Timpani Crit- Let's Keep the Rubber Side Down

Today I woke up and drove two hours to Santa Clara for my first Cat 4 crit. It was definitely a learning experience. Cat 5 crits are usually limited to 50 riders, Cat 4 is usually 100 and I would say there was about 70ish there. So it was a big group that would stay together through this non-technical course of four corners. I was going to hang back and see how things went. It was horrible, the group was going into turns on the inside and pushing way outside on the exit instead of a outside-inside-outside line. This was causing major slow downs and pressing people way outside at every turn so crashes were inevitable. The first crash came on the outside of the first turn I heard it behind me. After three or four laps and they had to neutralized the race, basically make us cruise slowly around the course, while the biggest fire truck ever responded to one of the down riders from that first crash. It was so bad they actually stopped us entirely after 4 or 5 neutral laps. After the paramedics left with the rider they were able to re-open the course and start the race with the "9" lap to go card up.

After one lap around they rang the prime bell, I bridged up to the front easily and thought I'd go for it, but nobody was really acting like it was a prime lap. I found myself all the way in the front at the last turn with nobody being aggressive at all so I thought maybe the bell was from a fan on the side of the road and this wasn't a prime lap, that is when two guys sprinted by and I felt like an idiot.

Then half way though the second to last lap and tire blew up two or three riders behind me and you could hear somebody go down hard. With only one lap to go they couldn't stop the race. I got up into the front 15 and was looking good when on the backside straightway I mis-shifted and lost my position. Also where people were sketchy in Cat 5 due to inexperience it seemed like people in Cat 4 are sketchy with overconfidence. When I was trying to bridge back to the front people were shoving themselves into places where there wasn't room. I guess I'm going to have to get used to more shoulder bumping in the final turns that didn't happen in Cat 5. Sitting in an OK position before the final turn leading into the finish line two riders went down right in front of me. I slammed my brakes, went left, missing them and waited for someone to crash into me but it didn't come. But at almost a complete stop people went by around me and any chance of a decent finish was gone.

It was a success to stay rubber side down at this race. I am proud at how comfortable I was with the large group, and could easily bridge back up if I wanted. But I will have to get used to a fast and crowded finishing lap if i want to place. I am excited to be racing on dirt next week at Howell Mountain Challenge, if you crash mountain biking it's usually your own fault and pavement is not involved and mountain bike racing is way more fun!