Ups and downs
I had a reason to be nervous for the start of this stage. They just went off, hammering up the hill. I did my best to stay in contact for the first 20k or so, with the front group of 50 or so. Then a small gap of 100m opened up and I pushed until I wanted to cry to get back on a wheel, but things were moving fast, and I couldn't. I felt that "give up" moment come and go, hope coming back and breaking my heart as it left again. Then Jose came by and yelled for me, whipping me forward a few times, then once seeing there was no chance, yelled "Groupetto."
This meant I should slow up and wait for the second group to form, which would ride together (not easily, but steadily) to make it to the finish within the time cut. It still took a lot of hard work to stay with these guys the rest of the day, and we picked up a handful guys throughout the day. I looked down and realized we were only halfway and said to myself, "Good god." It's a good, epic day. Four hours, 130k. There were some murderously steep parts, around 18% grade. But I felt pretty good throughout the rest of the mountains.
And then all my confidence went to shit on the descent of the last big climb. I had been riding #5 or #6 for an hour, staying near the front. I let my attention go for just a moment, and before I knew it there was a sharp left hand turn in a small town. I couldn't stop in time, skidded out on the inside corner and went down. Major suckage. Good day to bad day just like that. Got up, put my chain back on, and pushed hard to catch the grupetto before the final descent. It took all my strength to get them in time and some screaming from my team car behind me ("Venga! Venga!"), and I barely did. In times like that, the mental talk is not positive. It's not "Oh, think of how great it would be if you catch them!" Instead, it's "Think how much you'll hate yourself if you don't." You keep forming in your head how you'll explain to people what happened. Instead of pride, embarrassment.
So I write this just before I get in the shower to deal with the road rash. I'll be in a worse mood afterwards. (Note from later: it didn´t hurt as much as it did last time, which was exciting.)
But the battle continues tomorrow.
Here´s the power file from today. power file
This meant I should slow up and wait for the second group to form, which would ride together (not easily, but steadily) to make it to the finish within the time cut. It still took a lot of hard work to stay with these guys the rest of the day, and we picked up a handful guys throughout the day. I looked down and realized we were only halfway and said to myself, "Good god." It's a good, epic day. Four hours, 130k. There were some murderously steep parts, around 18% grade. But I felt pretty good throughout the rest of the mountains.
And then all my confidence went to shit on the descent of the last big climb. I had been riding #5 or #6 for an hour, staying near the front. I let my attention go for just a moment, and before I knew it there was a sharp left hand turn in a small town. I couldn't stop in time, skidded out on the inside corner and went down. Major suckage. Good day to bad day just like that. Got up, put my chain back on, and pushed hard to catch the grupetto before the final descent. It took all my strength to get them in time and some screaming from my team car behind me ("Venga! Venga!"), and I barely did. In times like that, the mental talk is not positive. It's not "Oh, think of how great it would be if you catch them!" Instead, it's "Think how much you'll hate yourself if you don't." You keep forming in your head how you'll explain to people what happened. Instead of pride, embarrassment.
So I write this just before I get in the shower to deal with the road rash. I'll be in a worse mood afterwards. (Note from later: it didn´t hurt as much as it did last time, which was exciting.)
But the battle continues tomorrow.
Here´s the power file from today. power file
posted by Unknown at 11:20 PM
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