So I learnt some lessons from two masters at the EMC crit yesterday: Steve Reaney (CalGiant, won both Salinas and Memorial Day) and Larry Nolan (you all know him already).
As I was covering an attack in the 35+ race yesterday, dragging the pack with me as I am wont to do, Reaney looks over his shoulder shaking his head in disgust. He sits up, yells at me: "you've been doing that to me all year, and that's why your races end in shit!" Well, I am not good at yelling back, and I was thinking he had a point. I skulked back to the rear of the peloton to think about this for a while. The next one that I covered (with Reaney and Nolan in it) I really did try to sprint first and then settle in for a bridging effort, and you know what? It worked. Bridged up last and off we went, not to be caught. Did have to shake a Disco rider trying to cover me. Was able to apply lesson later in the p1/2 race (read below).
I talked to Steve after the race, he apologized for being particularly surly about it, and explained his POV. I guess it makes perfect sense now, but he was pointing out that I was doing a disservice to both of us cause he and I both lose a break opportunity by dragging everyone around with me. Whereas if I'm able to do it on my own the chances of a successful break are magnified. Really it's about having the confidence that you can do the bridge on your own or with one or two others, whereas in the past I've felt the need to take more people with me to help me get up there.
Other lesson was from Larry. With ten minutes left in the race he announces he's not going to work anymore. Well, we had a pretty good gap, but it wasn't 'that' good. Definitely could have been reeled in still. It's the game of chicken, who has what motivations to make it stick, who has a backup plan. I figure I'm pretty good to have in there until I learn to not work a whole bunch and then get taken in the end. Larry later pointed out that he has no reason to work much: if we get caught then DiscoveryAMD can just take LeBerge out of the pocket and win it anyway. If I get caught... we had already lapped James like three times so he wasn't going to be helping out.
Actually Larry also taught us how to work that last lap, by winning it. I waited on Reaney to try to bridge me up but he didn't and I cooked myself to get back on.
So it's true that I sometimes work more than my share in the break but in a lot of cases I don't have a choice unless we have a winning sprinter back there, or I'm willing to risk getting caught (I'm not, never will be I guess).
2 comments:
Joel: As much as I admire your ability to put down the hammer, I really admire your "never let'em catch you" mental toughness. Congrats on placing 3rd.
Reaney's lesson is a great one - I know I've said similar things to other E4s that I *know* are strong but are just towing the pack up instead of bridging. I think that lack of strategery is what makes lower cats so annoying to race and never have successful breakaways.
I think your point about confidence is the key though - if you can't make it by yourself and you can't get bridgemates than you have to tow the pack or settle for the sprint, and if you don't have a sprint, well, there you are.
Great to hear you've made it over the fitness hump that gets you to the break in a strategically useful way though. Wish I could do that! :-)
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