The View from 58-inches High

I could not have done a worse job of predicting how this race would unfold. The race started out with Amanda and I on the front. We rolled easy knowing the course was difficult and we would have plenty of time. The first efforts came on the rise to the first turn. Nobody attacked but the effort definitely increased. Amanda and I took the opportunity to get off the front and scope the competition. I stayed second wheel thinking there would be a separation soon. We made the first turn and the second turn and we were still mostly together. I was up front in the stiff cross wind and knew I would need some protection. I played everything well and was able to convince somebody to protect me whenever I needed it.

I was also able to cover every attack. I did not initiate anything but did try to keep breaks going when I bridged. I was very active in this way. I tried to convince others to do the same but the group seemed intent on staying together. At about 4 miles to go, we were neutralized. Nobody was allowed to progress during this time. The pace slowed and we waited for word from the officials that our race was back on. I was second wheel during this time. The race was commenced with about 2 miles to go. Everybody had caught up and recovered by then so it was really just a 2-mile effort. I knew that the strongest girl was going to attack and I planned to be on it. I had completely misunderstood when she was going to attack so when she did, I thought we were closer to the finish than we are. She slowed, and I kept going thinking this was it. I was on my own when we turned the corner and I realized we still had a few hundred meters. My plan disintegrated and, instead of trying to say on the first wheel that passed, I went backwards. I just freaked out and didn’t know what to do. The next thing I knew we were sprinting. The timing on my part could not have been worse. The girl I followed won and I came in 14^th. 14^th in a race where I was never more than 4-wheels back. Where we had it so strung out before neutralization that there was no way I was going to get any worse than 7^th!!

I’m furious at myself for not fighting harder. I gave up and it lost me the race. You can’t win and not risk anything. The minute I realized my mistake, I should have backed off slightly, lowered my cadence and gotten ready for a big dig whenever somebody came around me. It’s so easy to rationalize that now the problem is that I can’t make those decisions when it counts.