(CAT3) – Wheel & Sprocket Criterium Neenah
This last weekend was the Neenah WCA race, and here is my race report about my exploits.
I wanted a solid placing high on the finish for the race in the cat. 3’s race. This Neenah crit race was my first race back after my infection. I will tell you that when I arrived at the race I was nervous, a little bit of performance anxiety was creeping in. Keeping it at bay while watching the exciting race performances of Patick C., and Jessica H. I registered, and while pinning my number onto my jersey I changed my mind-set to game on mentality. After a long warm-up I lined up to race.
The whistle blew for the start of my cat. 3 race, and I was off! With my nervous energy I lead the first lap while drilling the pace. I thought that I needed to chill out and think of the finish. Settling in in the front of the field I covered attacks with seeming ease. A prime lap was the next change in the race dynamic. A prime lap was announced and 2 riders took of for it, one rider came back to the field after, and the other rider kept right on going. I thought good move, but let him fry a little before we go get him. Without an organized chase in the field the job was left to 3 of us, and it got tiring not having anyone else pull through. The rider got 20 seconds on us-there went first place.
The focus then came down to 2nd place for the finish. A few attacks went off with 10 minutes plus 5 laps to go in the race. I then decieded that it was my personal job to chase those riders myself. While keeping the pace high so as to not let anyone come around me I won a prime. Not letting anyone get away, we then had 2 laps to go.
With 2 laps to go a rider took off up the right hand side; I was on him like white on rice. He effectively lead me out up until the last lap. 1 lap to go I drove the pace from the back half of the course, through the wind, to not allow anyone around me. I come into the last corner full tilt style. I see the finish line with no one in front of me, the sprint starts. I held full speed, and only 2 riders came around me! I decided to surf out any field sprint action to keep me in the front. That idea got me a 4th place finish.
After an infection that left me in a hospital bed I felt good about my comeback race. I also spoke with Heidi the chief referee about the possibility of an upgrade. Heidi said that I was ready for it based on that races results, and my experience from many years of racing. I got the upgrade to category 2 on Saturday.
I hope to see all you gals and guys on the team ride today at 5:30 (weather permitting of course),
Alan Ziolkowski