Plan2Peak: Buffalo Criterium
First place 1/2/3
Goal: Get someone from the team the win, in our wildest dream sweep the podium, by doing a lead out for the sprint
Report:
The course was flat and fast. Our ideal scenario was to do a sprint lead out with Cormac on my wheel and William on his wheel. The course finished by bending gently to the left before straightening out and going slightly downhill to the finish for the last 100 meters or so. We knew that if I could take off before the bend then there was a good chance only the two of them (my teammates) would come around me. That was the way to win and maybe even to sweep the podium.
The race was a race. In the end with a half a lap to go we were heading to a bunch sprint. A purple team of three were ahead of us. I was on their wheel, Cormac on mine, and William on his. Just like we wanted it. As we hit the left hand bend I could hear the purple team yelling at their lead out guy on the front. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but I knew it must’ve been for him to move over to the left more to take the inside line. If they were on the inside then anyone who wanted to pass them would have to go a longer way around the outside. When I heard them I knew I couldn’t hesitate. I immediately started my lead out up the inside of the turn before they could close the door. I had about thirty seconds to the finish line.
We got up to 43 mph. It wasn’t a sharp turn, we could pedal the entire thing, but my rear wheel was still sliding out under me because of the speed. I stayed in the saddle with my hands in the drops the entire way to the line. Once again, and as always, I stayed as aero as possible. My back was flat and I was close enough to kiss my Marcus Aurelius sticker on my stem. The road straightened out and it was such a short distance to the line my teammates didn’t have time to come around me. I didn’t expect it to be that fast because up until a few laps to go there was a headwind at the finish line. With a few laps to go the wind shifted to more of a tailwind. This made the speed much higher for me and made it harder for people to come around. I ended up first, Cormac second, and William third.
Check out the video below for more/different details.
What did you do well?
Our strategy was really good. Starting the last lap we were all scattered in the group. We weren’t in a line. We all had to find our own way into position and we did just at the right moment. We waited as long as possible (patience) and before the inside line was taken away from us we took it.
I found myself solo at one point in the race. I put in a proper effort for a lap but decided to sit up when I wasn’t getting too big of a gap. I remembered from the time trial earlier in the day how I wanted to work on patience. This was my first opportunity and it paid off.
What did you not do well?
Nothing sticks out from this race.
What will you do differently in the future to be better than today?
I will try to remember what I knew better a year ago. Momento mori. Amor fati. With those I will be able to find more gratitude for days like this.
