Tulsa Tough

Friday (Blue Dome Crit)

50 minutes on a mostly flat ¾ of a mile figure eight with eight 90 degree turns and a whole bunch of really fast guys. I knew going in that this would be the toughest race I’ve ever done and I was not disappointed. I got a decent spot on the line, but then blew it by not getting clipped in on the first try. I was at the back before the second corner. It was on from the gun. Full gas with no letting up. This was the larges crit I’ve been in as well and my pack riding skills are really lacking. I can’t tell you much of what happened at the front as I was never there. I’d put in an effort to get into the top 20 then slowly loose spots in the turns and end up toward the back couple laps later. The pace really elevated with two laps to go, but I was able to work my way up to the middle of the pack for a 40th place finish. Yeah, I suck.

Saturday (Bradly Arts District Crit)

A thunderstorm moved through Tulsa at about 10:30 on Saturday morning and they were forecasting more of the same all day. In typical weatherman fashion they had it all wrong. It cleared out by noon and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. They did get one thing right though. It was all of the 92 degrees they were calling for, plus a little. The race was 60 minutes, again on a mostly flat course but with only six turns this time. I improved on my start from the previous night and rounded the first corner in the top third of the pack. The little up-hill and the head and cross wind on the back side of the course meant the pace was less than smooth. The rubber band effect was killing me. The speed changes made for some technical challenges as well. It could get really tight in the corners. There were plenty of wrecks and I had two close calls. The first was about half way into the race. The pace slowed and the pack tighten up through the turn and I got pinched. I ended up leaning on another guy bar to bar, but we both got through clean. The second was with half a lap to go. I’d worked my way into the top 20 and again the pace slowed with the whole pack coming together through the exit of the turn. I was not on my brakes fast enough and ended up rubbing my front spokes on someone’s rear skewer. I clipped one foot out to stay vertical and jammed the brakes. I lost all my momentum and everyone flew past me. I crossed the line in 48th. Yep, I still suck.

Sunday

Again a thunderstorm moved through in the morning and it was a wicked one. Horizontal rain, 50+ mph wind, lightning, hail, the whole bit. It cleared out and I made it to the course a little after 11:00 to find utter destruction. Leaves, branches, mud, a tree and power lines littered the course. They canceled most of the races through Cat 3 and weren’t sure they were going to run the rest of them, so I called it a weekend and headed for home. Turns out they did run the Pro Women, 1-2 Men and Pro Men.

Overall it was a good weekend. I didn’t place very well, but I gained some much needed experience. Next weekend is Winghaven.