UCI Elite Race

photo:Mike Hemme

The Elite UCI race is a humbling experience. The frenetic pace of the starts and trying to find a way through people that kind of felt impossible but I think it's something that I need to experience. I took 39th both days. When driving cars on race tracks, the key to getting faster is being consistent with time then inching the envelope of confidence and focusing on 2 sections where you can mentally focus on gaining more speed. So, I guess I am consistent but I need more experience with these starts.

Last year, I came here and took 1st in 35+ with 1 minute gap and 2nd on Sunday with a dropped chain. I decided I would move from outside my comfort zone. The higher level of competition, the faster you get. Most of my cross races I have done were either Masters for Regional races or 1/2 races locally and I did pretty well with them. Besides Nationals, my cross race experience is 30 deep and I am probably racing against 5 to 6 people. An Elite UCI race, there are 60 people and everyone is super fast. In a mountain bike race, I have 2 hours to pick up the time in mass starts and they tend to be less violent.

There's 3 levels racing a UCI Men's Elite Race:

Worldcup/US Nationals level fast like Trebon, Page, Powers

Next group fastest with the Lalonde, Matter, etc

Everyone Else...

When I say everyone else, everyone is fucking fast and they've traveled from outside the area to do this race.

So, the amount of variance in speed in one race is significant versus any race. The first day, Trebon and Paged lapped through me and I kept look for the chase group. There was no chase group right behind then Kabush and Powers come through, what felt like atleast 30-maybe 60 seconds. I keep looking again to make sure I am not in anyone elses way...no one. The guys contesting these races are so far ahead of the next group who are comparatively ahead of me. Who is ahead? 2 guys that have worn US stars and stripes, 2 time world champion, and a guy that WINS UCI World Cup Mountain Bike races.

The first day, my rear brake kept binding. After seeking help from Kale @ Pegasus, Julie Popper and Sram mechanics, the brake still sticks. I decied last minute to pit the Courage, switch wheels onto the Eriksen. Thanks to Tim and Julie for helping me in the pit, I was freaking out about it. I like the new bike better and did't want to ride the Eriksen. I felt pretty good on day one and was holding my position, and there was a crash on the lead lap and I went down with a few riders. I caught maybe 6 riders and finished strong.

Day 2. Started to rain 15 minutes before staging. I liked the course much better besides the offcamber corner down fill before the rideable climb. Luck lily, I switched tires to the Fangos since the Grifo tires felt like ice skates. I am second to the last row back. I felt like I started better than the day before but my body did not want to respond. I felt very slow and sluggish and could not get my heart rate above 165. Day 2 was really easy to pull off but I decided to grind it out. Every open section was out of saddle effort to get more speed, power and I cold not redline at all. Thanks to Kale for letting me borrow brakes for my pit bike, with rain I may have needed it.

Not sure about the UCI Elite races and have to admit it kind of was a set back confidence wise for me but I am hoping the experience will be helpful down the road.Looking at the Masters, it was plenty fast race and I am pretty sure I would have had my hands full this time around.

I thought Holly raced really well given the talent and Mike really showed up, 6th Saturday and a impressive 2nd in the 2/3s. I am hoping I can put together similar performances over the next few weeks.