July 13 - 16 - Cougar Mountain Classic
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45 + 4/5 report by Karl B. Ehlert, DC, Alto Velo Bicycle Racing Club

Cougar Mtn. Circuit Race 45+4/5
Distance: 90 min
Teammates: George Smith (5th)

I arrived early with Kieran who was starting just 2 min. ahead of our race. Overcast gave way to sun during our race, so I did my long lazy warm up in with covered legs and arms. I was not sure how I was going to feel today as my legs were tight and my left ITB was acting up a bit. Despite some last minute stretching and goading the day before…Ok enough with the excuses already.

My plan was to sit in for the first half of the race and let the hill do its work let people get a bit tired before attempting attacks. I knew the course well from my 2 previous races here. I had always gotten my gap on the false flat after the main climb and decent and had told George that this was the spot. I was hoping that George could win this time and me come in 2nd. Anyhow, what I did was sortta lead some of the climbs at least at the base. And I also led on some of the decents, but was mostly coasting and trying to keep things strung out on the false flat portion. The climb seemed harder than it should have been, but that my have been due to me slogging up in too big of a gear, 21 mostly.

George had a fine attack one time up and got a gap, that I was happy to block for. It was a bit painful to see him dangle out there, but once he was caught, I countered with a move on the inside of the flat 180 degree turn. But, realized it was a bad time to make an effort just before going up the climb, danger, danger, but I managed to stay in the group and rested up. There was this one rider with a unique forced hard breathing rate that attacked several times, but we all knew that he was not for long and let him have his play. I was keeping a keen eye on Kevin Willits from Alta Alpina and his 2 other teammates. It was not a mental clarity day for me in general for some reason, but I did not think I was doing anything too stupid.

George was back in the group and then we were still 15 about to head up the climb for the final time. I was thinking this time its really going to hurt! My quads were just starting to twinge a bit at 3 to go, so I was not sure what I had left for this final effort. Turns out they hung in pretty well as I flogged them maximally as if the finish line was right there. We finally got some separation up the first steep pitch and I was latched on. The eventual winner put in another surge for the 2nd pitch and got a gap. The 4-5 riders that I was latched onto were not able to close this, and then we were descending, all sucking wheels for all we were worth. Up the false flat, Steve B. was still maintaining the gap (all kind of fuzzy at this point, no O2 in brain) and I think it was at that point I decided that my race was for 2nd. I have not done this in the past and lost places, but not this time. Then George soloed off after Steve, but remained in no man’s land, while I went into block mode again. George dangled for a bit, but despite the confusion in our now smaller group, he got reeled in maybe 500 meters out. Then inside the 200m sign as we were starting to round the big sweeping 180 turn there was a nice slot on the inside. I suddenly realized that this was it and launched cleanly through and around the final turn with only the metal cover and lapped rider to dodge. Then I became very determined to not have anyone spoil my fine move by passing me from behind and held it to the line. I think Kevin was nipping at my heels as he had apparently launched his attack almost parallel to me, but from the outside of the turn, but he had to settle for 3rd on this day. George rallied for 5th. I was mostly relieved to cross the line and have the struggle over with.

It was pointed out that George and I could have worked together better on the last lap with one sacrificing to pull back the winning Steve rider, but we were not really near each other from what I could see. I think the spectators would have pointed to our small green team as the race animators and feel good about that and would have won the team GC with our 2 in the top 5 placings.

Hindsight tells me that I should have tried to spin more up the climb and kept my nose out of the wind more during the first half of the race. This might have saved myself for either the final important effort, in this case bridging to Steve’s wheel on the last lap and or making one decisive well timed attack and followed through with it. I did get to see how disorganized riders are when someone is OTF and should remember that for future solo attacks. My legs were not so very peppy on this day, but I did have fun racing with my teammate and the other racers. The race was well run in a timely fashion on a fun smooth course.

Ciao,

Karl B. Ehlert, DC

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