Koppenburg RR

I have to say that the racing in the Boulder area is hard core! Pro riders aside. The first 3 RR of the yr have lots of dirt roads. And the wind is enough make a Belgian pay attention.
OK the Koppenburg RR. A short 45 miles or so but serious pain was laid down by the 15 or so pros that showed up. I got to the line late and was in back. The guy in front of me stumbled on his clip in and bamb. The field is single file on the dirt in a 20 MPH cross, head wind. The first 5+ miles was like that. Up the climb the first time was rough. I was caught back and then chasing. Back on the field slowed briefly, a minute, then back to the dirt for round two. The cross wind at the top of the climb was fierce. Single file in the dirt, back wheel fish tailing in the soft stuff at the side of the road. This time I was back again, we were dropped and chased back on. It tock a bit longer this time. See a patterned forming…
Lap 3 was the same.
4th time around, I think, was a bit slower and I recovered all right. Better than I thought I would for being in and out of sickness this week. That time up the climb was the best I had felt. Ohh yeah the climb is only 200 meters long but dirt, rutted and 17%. I was middle of the pack. Over the top and again single file. In the gutter and this time the pace was wicked! It didn’t let up, I started to crack and drift back. One guy came by then nothing. “that’s it I thought!” what the?!? I turned around almost pissed off. Everyone else was gone. I settled into a nice rhythm, well maybe nice isn’t the word, but you know what I mean. I actually felt Ok I was just so out of position and couldn’t get into position and I paid, dearly. I kept riding and after 5 miles or so 5 riders came up behind me. In it were 2 cat 1’s who are rather crafty and strong. Ok I thought just keep riding. I saw more and more riders riding home, and at the side of the road? Ok maybe I’m not doing that bad? Then we caught the main group. “wow” this is interesting” I thought. We went real slow but the climb was coming. move to the front I thought. Bamb! Crash. Moniger and a Kodak gallery guy went down. I did the tripod hop as gracefully as possible as I ran into the guy in front of me. Still up right I clipped in and… nothing left, just nothing in the legs. 25 miles of all out riding on dirt roads with more wind that Florida in hurricane season was to much. I came of the back fast. Upon finding the top of the climb I found a new set of riders to share the wind with and this time the 3 groups in front of us did seem to add up to much. So I road. Just trading pulls. We were going pretty slow but I couldn’t go any faster alone. Last lap, I was thinking I would get dropped on the hill but didn’t at the top me and Joe T. from Vitamin cottage and I were left from our group. We rode steady and strong to the finish and hit the line in 30 and 31st place. We didn’t really sprint but rather just tried to look strong for the crowd. I slipped in behind him figuring I wouldn’t challenge him after the push he gave me when my front derailleur acted up. And I probably couldn’t have taken him any way.
So… there you go. I have been a bit sick this week, yes. Just some congestion and soar throat so I was unsure how I would go. I felt better than I thought I would but tactically, my positioning was the worst it has ever been in a race. so… ride and learn, ride and learn.