6/23/03 by Russell Stapleton
This was the race. It was Sunday, June 22nd, 10:15am. The 4s race was the largest field of the day, with about 60 guys on the starting line. Doug and I had just set off. Doug was on my six, and we both were running in the upper quarter of the field. With 4 laps, each lap being about 16 miles, 64 miles in total, we knew we were going to be in for a long drawn out war. The skies were clear, wind calm, and temperature was rising; it was a fine day for battle.
Having done reconnaissance the night before, the terrain was mostly flat, except for a 0.4 mile 10% grade just about a mile from the finish line. I knew that this was the strategic crux. On the first lap, I started off in the front and drifted back. I didn't want to spoil my strategic advantage, I knew I was a serious contender on the hill, and I didn't need to show my hand too early. I played dead, a ploy I would use later laps. Doug blew by me and seemed puzzled with my difficulty on this climb. I was in good shape for this race, and I knew it. I felt good.
The second lap got a little tense. The dominant teams, Savage Hill, Ohio Vally Racing, Cyclesport.net, and Tri-Tech were all up front. A series first strikes ensued. I sat with my finger on the trigger, looking for that right break or counter attack. But with over 30-40 miles to go, I would have to bide my time wisely. The pace was getting jumpy, and Doug was now tragically gone.
Lap three saw Savage Hill start their assault. Clearly they had the most energy to spend, having the biggest army with some big guns. A few riders broke, and I personally had to haul a few back. The team blocking up front was textbook. My strategy at this point was to keep everything calm, and let the other teams make and cover any breaks. I knew that if I could get a good hard working group of 4-8 guys, I could let them drag me to the base of the final climb, where I could explode a killer pace, and take the win. So had to adorn many hats on the 3rd and 4th laps. I had to cover breaks, send counter attacks, and keep the pace fast. It was working great. I had recruited a couple people up front, but the team players were not to be fooled. It was a tug-of-war, with no team taking advantage. There were no breaks off the front of greater then 20 seconds. So disappointing for me.
Into the final climb, 63 miles into the race, the pack together, having had no chance to get into a break, I had to reshape my plan. I knew I had some hill climbers to deal with, so I devised what seemed to be a good plan at the time. Set a moderate pace up the hill, and then crush them on the rollers prior to the line. It worked, kind of. A group of about 18 or so was in front of me, not a problem. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying attention at the top of the hill, focusing on dodging spent riders, and I let a 6-7 second gap form. Big mistake. I made killer effort to bridge, without exploding for the sprint. I knew if I had spent all my ammunition on the chase, I wouldn't have anything for the sprint. I blew by shelled riders left and right. I just simply didn't have enough time to make the bridge. I missed the sprint by about 3-4 seconds, finishing around 10th.
In hind sight, it was a good race for me. I was able to muster up some tactics, and put together a good finish. The fact that I was unable to play out my original strategy is not a reflection of my actions, but rather the lack of successful breaks. Had there been a good break, I would have been there, and ensured my victory. But it was not to be, I had to change my plan on the fly. I knew the extremely long flats would have prevent any solo efforts, so I played my cards the best I could. A final flawed plan put me in trouble, and I put myself out of contention in the end. Next year we should send a bigger army with bigger guns, and make The Summit Freewheelers, Allied Decals, a team to reckon with.
It was so much fun, being a player, making things happen. Look for Becky, Rob, George, Catherine, and the Allied Decal Team 3s team to find details on the Womens (1-3)/(4), 5s, masters, and 3s races. There were many Summit riders there this weekend, and they all should be congratulated for their effort. Doug, Rob, Becky, and I simply had a blast in the Team van and hotel. A trip to remember. And a first plate of Skyline Chili for me.
Russell Stapleton