Boulder Roubaix

I raced the Boulder Roubaix this past weekend. It's been a while since I've done much road racing. This one was looking like my kind of race, 60% dirt road and 40% pavement. The race was phenomenal, if they move it from this location they'd be stupid. The past couple of years its moved around and this is by far a truly awesome, beautiful, humbling and fun coarse. (yes, it's hard).

I lined up with the SM4/35+, there were about 100+ starters. Which reminds me of my cyclocross days a few years ago. The scariest part of this race was lining up with that many people, not knowing their skill levels. I kept up near the front and didn't really run into any problems until coming back in to the start finish line for our second lap. It's a hard section with a number of short punchy climbs. The pace was high and I was just holding on when the guy in front of me decided he needed to look at his back wheel and not pedal. I guess he was done or though he had a flat tire or, I don't know. If I would have pulled out and around him I would have taken out a number of racers coming up quickly. I yelled at him to pedal but I had to wait to get around him and try and jump back on the group. In the end I got gaped off.

I started picking up stragglers and we quickly formed a group. A group that worked reasonable well together. We kept the lead group in sight, a few minutes ahead and tried to chase back on. There were a few strong riders in our chase group and when they let the group work, we were flying. Otherwise they would pull too hard, tire out the weaker riders and ultimately slow the entire group. Before long on our second lap we were picking up racers from the category before us (SM4). They jumped in but they were totally spent and further disrupted our chase. I know they just wanted to get to the finish line but they shouldn't have been in there and at the very least they should of stayed in the back.

Coming into the finishing stretch I though I could out smart my fellow chase pack, but I out smarted myself and totally misjudged the finishing straight. Ended up at the back of the group on the line. We only finished a few minutes off the lead pack.

I have to tell you, I haven't raced in the 35/4's on the road much but it seams to me they are FLYING this year. At roubaix the top 25 finished faster than the winner of the SM4 open group (traditionally the 18-34 year olds). I don't know if its the great spring weather or what but I'm impressed; I hope it's all the great coaching available around here. I have a great base fitness and I feel things are getting better but for now I'm just hoping I can finish in the lead pack even though I had dreams of upgrading this year.

A couple of photos of me chasing back on for the finishing straight, I caught the 5 guys not in the photo only to promptly drop myself.


Here's a movie of the pro's racing a little later in the day.