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Shawn Wenger
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« on: May 12, 2011, 03:53:06 PM » |
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My weekend in Maple Ridge was all about drama. Last year at Race the Ridge, my first stage race ever, it was wet, so why would this year be any different? The cat 3/4 time trial Saturday morning started uneventfully, with Ethan and Chris holding umbrellas for Jenny and I since we didn’t have enough room to bring a tent.
It was wet. I have to admit, I rode a little too carefully with the rivers of water running across the road. I felt like I did so much better than last year and ended up only 4 seconds faster. I tied for third with a woman who was doing her first TT ever, first criterium ever, first stage race ever... it struck me... that was me a year ago.
The criterium started with a promise of filtered sunshine and we didn’t even need umbrellas for the trainer warm up. It ended up being a false sense of security. We started with 13 riders, including a good showing of juniors, and quickly pared down to six with three juniors hanging on, including Tori and Josie Spence from Kamloops. The rain came down, the water spiraled off the tires in front and straight into my mouth and eyes, so it became easier to ride close to the front. The corners were a bit shaky for some, so that was another reason to stay in the first few positions. I probably worked harder than I should have.
Did I mention it was raining? Then, it hailed. One of the women actually said she had bruises on her legs from it. Then, a storm drain backed up and we started plowing through a small puddle at the end of the 180 degree horseshoe corner. Each lap the water got deeper until it became a lake and we were having to keep our weight back each time we dove in to keep from going over the bars. I was amazed no one crashed. Again it was easier to be up front to avoid the wake created by the bikes in front. The Men’s Cat 3/4 race actually got cancelled due to the flood and the Women’s Cat 1/2 course was changed. In the end the Pro Men raced the full course (minus the lake).
I ended up second for both primes and second at the end. I need to work on my sprint timing. The final sprint was so close... I was rapidly closing the distance to the line, but ran out of real estate. I agonized over that all night, and Chris finally told me, “You know, even Mark Cavendish misses his timing once in a while.” That’s what husbands are for... sweet talker. And the woman who won was the independent rider doing her first race. What a great start for her!
Sunday dawned with drizzle, which was a huge step up. Just when I thought the drama was over. All 13 riders came to the start line. We only had 7 last year, so our category almost doubled. Our race was four laps. On lap one, I dropped my chain at the bottom of the hill and had to stop to put it back on. Chasing uphill... not my strength. This is when the overall winner got away... we called her “Superstar” all weekend because she seemed to be on a different level, starting with a full two minute lead after the TT.
I managed to get back on to the main group at the bottom of the decent and missed the crit-winner’s crash. When I was able to climb with the group in the second lap, my spirits lifted. Maybe my climbing has gotten better (keeping Superstar out the picture). Having a bit more confidence and momentum for the descent, I was able to get away and stay away from the main group for the rest of lap two and almost all of lap three. This is where the drama comes back.... In the distance, I could see a shape almost taking up my whole lane. As I approached, I realized what it was and started a dialogue in my head that went something like this: “I’m not allowed to cross the centre line... does that include passing a large pig? Should I pass the pig on the left (he’s heading that way) or will he keep going that way? Should I pass the pig on the right (behind him)? Where does the pig live?”
By this time, I was slowing down significantly. I made the decision to go behind the pig, hoping it would continue across the road. Wrong decision. Apparently, the pig lived on the right side of the road and it wheeled around and ran for home, taking my wheel out from under me as it went. We both squealed and I went down. As the train of four riders came by me, Jenny yelled, “Come on, jump back on!”
“But... but... I just hit a pig.”
My chain was off again. By the time I got on and caught up at the end of the third lap, coming through the start/finish area, my husband thought I’d been dropped. I was 20 metres off the back, with a stupid grin on my face and he’s yelling, “Come on... dig deep!” I was considering a reply and in the end, just rode through silently since I knew I didn’t have time to explain.
Once again, I climbed with the group and noticed the woman who was in competition for second place in the GC was tiring, so I pushed hard over the top of the last climb and took off into the corners and downhill again. Jenny realized too late that she should have come with me and tried to catch back on, but finally went back to practice her tactics on the other three riders. She effectively had the Kamloops juniors working with her to slow my competition down as well as leaving her to work on the front with no help.
With that amazing teamwork, I was able to stay away for second place in the road race and second in the GC. My competition commented, “I couldn’t believe it... tactics in a cat 3/4 race?” We have to start somewhere... we’re not quite ready for tactics in the shark tank.
I have to say everyone is enjoying this whole pig story. I’m not living it down anytime soon. And Andrew seems determined to come up with some nickname related to it. What a way to go down in history!
P.S. I think I need some ammunition.. what's Andrew's nickname?
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