YOU CAN HIDE BUT YOU CAN'T RUN
SOME OF MY PREDICTIONS COME TRUE, they just take a while. Like today's winning break. The actual break was hoped for, the makeup of the break was predicted.
Post race, I got a chance to chat with Chris.
I've raced with Chris a number of times the last few years. As I'd been away from the road scene, he and many other new faces filled the ranks. Today was the first time I really got a chance to hear his story.
First, let me describe his race style. He attacks, gets brought back, and attacks, gets brought back, rides on the front, attacks, rides on front. He's relentless. And I love it. He keeps the pace up, and keeps everybody honest. Some might call it fool hardy, but from time to time it works and he scores the big V.
And, that's how it went down today. On his 200th attack, Jon and I shot across. The three of us then got a smooth rotation going and opened up a really nice gap on the field. Chris, so far, has no interest in the sprint. He works hard and makes the break stick.
Jon taught me a lesson in patience. I had visions of soloing in for the V. Then, I had just a vision of his back wheel. Doh!
Chris snagged 3rd and moved up on the overall as well.
Cooling down, we spun around the alternate course and here's what I learned.
Chris used to be a runner. Not a jogger. A certified badass runner. Sub-15 min 5k, 31 min 10k. Now he's been racing bikes for a handful of years.
10ish years ago I predicted the masters racing ranks would start to swell with ex-runners and triathletes. Eventually, they would have to quit and move to riding and racing bikes.
That hasn't exactly been born out.
I suspect part of the reason is the vicious nature of bike racing, particularly the road. A lot of athletes can't wrap the mind around the tactics of the road. The drafting. The sitting in. The decisive nature of one well-timed attack. The runners that move to MTB racing fare better, usually.
That's what's cool about Chris. He has succeeded in spite of his nature being to work hard all the time. This year he won at least one road race using that tactic, and many podiums.
If he ever figures out how to hide... I hope we can run him down.
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