Team Brain and Spine Cycling

Well, finally got another win.

I've raced the Omloop course 4 or 5 times now, with my previous best being a 4th place in the bunch sprint.  Brain and Spine was represented in the Cat3 field with CJ Herbert and Jeromie Payne.  Team Wooly Mammoth had at least 3 or 4 riders and were very active throughout the race, keeping the pace high.  CJ, Jeromie and I all took turns covering attacks as best as we could, but it was pretty quickly clear that nothing was going to get away on this course.

For those who haven't raced it, the Omloop is around 2 miles around, with a pretty fast downhill in the first half of the loop that gives the group a huge advantage over any break.  Breaks very rarely succeed, requiring a large working group to overcome the advantage given to the main bunch on that big downhill.  Once I was sure no one was going to sneak off the front, I prepared for a bunch finish.  I'm not a big fan of the bunch sprint, as the potential for a crash is huge, as is the possibility of getting boxed in and never even being able to open up a sprint.

With just over a lap to go, CJ advised me he was going to try and make a late attack, with maybe 600-800 meters to go, as the road curves, opens up, then curves twice more. At each of these curves, the group bunches up and gets pretty sketchy.  As we approached the area where CJ wanted to attack, CJ was boxed in but I was in a great spot, 20-25 spots back and on the right hand side of the group.  Patrick from Wooly Mammoth went for it up the right hand side as the group bunched up on the left side of the road. I jumped right onto Patrick's wheel and knew that if he pulled me for 5-10 seconds, we'd have a gap and we'd have a chance.  We were in the draft and moved up from 25+ spots back the front and then off the front for a gap.  Luckily for me, Patrick did pull for that extra little bit and then gave a flick of the elbow to ask me to pull through.  We were still quite a ways out, with the finish line still 2 turns away, maybe 300-400 meters (felt like MUCH more).  I knew there was no sense in waiting, so pulled through and gapped Patrick right away.  I was now on my own, the finish line still out of sight, and gave it all I had.  I was motoring along pretty well, but just as I came to the final turn and had the finish line in sight, I started losing power.  All I could think was, great, I'm going to be the first in sight to all those on the finish line and then I'm going to get passed like I'm standing still by the entire bunch.

I kept at it with all I had, not daring to look back.  I motored through the finish line and hadn't been passed.  I looked back to see I still had a gap.  I'd actually won the thing!  I gave a late victory salute well past the finish line.  No matter, there didn't appear to be any photogs on the finish line.

I found out shortly after the race that I was all over the bike, pulling on the bars with a look on my face described (by at least two different people) as "scared." I'm sure the only reason for that was my overwhelming fear of getting caught before the line....

I got the win from a late attack, set up perfectly by Wooly.  CJ somehow managed to move through the group and get a 4th place finish.  So, 1st and 4th.  Two in the top 5.  Not a bad day out, even if it was cold.

Looking forward to more success for Brain and Spine as the season continues.

Thanks for reading!

Mike

Every Sunday @ 9:00 AM we have a ride that starts / finishes at the PURE Austin Quarry Lake parking lot at 4210 W Braker Lane in North Austin.  We encourage all skill and ability levels on this ride so please come out and join us even if you are not familiar with group riding.  This ride is meant to be accommodating for new riders.  The most frequent route head up Jollyville through the neighborhoods to El Salido, Anderson Mill, Lakeline, Crystal Falls, and Parmer.  The group often takes a break at Starbucks on Parmer just past 1431 and then continues back to PURE Austin North. Total distance is 25-30 miles and pace is moderate.  There are a few spots the pace usually becomes spirited but don't be deterred if you aren't a racer because we regroup shortly.