The year is 2005. The race is Watsonville. A 'young' new rider has
flatted out of the 4's race, from a four man break that stayed away.
In his first year of racing, this was his first crit break, had only
watched those things on tv. And be out of it, was biting.
Chagrined, he quickly signs up for the open 35+ race, another first.
How hard could it be? As the race started it became apparent that it
wasn't the pace that made it hard. It was faster, but that was good,
felt right. No, there was 'team work', something else seen on the
small screen, but to be in it... well....
He would find out later that what he witnessed that day was not
altogether 'positive' racing, but riders in the same jersey were
working towards a common of winning. Getting that jersey across the
finish line first.
Also only to be learned later was that the flash of blue that
disappeared at the start line, only to seen 40 minutes later on the
podium, was Mike Hernandez. The 'young' rider tried and tried to get
up to the soloist, but why are these other guys following him?
dragging me back to the losing pack? Why aren't they helping me get up
there? His protoracingbrain told him it must be a team thing. The guys
in blue were working in concert.
It was his first lesson in many. A string of lessons which would, one
day, stick. He wanted to be that solo man, suffering, but knowing he's
working only for himself and team.
He was happy. Content at the end with getting his first ever BAR point
in the 35+ category. That would need to keep him satisfied thru 2005
because even today, if he looks at that year's BAR, he sees he is
second to last, with exactly one point.
