Spartanburg, South Caroline. It’s 11am, I just wake up in time for a delicious breakfast with our hosts Stewart and Crystal who also had a late morning after yesterday Spartanburg regional classic.
We finally head to Belmont, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte, for stop 6 of USA Crits Speedweek. A new venue on the circuit, the first impression we have when we arrive is : hey, this is going to break ! The course present a 6 turns 1km circuit with a 350m long steady ascent strectch with the finish line located half way. With 75laps totalizing 50miles (80km) that promised to be a race of attrition.
5,4,3,2,1 and yes the race did break. It was not long before riders dropped from the main field and after only 15min of racing, the front group was reduced to 18 riders in which 6 from United Healthcare. Having started at the back of the peloton, I had to sprint every time up the climb on the first laps to avoid being caught in any split as riders were getting dropped. As soon as I reached the front, I had to continue my effort as two United riders were solo off the front. The fast pace continued for a few laps with United Healthcare riders being very offensive. Me and Sergio Hernandez were the only two riders left in that front group.
Only 25 laps into the race, soon enough, the front group was about to lap the rest of the field (14 riders) and the nearest chase (5 riders) was far at about 45sec behind. With all the team present in the front group, United had no interest in lapping the field sot they settled to a lower pace. That is when I attacked with 49 laps to go. Danny Summerhill of United Healthcare was the first one to join me on the next lap along with Karl Menzies (UHC) and Bobby Lea (SMK). Our gap increased pretty fast and on the next lap, as I followed Danny Summerhill on the last two turns, I lost traction on the last turn and crashed hard on my right side taking out Menzies. Thankfully, the bike was still rideable and both me and Menzies jumped back in the breakaway after getting fixed by the good guys at Sram Neutral Support. We quickly lap the group of 14 riders in which I had 2 teammates (Josh Carter and Gevan Samuel). They quickly went to the front to keep the pace high in order to prevent more riders comming across. Only Rafael Meran of CRCA Foundation came to equal terms after a good chase from his part.
Only past halfway race distance and with 5 riders fighting for the win, I was feeling pretty good and very optimistic for the win or a podium. The chase group was steady at 20-30sec, but with not much support from other team in the group, I knew a reshuffling of the race was likely to happen. In the end, I choose to sit in the bunch and let the other riders chase us. In the meanwhile, the 5 riders chasing us earlier on came across to the chase group behind me to make it back to 23 riders potentially racing for the win.
With 17 laps to go, the chase group of now 18 riders made junction and that is when I attacked on the back stretch. It was early to go solo, but I build a good gap pretty quickly. 5 laps and 2 primes later, I was joined by 5 riders (Carlos Alzate (UHC), Bradley White (UHC), Alexander Mckay, Frank Travieso and Brian Arnes). With 10 laps to go, our gap on the field was 30 sec and I knew it was the good move. Our pace was slower than what I was going by myself, so I thought of going again a few laps later. In the next laps, I tried a few « teasing » attacks to see who was chasing and all the time, it was Brian Arnes from Finish Strong, going after my wheel. I later found out he was a lap down on us and then only going after primes !
On the last laps, it was almost a match sprint. Anyhow, I was confident with my sprint. Coming down the back stretch, Bradley White was leading the group going down followed by Travieso and myself. I knew Alzate was gonna go before the last 2 turns and I was ready to jump, which I did. However, Travieso did the same and so I left his wheel. Alzate went all out the last two turns with Bradley White on his wheel. Travieso lost contact from the first two and then I had to go as hard as I could to come back on the first two but it was too late and I had to settle for 3rd. In the end, I am happy with the result and the way me and the team ride, but if it was to do again, I would attack more early on to make the race harder and split even more.
See the race as it happens on YouTube :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY8Q19KgiCA&feature=plcp
