Tacoma Twilight Criterium

Took of to the State of Washington for another pro Critt.  Tacoma Twilight Criterium was the Final race in the Cascade Criterium Series, aka Seattle Speed Week.  Although I was the only Westwood/Cannondale racer in the pro1/2 field, I did have the travel and racing company of none other than  Saskatchewan homeboy Chris McGarity.  Chris has been racing for Garneau Evolution. Chris was stoked on the Criterium, and is coming on some excellent form.

We arrived early enough to do a proper euro pre-warm up.  This consisted of puttering around downtown in team gear.  Having coffee and pastries on a patio, and getting a lecture from some Vietnam veteran about the flaws of American politics.  As race time drew near we warmed up and dialed in the focus.

The Criterium course was 1 mile square.  The back stretch was about 500m at 5% up, the Finnish stretch about 500m at 5% down. The race was 75minutes, and  was either >55km/hr down hill or >40km/hr uphill.   My form is on an upswing.  Midway through the race I could sense that this race would be a breakaway.  So, I started throwing down some spice.

Over the next 30minutes gaps were forming, the pack was coming undone.  I was all over the frontal action, mixing it up in the bicycle roulette.  Nothing stuck, but it was only a matter of time.  Then a group of 9 was pulling away, I was not in it.  What do you do in the wild west when you loose at roulette?  You throw the Table across the room.

In one lap I bridged out to the breakaway.  There was 10min left, we had 30 seconds on the bunch.  Mostly guys worked together.  We held 25 seconds.  Then 5laps to go, this was it.  This break is going to the line.  In the last 5 laps there was a prime every lap.  This meant sprinting for the finish line every lap for 5 laps.  I held back at first, thinking only of the finale.  The finishing sprint was downhill with a tail wind, and I knew It would take everything.  Then with 2 laps to go they announced a 200$ prime.  I could really use $200 so I went for it.  I needed a gap before the sprint, so I attacked from the bottom of the hill to the top. It didn't workout.

Going into the finale I could not escape my breakaway company.  Nor could I match the speed in the down hill sprint.  So I cam across in 9th place.  I am pleased with how I raced.  The form is coming up.  I just need a little finishing school.  I collected my prize money then we hit the road.  Got home at 230am, long day.

Next up for me, I will go to Banff for International Stage Race.  Then on to Edmonton for Canadian National Championships.

 Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct.



Cuylar Conly