Tour of the Battenkill

Our Director Sportif (DS) has been preaching visualization this spring.  Play out race scenarios in your mind ahead of time, so you are better prepared come race day.  One thing I hadn't considered, or perhaps better said, I hadn't put enough emphasis on is that the other 70 guys in the Cat2 Battenkill field all had similar goals. As we pulled out of the starting grid it was mass chaos to move up, and I found myself being squeezed out, caught behind a touch of wheels and resigned to watching the first series of attacks go up the road. I had not visualized this type of start! With Matt Moon masterfully patrolling the front of the group I found a crease along the right edge of the peloton and moved from the back of the pack up towards the front, and as the group slowed on a gentle incline I attacked at mile 7 of the 87 mile race . Former DER member Fred Thomas quickly latched on and 2 more racers came across.  The break was formed and the gap started going out.  First a minute, then 2:30....we had a good rhythm going, the visualization was working.  Around 45 miles in we hear that 8 guys are bridging over and they make the junction shortly thereafter. A few flat tires later and the group is down to 10 headed into Joe Bean hill where 3 guys pull away from the rest with ~12 miles remaining. Fred and I just don't have enough to stay with them over the top, and try and organize a small chasing group of 5. We don't have the horsepower to pull them back, but we manage to hold off the remaining peloton behind.  1 member of the leading trio fell off the pace in the final miles and we reel him in just over the top of the final dirt climb. One last attack in the final kilometer creates enough separation that I can ease my way across the line for 3rd, earning another trip to the podium and a jug of chocolate milk.

Afterwards I hear that Matt flatted out, chased for miles and miles but eventually climbed in the DS van and took up feedzone duties.  I hear he had enough time to pull out his phone and take a few Battenkill selfies while waiting for the wheel van, we'll see if any of those surface on the Internet! Thanks to Matt, Hank, GBS, Giant Bikes and the rest of the DER team for the support this weekend.  Cheers to you!