Sure crits can witness heroic efforts, and the track has big moments, but who can say they compare from a pure Epic point of view with the Road Race. This is my first year racing the p1/2 field, and I will say that their crits can come close in the amount of effort just to see the finish line, but even then, the length, the industrial park setting, the repetitive circuit, still can't compare.
You drain yourself to nothing in a tough Road Race. Yesterday, after Fort Ord, when I finally stopped pedalling, drifting to the parking lot, my body was so spent I couldn't believe that I had just been able to ride anything like that for five minutes, let alone five hours.
You see tough guys in any other setting, just break down before your eyes. They'll be going strong in front of you one minute, then the next the lights go off and they float away, not to be seen again.
Then there is the climb, willing yourself to stay on that wheel in front. The agony if you do lose it. Can you do one more effort to get back on? Is this it? No, I'll be here for another lap. It takes a good mix of the mental and physical to get yourself over...
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