Lower Providence Race Report

Craig Matt H and I lined up with one goal, deliver Craig to the line for the field sprint. We weren’t terribly concerned with breakaways, but we weren’t going to let something silly get away, like a group of 10 or something. The race was mostly status quo, save for the bakers dozen QCW riders at the line. Literally, thirteen of them. They raced smart and repeatedly counter attacked until they finally got two riders up the road, Sean and Tyler I believe. They only had 5-10 seconds for a few laps, and I wasn’t too worried about it. I asked Craig if he preferred I work to chase them down or save it for the lead out, as I only would have juice for one or the other.
Since he chose the lead out I just decided to forget about them. I was still surprised that the other larger teams couldn’t put a chase together. Everyone seemed to think they could bridge solo, instead of working together. With the windy course, that wasn’t going to happen. Due to the wind though, drafting was very key to staying safe, as there was a head or crosswind on three sides of the course. I think this was a factor in lots of people getting dropped.
What finally gave the break the last little push it needed to succeed was a terribly disgusting sounding crash, that I could hear echoing off of the buildings before I could hear the sound directly. I was in second wheel with Craig dutifully right behind me and all of a sudden there was the tell tale metal crunching, tire popping, brake squeeking nastiness of a multi-rider pile up. Matt H crushed some guy after sending his own bike (and Craigs wheels) sailing through the air. He was able to walk away thankfully. This happened in the right shoulder cross wind section and resulted from over lapped wheels.
So we’re down to the last three laps. Craig knows to hang onto my wheel like he owns it. We are doing a great job staying at the front and playing it smart and safe. We’re coming into the last lap and Craig starts telling me “all the way around, keep it up”. As a couple guys had tried attacking already on this lap, I was thinking “Okay this is it, grit your teeth and go”. I dial it up, not sure if it was actually fast, or just painful. I take it around two damn corners into the finishing straight. I’m thinking with Craig in second wheel I’m gonna drop him off too early. But I dig deep and start sprinting. I’m dying, digging so deep I can’t think. I shift it two gears harder. Out of the saddle not even looking ahead.
I can’t believe Craig hasn’t come around. In fact, no one has. Is Craig letting me take third?
RING RING RING RING RING goes the bell signaling last lap. FUCK!
I pull off, apologize to Craig for being a total idiot and leave him to fend for himself. I swallow the puke in my mouth, cool down for two laps, and go straight to the car and drink six beers while watching the ladies race.