Dahlonega Road Race

5/31/2009

Wes Douglas

I did this race “mountain bike style” by driving over on Saturday after work and arriving at the Montaluce Winery Dahlonega road race start location around 1AM….Slept right there in the car.  Before the start I took at quick look at the hill leading into the S/F line. It was something of a stair stepping climb…not too long but brutal with about a 18-20% grade starting out (with no momentum) then a second kick of about 13-15% and then a more gradual 8% or so to the top and the Start/Finish.  We were going go have to climb this after each lap.  Immediately after the neutral start the attacks began.  Nothing on this course seemed to be flat….It all seemed to be either up or down and what I would call a bit of a meat grinder for me.  There were a few small breaks and a few flyers on the first lap but the pace was killing me because we would go super slow and then all out….Off and On…Off and On. 

After the first lap and climb to the S/F and the following climbs I was getting a little worried about even finishing this race….I did not feel good at all.  I decided I needed to put an end to this stop and go business, if I could.  To that end, I waited until we were back on the main road where the terrain would allow me to use power and maintain some momentum.  Previously a Pacesetter rider had been allowed to go solo off the front and was still out there.  Once my heart rate and the pace had finally settled down I decided to give it a shot and made the attack hoping I could get away with another rider or two.  I slipped off pretty easily and was quickly joined by Myogenesis Adam Ray.  Looking back I saw this was going to work….at least for a while….and after a few minutes we had joined the Pacesetter rider.  The three of us were really working well together but it was obvious that on this day Adam was the faster climber followed by me and then Pacesetter.  I was certain that if we managed to stay away I would end up second. 

After the third lap the Pacesetter rider popped on the S/F climb even though we didn’t want this.  He was trying to hold on and Adam and I though for a second about waiting to see if he could latch back on but decided this would be the wrong decision.  We had to go.  We knew there was a chase but weren’t too sure about how far back they were or who was in it or their numbers.  Adam and I were crushing it now.   He would lead up most the climbs with me being able to hold on and do more work on the rolling sections.  It was getting really hot and with the hard work (my HR was averaging 180 the whole break) we were doing and I was going through a bottle of water every lap.  Halfway though the 4^th lap we got a glimpse of the chase group.  We could see there was a big group but didn’t know for sure who was in it.  I was just praying we could hold them off or that Brian was back there and staying fresh.  Adam and I doubled our efforts and were putting time back on them.  After climb to the S/F there was still no sight of the chase group but Ruth was holding a radio and let me know they were a minute back going into the 5^th and final lap. 

On the second climb I lost a little more ground to Adam but I though I would catch back on when we hit the main road however, just before I did the chase group surprised me as they came by.  I grabbed onto the last wheel and started to recover.  Adam was also caught a few seconds later.   It was a good run but now it as time to change tactics.  Time for me to recover a little if I could!!!  I saw a few stragglers trying to make it up to us but I didn’t want them to make it so the second I felt a little rested I went to the front to drill the pace….It worked…no one else got into the break of ten.  Still, Myogenesis and most of the other riders seemed want to take it pretty slow, rest up and let the Start/Finish hill sprint decide things.  Well at this point I knew I would not be winning that contest and I didn’t want the any other riders to catch and have a chance either…nor did I want the group to rest and have more energy to use against Brian.   To keep this from happening I attacked every time the pace got too slow, going off the front and forcing a chase.  At one point I got way out there and out of sight so these efforts forced the group to chase and not take it nice and easy until the sprint. 

I was pretty much dead and cramping on the hill sprint and came in ninth.  After I rolled though the S/F I saw Brian rolling back towards me signaling a number ONE….Awesome Day!!