UCI 1.2 Cras Avernas

Today John Devine, John Murphy, Patrick McGlynn, Brandon McCeever, Scott Jackson, and I took part in the UCI 1.2 Cras Avernas in the Wallone region of Belgium. The race was 200 kilometers long. It had a long circuit of 168 kilometers with 5 categorized climbs of about 1-2 kilometers in length that weren’t very steep and 4 x 8k finishing circuits. There were a few pro continental teams present in Unibet.com, Chocolade Jacques, and Lambouwkredit Colnago. The first climb was sixty kilometers in. The job today was to help Murphy and Devine get a result. I felt good at the beginning of the race. I was happy with how I was riding because I rode smart. I didn’t move up to the front in the wind. I just moved through the group to get towards the front and didn’t waste any energy. I was also shooting gaps I wouldn’t normally shoot. About 15 kilometers before the first climb I was up in the top 20-30. Then the pace got really quick because riders were fighting to get to the foot of the climb near the front. I lost some position and couldn’t make it back up before the start of the climb. As a result I started the climb in a relatively bad position. I felt good on the climb and told myself I would just make sure to hold on to the wheel in front of me. Because the climb was only about two k long I was hoping I wouldn’t get off the back if I did this. I felt really good on the climb and passed a lot of people, but because of my bad positioning I ended up in a second group of twenty on the road. There were two Chocolade Jacques riders in my group, and Scott was also in my group. Brandon was off the back of us. Pat and the Johns made the front group. Originally I thought my group would work together and get back with the peloton, but riders started getting excited and attacking. So the two Chocolade Jacques riders ended up attacking and riding away from us. I am not sure if they got back on the peloton. My group ended up getting a little lost on the course, but we found our way eventually and got in a good 128 k training ride. John and Pat popped on the last climb, and Devine ended up finishing in the main field for a top 25. I am disappointed that my position on the first climb was bad. However, I am feeling very good with my form, and my comfort of moving through the large pelotons here in Europe is improving each race. I think I am going to do a local kermesse this Tuesday, and next Saturday there is a U 21 race I am doing. Hopefully I can position myself better and do something in it.