Just a quick update, time is running out for us over here. Soon to be traveling back to the states and leave all this fun and craziness behind.
Two races on tap today, my 40 lap Points race and Sam’s 40 lap Scratch race. Both in the evening. I should have seen the signs earlier in the day, just didn’t want to admit it. It’s been a big week, lots of efforts so fatigue was setting in.
The normal track arrival, warm up and on track time. My race was close to the start of the 18:00 session open time. I had a good strategy figured and was using the gear I mainly have used all week. I felt ok enough in the warm up to think it would be good. The French fast guy is an animal, he is doing the Sprint finals and the Points race almost back to back and not breathing hard he is so strong. The points race started with only a half a lap roll off the inner rail compared to getting a full neutral lap as in the Scratch race. The officials have been doing that for most of the week to save some wasted neutral lap time and keep the schedule on time. Sprints every 10, I came across the line 6th at the first sprint and then watched on the back straight as 3 riders came under us and went off the front. I knew I needed to watch for this tactic, it been tried in the past and I didn’t see it happen. I jumped and started to close the gap as the rest of the field went after them as well. No rest in this race. Not sure how many laps, 1 or 2 later I was near the back and came around turn 2 in the lane only to find 1 really slow rider dropping off the race with another rider above him. I figured I would ride his wheel draft only to realize too late that he was going almost as slow. I got trapped and had to slow down quickly and then went over both of them but by then the pack was 50 meters away, crap. The rest of the race pretty much unfolded in front of me. I tried to get back on, gained some and then lost some and eventually got lapped. I tried to recover and stay with their pace but to no avail. Off and lapped again. The French guy eventually took all the sprints in 1st place, earning yet another gold and another jersey. He definitely was the class of our age group. The story is he has been racing a very long time and even as a young rider was very fast.
Sam’s race was extremely fast as well. Sam has had some cold bug while hear so he is congested and struggling to breath in both races so far. Not good when you need to be at the very top of form to stay competitive. Like me, he was off after a bit and didn’t place.
Sam has one more event tomorrow, last race of the event, The Cossavette Cup. (Probably didn’t spell that right) It’s a memorial non championship Scratch race open to anyone. Dan Casper is also signed on for it.
Linsey races Sprints tomorrow, Saturday.