Aug 27 - University Road Race
Race info

Results

Photos: Itacud Imaging,  Cal Giant Cycling Team

Report: 35+ 1/2/3 report by Chris Phipps,  Z-Team Cycling,  Cal Giant Team Cycling Report

35+ 1/2/3 report by Chris Phipps

Course – Roughly 3 mile loop with about 400 feet of climbing per lap. Basically up, down, up, repeat for fourteen laps.

The start/finish line was about halfway up the climb, so I was sure to get in a good warm-up. I started about twenty back from the front and worked my way up to the top five by the top of the first climb. The first few climbs were brisk, led by the stronger climbers trying to thin the pack. I was very comfortable hovering in the top ten, but trying to let the others work until our numbers were smaller. The first real break came on the 5th lap when we got down to eleven riders. About this time we caught the Elite 3 field who had started two minutes ahead of us and were still mostly together. They were neutralized as we went by. We stayed at eleven for a few laps and I started taking some pulls as we rotated on the downhill. I did a few hard pulls on the steeper parts of the hill to try to put the hurt on our pack, but it was Harlan Chapman who was doing the majority of the pace setting up the hill. With five or six laps to go I was feeling great so I took a long hard pull up the hill trying to drop a couple more. I wasn’t able to drop anyone and was starting to tire when Michael Hutchinson (Team Spine) launched an attack and Robert Pasco (Safeway) jumped on his wheel. I couldn’t respond, but thankfully Kevin Metcalfe and Chapman did and I was able to ride their wheels back to Hutch & Pasco. In addition to the 5 of us, only Nathan Parks (EMC/Vellum), Robert Anderson (Fralock) and Colin Cooper (Team Spine) remained.

Several attacks were attempted over the next four laps, but we remained intact. With a lap to go Anderson pulled the first half of the climb, then I attacked on the 2nd half and tried to get away. But, by the top I still had 6 guys on my wheel. I was afraid that this was going to come down to a sprint, not my strength. About 1/3 of the way down the hill, and 3K from the finish, Parks attacked, Pasco followed, and then I followed. It took a big effort to get on Pasco’s wheel and as soon as I caught my breath I took a quick look back. We had opened up about twenty meters, so I attacked. After about fifteen seconds I looked back and I had about a 30M lead with about 2K to go. As the others were looking at each other wondering who was going to chase (take your time guys) I put my head down and started pedaling with every watt I had. The final 800M was on the climb, so I just needed to hold the gap to the base of the hill to have a shot at the win. I took a final look back at the turn and still had a lead of about 100M. I gave it everything I had. The lactic acid in my legs and lung burn was intense and I didn’t know if I could hang on but seeing the finish gave me the boost to keep pedaling in the big ring (OK, it's only a 50) through the line for my first win in the 35+ 1/2/3!

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