The start of this one was simple. Barrett and I decided we had to be near the front before the gravel/dirt section, and we did our best to maintain that position while expending as little extra energy as possible. However, we both had to spend a little time in the wind to stay up there -- Barrett more than I, and he really helped me stay in the right position while saving energy.
Some of the stronger (and less strategic) riders really drove the pace through the section from the Hwy 20 intersection and the base of the climb, and almost immediately after hitting the steeps, the pace started to ramp up to something excessive.
I looked down at my powertap after the first few minutes of the climb and decided to just let the leaders go, riding the rest at the best pace I could actually maintain for a medium length climb. This turned out to be the right move, as I picked past the blown riders on my way up and reconnected with the lead group of 8 just before we crested the climb.
Barrett managed to get back with the lead group after the first few flat miles (on his own I believe, somehow). Over the next ~10 miles of terrible roads, a few groups of stragglers then managed to connect back, and by the time we passed Logoda we had maybe 25 in the peloton.
At this point in the race, the heat really became a factor, as most of us started to run out of water (again, thanks out to Barrett for sharing some of his water with me after I ran out). I can't be the only rider who wished the neutral feed were placed earlier in the race.
The next small climb -- a few miles before the feed zone -- shattered the remaining pack, as most of the riders either succumbed to the heat, or had to pay for going too hard on the first climb of the day. Barrett fell off at that point too, which was unfortunate because he was looking strong leading up to it; the final lead group solidified at that point with 9 riders, myself included.
Our group held a pretty smooth paceline for the last, flat, 15 miles. With about 5 to go we caught an E4 rider who had been solo off the front (I had no idea until we caught him) so we had 10 heading to the line, and with about 3k to go the games began....
Three riders tried to get away, in succe ssion, before the sprint -- each time I let someone else chase them down and saved my energy. Finally, a little before the 200m sign, a Berkeley Bike Club rider launched a full-on sprint, and I immediately jumped on his wheel and held it until about 100m to go when a Godspeed rider came around the BBC on his left. I waited patiently until what seemed like 70m to go and then managed to come around the Godspeed rider, on his right, got at least a bike length, but then I did something very, very stupid: I put both my hands up in a victory salute, just before the line.... I must have misjudged the distance, because instead of crossing the line in first, that Godspeed rider came around me in the last few meters -- on my right -- and nipped me on the line by half a foot!
I wish I had some some excuse for being that stupid after riding such a smart race, but let me just say - I will NEVER make that mistake again.
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