Norcal IC3 | A Bicycle Club
by John Houston & Herman Shum
Wente RR 45+ 1/2/3
Sat 4/24
66miles, hilly
finished!
I had already decided not to race after a poor climbing effort on Thursday up Kilkare; so I instead did a hard session on Del Valle Fri…then I met Stefano at a school function on Fri evening and he did his best to persuade me to at least do the first lap with the guys. So I did.
I had hoped we might get an easy first climb up Carrol, but it wasn’t to be. Even the approach to the climb was faster than normal. I had good position near the front as insurance and I needed it, as about 20 guys split from the field over the top. None of IC3 had made the cut and I saw Stefano, Ted & Allen start to orchestrate a chase and moved up to the front. If I was only doing one lap than I wanted to make it meaningful. Despite one Touchstone guy who seemed incapable of rotating through we eventually caught the lead group – who had eased up- at the end of Greenville rd. Just in time to repeat the whole thing over again….though at least Dean had made the cut this time. Once again a chase group formed with Allen & Stefano but I was already dangling off the back when we got over Flynn and watched the train leave the station shortly after. So my part was done and I could justify having turned up. I then slotted into a group of 5 and rode steadily till the approach to the climb again.
When Darryl, Kevin, Ted and a bunch passed me at the top of Carrol on the third time up, I couldn’t hang on, so decided just to keep going solo as long as I wasn’t cramping and get in the rest of the ride as much needed training miles. Needless to say in the hot sun it was still a very hard slog and I had to dig deep the final time up to cross the line. As Ted would say…. 5 times up that stinkin’ hill!
~J
The race started really fast and I could not believe that from the beginning people were pushing the pace the first time up Carroll . It seemed that the group broke apart from the first climb. One rider even attacked on the first lap. I managed to stay with the lead group throughout the first lap and going up Carroll for the second time. I thought that the pace would settle down, but it didn’t. Near the top of Carroll on the second lap was when Wells Fargo started to take over and push the pace. This caused me to fall off the back as I watched the lead group cross the freeway onto Flynn.
I rode the rest of the race with the second group, but on the last lap I could feel my legs start to cramp. I was forced to ease up as we approached Altamont. This allowed another bunch of riders to pass me. I felt that I had the energy to ride the last lap and climb faster, but had to take it easier.
This was a hard race. Good job Andy for riding strong and staying with the first group.
~Herman