This past weekend was the Tour del Paso. Typically a TT/Crit/Road Race format, this year the organizers lost their permit for the criterium at the last minute. So, only one race on Saturday.

Time Trial

The time trial was a 4.5 mile uphill sufferfest. The hill was significant enough that an aero bike wouldn’t be much help, and likely not worth the additional weight – although some did opt for time trial rigs. For me, a skinsuit, lightweight aero helmet, and semi-deep wheels on a straight-up road setup was the equipment selection.

I got to the course early in the morning for a final scout and to check wind conditions. It was pretty much a straight tailwind – which would mean fast times and that it would feel HOT climbing that hill. Hydration and a good, strong warmup would be very important.

The ride went well – good enough for 9th in the Pro/1/2 field. My teammate Al (SexuAl Killya) Senft stormed his way to 4th. Thanks to a hefty prize list, we had some pros in our midst, including Anthony Colby (the “big kids” Colavita team) and Matt Shriver (Jittery Joe’s). They flew up that hill, with Colby averaging about 18mph. Definitely puts “riding well” into perspective.

Because I raced with a power meter, I was able to analyze my ride afterwards. The average watts and the pacing were generally good – but I definitely overstarted. When your adrenaline’s pumping, it’s hard to pace yourself. On a hillclimb, if you go too hard at the beginning, you quickly build lactic acid and never really have a chance to flush it and recover. So, while I didn’t lose dramatic time there, it’s nice to know that there’s room for improvement and that I have some details to work on.

Road Race

Yesterday’s 88-mile road race looked epic on paper, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. We had Al sitting in 4th, I was in 9th, and two other teammates were within striking distance in the overall – but there were two superstars at the top of the leader’s board. The goal was to get someone onto the podium for the overall, which would be tough in this stacked group. We knew who the threats were and who would be good guys to get into breaks with.

The race began with a brief flat stretch, then immediately hit a steep climb with a tailwind – which means little to no draft available. We expected all hell to break loose there and for the top riders to attempt to shatter the field.

Although the pace was hard, it wasn’t crazy and there were no attacks. It wasn’t until we descended into the valley that the attacks and counter-attacks began to heat up. Sensing a brief lull in the pace, I shot out of the field in an escape attempt. One other rider came with me and, before we knew it, we had a sizable gap and immediately started working together.

We were only 16 miles into the race and still had a really long way to go. But, we both had teammates in the field. Even if we were brought back by the pack, our teammates could sit in and draft as much as possible and conserve energy. It was very unlikely we’d stay away – if we did, of course, that’s phenomenal. If not, we’re playing the role of good teammates!

My breakaway companion, Travis Dixon (Sport Systems) and I worked really well together and stayed on the gas. Work steady, go harder into the headwinds and on climbs, recover a bit on descents, and keep eating and drinking! Sixty miles later and we were still away, but Travis was beginning to fade. I tried to nurse him along hoping he’d recover and still be able to contribute, but he started cramping.

I was left alone at the bottom of the last climb, straight into a really tough headwind. 13 miles to go and the gap to the chasers, once at 4 minutes, had been reduced to 2. I needed to survive the hill to have a chance.

I killed myself on that climb, knowing that if anyone caught and attacked me, my day in the sun was over. I crested the top and began to descend, but could see three pursuers closing fast. I recognized Colby’s red arm warmers and knew they’d catch me soon. When they did, on the descent, I was able to get onto the train. Eight miles to go!

Three miles of non-technical descending into a headwind, then a right turn for 5 miles towards the finish. I was spent, but had enough left to sit on and roll in with the powerhouses. The gap from our group to the pack was enough to move me up in the GC, and we finished in the same order as the overall results:

1.Anthony Colby (Colavita/Sutter Home Pro)
2.Matt Shriver (Jittery Joe’s)
3.Damian Calvert (Sport Systems)
4.Joshua Liberles (Colavita New Mexico / JNF)

Colaviata NM riders…

6th Al Senft (Colavita New Mexico / JNF)
14th Rendon (Colavita New Mexico / JNF)
16th Palen (Colavita New Mexico / JNF)