Capital Stage Race 2012: Stage 1 Recap

As I mentioned yesterday, today IS the day I drink a tall boy and reminisce on our epic weekend of racing. However, it's been eating me up that 170mi of "racing" is epic to us (CAT 3's), even if PRO-Tour riders do this crap in a single stage or racing. That fact has sunk in and all I can think about now is how much more (or specific) I need to train to be ready for CAT 2 pain. Aside from that truth we all store in the dark, untapped places of our minds, I maintain that a North Western stage race, such as Capital SR, is still worthy of an internet race report where we can all relate on some level of suffering - I know for a fact, that this weekend wasn't a cake-walk for any of you punks. Furthermore, I get to celebrate (with another swig of this fine Rainier 24oz) a year since I last reported on this new-comer stage race. So I present to you... the paragraphs you've all been waiting for:

STAGE 1 RR
Friday 6/15/2012
Sunny, 73*F, 3:20pm
61.5mi, Cat 3, 35th place of 49 starters (2:23.41 - 6sec back)
Avg Speed- 24.8mph, Max Speed- 43.1mph

After a pleasant ride down into Elma, WA with teammate, Dan Doran, we kitted up and huddled up with the rest of the CAT 3 Hit Squad to try and organize a plan. Basically Thorsten, myself, and John McAllister where the 3 of 5 that felt pretty good. Joel and Dan were still in recovery mode from training/injury setbacks. As we lined up waiting for the official to give us the typical run-down of today's stage, I made it a point to size up the competition (yes, you guys) and see how many bodies each team had working for them. After much judgment, I concluded that Apex Racing had the strongest presence, with 5 bodies. Also, I knew Olympic Orthopedic Assoc., Fischer Plumber, and Starbucks Cycling would be on the hunt to put their sprinters on the podium. Luckily with a weekend profile like Capital's, there would be enough climbing to fuck up their programs :) If you haven't yet noticed, I haven't learned to sprint well yet but capitalize largely on long hills and time trials. Weird combo.

So get the whistle and begin our 61.5 mile joy ride, and wouldn't you know, I begin feeling like shit the second we respond to the first attack made by who knows who. All I know is that I'm freaking out that I just paid $114 to show up to a race that I'm bonking at in the first 20 miles. Fuck. Oh wait. I usually just drink a bottle of wine the night before a race, but last night... I had a beer. Funny how that works. After numerous attempts at being aggressive and failing miserably, I figured I should hide my weakness from the competition before they found out I was bluffing. I made sure to eat the Bonk Breaker, 6 medjoul dates, and banana I brought with before the last lap so I could be somewhat useful. By the time our CAT 3 peloton had reeled back the 100th attack, it became apparent to us all that this showdown was going to end in a bunch sprint. HSP assembled within the pack to agree on Plan B (since a breakaway was obviously out of the question).

PLAN B: Lead Thorsten (our 16yr old sprinting monster) out for the win.

The only thing wrong with this plan, is that we have never practiced (as a team) assembling a "lead-out train" so when and how hard to push it was going to be a gamble. Apex took control of the leadout at 5k. I weaseled my way to the front to make sure Dan and I could be apart of the action, knowing full well that Thorsten would find his way to our wheels. I found rubbing shoulders with Travis Biechele and Jason Cemanski (sandbagger Apex punks that already have their CAT 2 upgrade) on the front a tad earlier than I would have liked to. Wait - let me elaborate on this interesting situation of "sandbagging:"

[There are select riders in the CAT 3 field that have already earned the points to upgrade into the horrible pain and suffering that is CAT 2. They are purposefully staying in the 3's to help their teammates earn the necessary points so that they all may commit suicide together. Cute. Sucks for everyone else though when you have 4 Kamikaze racers in a fleet of 5 working against you.]

1K to Go
So we round this 90 degree corner for the 6th time on this rolling 10mi course, which dumps us onto a small climb into a false flat (basically uphill the whole time) before we see the 1K sign. Unfortunately, I'm gassed out after the climb, thus rendering me no use to Thorsten for the leadout. I'm counting on Dan and John to be the strong dudes on the front for him as I sit 10 wheels back and watch it all go down. I can see 200m up ahead as the road starts to dip down a bit. The pace jumps and everyone picks their wheel. Luckily our boy is experienced enough to have found the proper wheel for a close victory - but ALAS! The devious Tony Blazejack (SCCA/Starbucks Cycling) has snuck around everyone and made the early jump! Everyone fears the early jump, but it does contain the element of surprise, which typically yields victories. Crap. Tony for the win by a bike-length. Luckily, Thorsten comes around his victims for a 6th place finish. Lesson learned. Lead-out train starts at 1k. Ooops.


Hooligans R-L: Jordan Rasmussen (Garage Racing), Thorsten Askervold (HSP), Don't know that guy, Me (head poking out), and stage winner Tony Blazejack (Starbucks Cycling)


These jerks driving the Pain Train, yet again R-L: Mustache Koops & Bryan Urakawa (Fischer Plumber), Francis Atkinson (Starbucks Cycling), and Travis "Tough" Biechele (Apex Racing) I'm trademarking the "Tough".


This one makes me happy, mostly because I'm sick of Bryan killing everyone in the sprint. Here, you can see him getting gapped out by Tony. Ah yes, sweet justice.

One day, when I grow up and learn to sprint, I'll give you a taste of your own medicine, Bryan ;) Tune in tomorrow when I finish off the recap of Stage 2 and 3, where the race really began.


Photo Credit to the great ReedKJ.SmugMug.com