Wente road race is a hard road race.
Actually, it seems like all norcal road races are hard road races. Especially when Levi Leipheimer keeps showing up to them. My friend Rich came down with me to work the feed zone and spectate, he did a killer job and was appreciated by all the RHVillains. The field was huge, I figure 70 or 80 starters.
Things started off fairly easy today, a couple Lombardis and Cal Giants were up the road right away and it was civilized for the first ascent of the main climb. It felt really hard to me though, since I had a full stomach, no warmup, etc. I slept poorly last night too and that didn't help. Anyway I made it up and over.
We did a lap and the second time up the big climb a promising looking break went away with John Hunt and Levi in there. I don't know who else, but they looked like they were going along. Lombardies went to the front and did a killer job of chasing down that break. They put all their guys on the front and kept it pinned, it was very nice of them. Several of those guys were never seen again after that little move. All in all, this made lap 2 a very fast lap and I was feeling pretty jammed up after that.
3rd time up the climb wasn't so bad. I can't remember much about that lap except that a few people attacked and everyone else just sat there and looked a Levi. I sat there and looked at Levi.
Coming into the last lap going up the climb, Levi did his thing. A few guys went and there was a group up the road, I was in like the second chasing group. I didn't do a damned thing that lap, and I still got crushed on the final ascent to the line. Actually I beat Mike Buckley at the last bit, I made sure of that at least. I was told that I was top 20, but I think that's optimistic. I basically felt like I was on the verge of getting dropped all day. Till I really did get dropped. Oh well, I finished that bitch and it could have been worse.
Crit time tomorrow, I'll bet we won't be seeing Levi there!
4 Comments:
Hey Man, at least you were out there racing with those guys - that is craziness to the rest of us. I mean, geesh, Levi showing up again??? Madness!
What's he doing here anyway? Isn't he suppose to be reconning the Tour course or something??
He heard that there was good money to be made in Norcal and I think he just really wanted a velopromo t-shirt.
LOL - Yes, you are probably right. Too funny.
I saw Levi as he was hammering to the line and I was heading back to the car after the 3's. It was near the moto-course (I usually spend that part of the road looking at the moto-x guys getting big big nasty air btw). Anyway, Mr. Roboto (Levi) was just flying all solo. He looked so darn comfy, like it didn't hurt a bit. Do you know where he got off solo? I think there were two chasers a ways back, then maybe another single, then 8-10 guys behind them. Good gaps between all the groups at that point.
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