Sterling Classic Road Race

Cat 4 - 3 laps - 24 miles - 33 starters - 30 finishers

Sterling was my first "real" race of the season (although I've done 1 B and 3 A/B races at Wells). I was a little nervous but also excited. I'm trying to not have expectations that are too high, but I've lost some weight and have been hoping that it will help me with the hills, so I figured this course would be a good test of my fitness and competitiveness for the season. I was still in the pack when we got onto Route 12 (about 2/3rs of a lap) and was working hard, but didn't feel like it was killing me yet. At this point people started jockeying for position, setting up for the first time up the start/finish hill. There were some squirrely riders and I had to yell "hold your line" a few times. It was making me a little wary.

I was on the left side, mid-pack when a crash started on the right side near the front. Having crashed at Wells only 6 days prior, I was determined not to hit the deck again, braked hard, and came to a stop. As I slowed, I felt a serious impact on my back wheel and after stopping, looked back and saw handlebars though my spokes. Holy cow! The rider apologized profusely and untangled herself, but my chain had come off, and on further inspection, my skewer was open and the wheel was starting to drop out. Before I could even react, one of the Mavic guys was there and he reassembled me and sent me on my way. My bike computer says I was stopped for 1:11. Sigh.

The rest of my race was either in TT mode or working with other riders. I rode on my own to the start/finish, then for 1/2 of the second lap, I worked with Emily C. (Gearworks) on the rolling hills on the backside of the course. We were trying to catch a group of about 6 or 7 just ahead of us. Unfortunately, I could not stay with her up the last roller before the turn onto Rt. 12. She joined that group and I was on my own again (but trying to catch them) until the start/finish, when teammate Joy and the other Emily C. (Bike Alley) picked me up. The three of us worked together for the rest of the lap (and race), continuing to pick up riders until we had a group of 7, including Leah (Cambridge) & Carmen (CVC). As we all got to the end of Rt. 12, Emily (Bike Alley) attacked hard, the rest of us followed, I screwed up my shifting coming into the hill and sadly finished 6th from our group, netting 23rd place overall.

I'm really glad that I was able to control my bike and not fall. I don't know how those handlebars got through my spokes - but I was certainly feeling a lot of movement and pressure on my rear wheel. I think that volunteering as an instructor at the NEBC Intro to Racing clinic every spring is a wonderful refresher course on bike handling skills and the importance of not panicking in those situations. Teaching others reminds yourself what to do and how to do it. I wish every beginner racer was required to take that clinic or one like it. There were some very sketchy people in that field who looked like they had never ridden in a group before. It's scary.

I feel so bad for my teammate, Michele H., who was injured in the crash and had to go to the hospital to receive 15 stitches in her ear. Heal well Michele. We will miss you while you are recovering. Teammates Lexi and Joy were also involved in the crash, but luckily their injuries were minor enough that they were able to finish the race. I give Joy credit for getting back up and finishing her first non-training race, in spite of a bloody elbow and a bruised hip.

After crashing last week, I don't really feel very trusting of other riders at the moment. I guess we'll see how it goes at Sunapee. At least it'll give me another chance to see if I can get over the hills any faster than last year.