2009 Iowa City Road Race

I was excited to be lining up for the 52 mile Category 3 Iowa City Road Race Saturday Morning. About 30 competitors lined up to take on the 4 lap course and battle it out for the top 5 'money' positions.

As we awaited our start, I admired the impressive Pro Cat 1/2 field as they began their race ahead of ours. The Trek guys were there (Brian Jensen, Steve Tilford), a pro rider from Jelly Belly, lots of ICCC, and pretty much the entire Bikes 2 You team. I also admired the fact that the attractive blonde USCF ref was the lead official and she wasn't taking anyone's shit. I tilted my head to the right and daydreamed a bit about the perks of dating a ref, imagining the post race 'results protesting' that might occur later that night, and the insider advantage I would have if my 'bike throw' was ever in question.

Besides that 'Scrubs' style mental cutaway, I noticed that the wind was calm, and wouldn't serve to break things up, as it did in 2008 when I made the lead breakaway group.

The first lap was definately neutral. I don't think anyone felt confident enough to 'race' for 50 miles, so I eventually worked my way to the back to wait for the second lap. Michael Edwards (2Bee Racing) was back there, hoping to merely 'finish with the field', so that gave me someone to chat with.

Finally the second lap began, and the pace lifted a bit, especially at strategic portions of the course like uphill gradients and corners. I used this lap to feel the group and myself out, with respect to strength. Ok, everyone made it through the second lap, I was starting to get worried, as the reality of a 30 rider field sprint was already starting to enter my head.

I assumed the lead (work horse) position for 49.5% of the race (according to post race comments from fellow riders). Whenever I would slow down, everyone else would slow down, whenever I accelerated or attacked, everyone reacted. I believe that is the definition of being 'marked' but perhaps I am delusional.

At one point I was coming around the left at a brisk pace and three different times the group felt obligated to call out my move 'on the left, on the left'. I wasn't even planning on attacking, but I felt obligated at that point.

Ok, so I set the tempo for large portions of the race, accelerated up hills, reacted to attacks, and hoped that somehow, someway we would drop some people. Well, one guy broke a spoke, which ended up being the only one that got dropped the entire race. Everytime I looked back, the group was in tow.

With about 5 miles left in the race I 'threw in the towel' as far as a breakaway goes. Now, I was curious to see if I had used too much energy to have any potency as a field sprint was now all but inevitable. I sat about 5 or 6 spots back for a few miles as some new faces made there way to the front.

With about 2 miles to go, I got swallowed up by the group. Everyone was getting sketchy, bickering a bit, twitching, etc. At this point, I just tried to find open lanes, which was a huge struggle, as everyone was aggressively trying to get in position for the finishing stretch.

Ok, so what are my chances in a field sprint of 29 Cat 3's? I felt that I had the strength but really didn't think a lane would open up in time, as I was boxed in. Even though it was tempting to give up, I just kept peddaling. Then, in the last few hundred meters of the race, I could finally see daylight and could focus on finishing strong.

I could see the winner race his arms just ahead (Geoff Perril/ICCC), as I noticed I was gaining fast on the remaining riders. Yes, I can still get 'in the money'. With a little bike throw action I pulled off the fifth spot.

It felt good to at least make the top 5, because I sort of felt I 'earned' something for keeping the pace spirited throughout the race. Also, I would have felt retarded, had I finished in the back of the sprint. That would have proven I was 'writing checks my butt couldn't cash' throughout the earlier parts of the race.

Riders don't get to the Cat 3 level without having achieved some level of success earlier in their racing careers. A Cat 3 rider knows how to train and be competitive... this was demonstrated clearly at the 2009 Iowa City Road Race.

RESULTS:
1 - Perrill, Geoff - Iowa City Cycling Club
2 - Mitchell, Brent - Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
3 - Jacobsen, Ryan - Atlas EcoLips Cycling Team - Atlas Cycling
4 - Schnee, Justin - Central Iowa Cycling Club - Colorbiotics
5 - Bishop, Chad - Harper's Cycling & Fitness
6 - Edwards, Michael - Two Bee Racing
7 - Kealey, Brendan - Iowa City Cycling Club - Mercy-Specialized
8 - Padfield, Chris - Team Get A Grip Cycles
9 - Martin, Nick - Atlas EcoLips Cycling Team - Atlas Cycling
10 - Kluck, Jeff - POWERADE - INDEPENDENT FABRICATION
11 - McAllister, Garrett -
12 - Balmer, John - Century Road Club Of America
13 - Carrico, Jimmy - Iowa City Cycling Club - Mercy-Specialized
14 - Kunze, Kristopher - Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
15 - LaForce, Ben - Team Get A Grip Cycles
16 - Basso, Pete - Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
17 - Chesterman, Jay - POWERADE - INDEPENDENT FABRICATION
18 - Anderson, Tracy - Iowa City Cycling Club
19 - Webb, Paul - Midwest Cycling Community NE
20 - West, Brian - Central Iowa Cycling Club - Colorbiotics
21 - Thompson, Robert - Atlas EcoLips Cycling Team - Atlas Cycling
22 - Cassaday, Derek - Double I Cycling Experience (DICE)
23 - Robinson, Steven - All9Yards.com Cycling Team - Bike World
24 - Gorry, Aspen - Team Get A Grip Cycles
25 - Rewerts, Jerome - All9Yards.com Cycling Team - Bike World
26 - Klahsen, Douglas - All9Yards.com Cycling Team - Bike World
27 - Gumm, Matt - All9Yards.com Cycling Team - Bike World
28 - Robinson, Scott - All9Yards.com Cycling Team - Bike World
29 - Oswald, Spencer - Baraboo Sharks