for the next battle of the Cycling World Championship Race Series. Today's battle, was epic as usual and had the added advantage of being for a good cause.
This event as advertised is a 30 or 60 mile tour starting in Dannebrog and due to road closures was an out and back route to Loup City via Hwy 58. Entry fee for the event covers the free t-shirt, aid stops, infamous Dannebrog pizza, and the proceeds benefit Mark's Bikes for the Needy program. Certainly a great ride and cause well worth supporting.
The route is U-shaped and the wind was not favorable, especially on the return. Leaving Dannebrog at 8:00 AM, it was game on, I hadn't realized yet that this event was another installment of the World Championships, but as usual I planned to be at the front and in position to catch the break away if anyone was feeling trigger happy. I should have known I could rely on Mike and Todd from Kearney to keep the pace high and the weak drafting. After some initial confusion a pace line finally organized. Early on I kept in the draft and didn't expend any extra effort until I had a good idea of how the ride was going to play out and how I was feeling. What I didn't expect was the jump in performance I would see on today's ride, as all my training has finally added up to some serious gains that are reminiscent of my old race legs and it's awesome to be so close to being back!
We skipped the first aid station, at 15 miles as there was really no need to stop, many people didn't agree, but after a quick regroup there was only 4 of us left, myself, Mike, Todd, and Kendrick. Mike was certainly the strongest on the ride and set the pace at a blistering 26-27 mph and the pace line started rotating, every time I was in the lead, I pushed hard, watched my heart rate and rotated through when I still felt like I had enough left to catch back into the draft. On the way out I hadn't yet realized how much my training was starting to pay off. As we rolled into the turn-around aid station, I was still in the lead group and amazingly felt pretty good. We waited around here for everyone to regroup and after a decent break, the whole pack (maybe 15 riders) headed back for the return trip.
On the return we immediately discovered that we had a tail wind on the way out, this dictated a 23 mph pace on the way back (once again set by Mike), I think the rest of us were taking pulls in the 21-22 range… Still feeling good and wanting to do my share of the work I took as long of pulls as I could and still saved enough to get back into the draft. Somewhere around mile 45, I was starting to fatigue, but the group was dwindling, I think we were down to 10 at this point, and by mile 55 there was only 3 of us left. No one contested Mike as he pulled us into Dannebrog and the ride was over, I was super glad that I had hung on and did a respectable amount of the work. Certainly I surprised myself and probably many other on the ride taking the pulls at the front like I had done, which was unthinkable earlier in the year. Although, I knew I would eventually get back to this point it seemed a long ways away yet.
The Dannebrog pizza is as good as it is popular. Super deep and covered with tons of cheese, it was awesome, pretty much everyone could only eat 2 to 3 pieces, I ate 2 and really should only have ate one. Around 1pm, it was back to Grand Island and another installment of the World Championships was concluded and my ego was boosted (as if I really needed that)…
Now it's rest and recovery rides until Leadville next weekend!
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