Koppenburg:

The koppenburg race is filled with survival.
The short, 18% climb punctuates the race. With only to lines to ride up it, positioning yourself at the front on the narrow lead in is tough work. The climb its self is not so bad if your close to the sharp end. After the climb its more dirt roads and a stiff cross wind to shred the field.
Repeat.
The first time up the climb I was feeling fine but to far back. Someone fell. Off the bike for some cyclocross training and chase. I was with no “rest” when we hit the dirt roads again but some how I got to the front. When Jason Donald attacked I went with him realizing that this would most likely be “The Move”. It was but I couldn’t hold his wheel after a hard chase from the first mishap. As we hit the climb for round 2 I was pushed into a lose, deep rut. I tried to ride it and did for a bit. As I tried to get out a fell. On the ground I felt my foot in my month after cursing the first rider that fell! Happens to the best of us. I got into a good chase group but as we caught my teammate and leader for the day I was put to work. Chasseing the main group again,. This put the nail in the coffin for me. After getting the pack with in 200m or so he put his 10 years of track riding to use and bridged the gap in no time. I was left trying to stay with the chase group and a HR of over 200 bpm. For the rest of the race I road with 3 others who were also strong enough to be up front but had come to grief in some way. Probably from my fall!
We got things going but catching the pack would not happen. What did happen, as I thought might, was we caught many, many dropped rides. They would get on and shortly be dropped. This race is not easy. While only lasting 1:40 for the pros there is no room for error, bad luck or rest of any kind. Our group still came in 28th -32nd or so. Beating about half of the starting field. 2 teammates remained in the main bunch getting a top 20.

Not a great day for me or the tam but that’s racing. Anything less than perfection, any weakness is highlighted and exploited until you loose. next week I will have be more on top on my game. No mistakes.