Jiminy Peak Masters RR Report - 5-4-08
Jiminy Peak is a hard man’s race, 3 laps around a 18 mile circuit that climbs 750ft over 6 miles at 2-6%
grade, a brief down section, then goes up again at 8-10% for the final kilometer to the finish. A mild cold(43F) wind
blew heavy rain and fog clear as the races started, leaving the roads wet, but the racers thankful.
As the only NEBC rider in this 85 strong race, my strategy was to hit the final 1k climb near the front and drift
back saving my enegy for the final climb.
The 45+ masters started with the fast men trying to jump off the front one attack after another. Two heros
got off the front with phenominal strength and loyal teammates guarding the front. The pack was not content
to let these two places go so we were able to reel in 10 minutes on the Cat 3 pack the first lap. Not happy
to be caught the 3’s wanted back around and race officials errently (my opinion) nullified our race to let them pass.
The result of this bad move was to grow our masters pack from 40 or so, back to nearly the full 85.
My strategy of drifting back through the pack was a mistake, if you didn’t ride with the tight bunch of the top 30 riders
you got dropped. I was nearly dropped on the first lap as I driffed back past the first 30 then having to waste valuable
energy reattaching on the 55mph (my speedo) decent. The second lap I clinged to the the back of the climbers
bunch over the top for the free ride down the descent.
The third lap featured riders making fruitless efforts to establish a second break, and taxing the legs of the rest of us.
On the last long climb, the roughly 30 remaining riders struggled with failing legs to get to the finish. Failing legs
and resulting erradic riding caused two crashes in the last 3 km. I got caught behind one of these pile ups, sliding both
wheels and having to finally put a foot down. I knew my race was over.
I joined with four other riders in a failed effort to catch back on the pack, we got within 50 yards before the final climb,
but could not close once on the climb. I finished around 25th, final results are not available.
Racing is hard/fun.
Tim