Waiting For the Results?

Here I am still waiting for the weekend results, like it really matters.  Here's how the weekend went down, more or less.  I woke Saturday to high winds, the usual Mojave spring roaring winds that come through here day after day; the only question is not if it's windy, but how windy?  I met up with only one other intrepid soul (Ray Cook) and we set out for the Loop.  It was my original intention to ride up Mt. Potosi as well, but the wind was so severe that, given that I was signed up for an afternoon race, I called it quits after 53 miles out in it.  That was still a pretty good effort, considering the race.  Fast forward to the afternoon and the course is out in a wide open part of the valley and the wind was whipping the flags to ribbons.  The course featured six turns.  The first led to a slightly downhill section with a tailwind, then a left, shortly after a right, then another left.  Along this stretch we face a strong crosswind that was still tail side.  Then another left into a hammering headwind leading slightly uphill to the last left hand turn which took us back across the start/finish line again, now into a strong cross wind with a head side.  The field had a little over 30 Category 4 riders.  Off we went, and before we had gone half way, the field started disintegrating.  There were two riders off the front, I was mid-pack and on the backstretch cross wind section when the field split and the riders immediately ahead of me just gave up and left me in no man's land.  Bad positioning.  I teamed up with one other strong rider and we kept the remaining field of six or seven at about the same distance up until the last two laps or so, when the group out ahead of us started pulling gradually away.  It was tough out there with only two of us.  We caught and dropped a couple who fell off later than we did, and even lapped a few of those who fell off early on.  A pretty disappointing race except I did get the hard ride that I went for.  I have no idea of my place; I'm guessing 8th or 9th.

Sunday arrived still windy, but not quite as severe as Saturday.  I did a punchy 39 miles, went and got an hour and a half massage, then went to the afternoon race on a different course.  This one featured three turns.  The course dipped downhill into the wind and traffic dots, swooshed to the left into a cross wind, then turned left onto a big ring hill with traffic dots up to another left hand turn and a cross wind back to the start/finish.  It was important to position one's self before the turns to be sure to be protected from the wind after making the turn, otherwise you'd be out in it blowing in your face full force.  About mid way on the uphill there were a tangle and a rider went down.  Although only one person hit the deck, his crash split the pack, and everyone behind lost momentum, while everyone in front was in full kick up the hill.  I teamed up first with one, then two more, and finally there were four of us working to pull what was left of the field back.  We eventually caught them and I'd guess there were about ten in the main field with three off the front in a break, and everyone else was scattered behind us.  I sat in and was fourth in the field sprint, which would have made me possibly seventh, unless I miscounted.  So all in all I rode 163 miles in two days, with two fifty minute criterium races as part of the effort. 

The wind has continued unabated with the exception of yesterday afternoon.  For some reason it was only mildly breezy and I rode the Loop in a pretty good time, so I'm feeling strong for the weekend's stage race in Tooele, Utah, the Tour of the Depot.  The weather continues to deteriorate here and the wind is howling today.  Rain and snow are expected tomorrrow, and Saturday in Utah it will be cold with rain and snow possible.  Saturday's offering includes a 49 mile road race and a 9 mile individual time trial.  Sunday features a 20 mile circuit race.  Not overly hard, but the weather will be a factor for sure.  Brr.