Sea Otter Classic- 4/17/16

[Otis Lyons]

It was good to finally be able to do the states' biggest cycling event, after waiting at the side lines the previous years.

Going into the event, I had seen the start list and realized the field was absolutely stacked, despite this being only a cat 2 race. With kids such as the cx national champion (Ben Gomez Villafane), the JV D1 NorCal leader (Tyler Sargent), and my friend from San Marin who is tied for the series lead in Freshmen D2, Sebastián Dow, contention for me perhaps fell in trying to get top half, or maybe top 15 (there were more than 50 guys racing). 

The list could keep going, but that would fill up a few pages- it was truly the greatest field I had ever raced against, by a landslide!

I warmed up with Sebastian, and we got to the start line in a great position. We talked of the other good riders in our race, and he told me Gianni Lamperti was racing, which I hadn't realized. Gianni is the only NorCal rider in JV as a freshman. 

The course started on the Mazda Raceway, so a sprint for positioning ensued. Despite my good position at the start line, I found myself in 15th immediately in a massive front pack. I saw Gomez Villafane right up there, along with some other heavy hitters including Sebastian, whose wheel I hugged. 

As we started the downhill fire road screamer, someone in front of me swerved, and I was forced to meet the bushes instead of the ground. I stayed upright, which is lucky because we were going at least 30. Although I righted the ship, I lost Sebastian's wheel, who was coincidentally in the perfect top 5 position. Rather, I lost the lead group of about 10, and was forced to chase. As we hit the road at the bottom maybe 4 miles in, I was in a chase group of 10 behind the lead 15. I was in the middle, but realized these guys weren't helping bring it back. I got to the front, and over time got the whole group back into the mix right before the single track climb. 

Going into the climb, people tried to sprint into it. I was prepared, but stupidly way over geared. In the end, I was at the end of a long string 25 riders strong, and my goal- Sebastian- was in the top five.

The men separated from the boys, and there was no hope of passing. The groups split and I never saw Sebastian again, but the group I was with wasn't going too bad, so I was fine where I was... For now. 

At the top of the first climb, I could tell I was close to bonking. I had a bad feeling that I couldn't go 100%, even though the group I wanted to be in was probably already a minute ahead. I rejuvenated after the sand pit downhill, and caught a few guys and passed them. Through the next few climbs and descents I caught a few more guys, and at one point two of us got going pretty good. I figured I was now in the top 20, and I could also go 100 again. 

I dropped the guy I was with, and right as I did so a pack of 6 others, not all from my category, passed us. One of them, to my surprise, was Lamperti. A pace line formed on the fireroad at the feed zone, and I fell in behind. After an awkward feed (Julia Violich was feeding me, and thought I was a cat 1, so didn't expect me coming half an hour behind schedule), I tried passing a few guys on the next climb. 

Lamperti, at the front of our group, ditched the rest of us but one guy. I got around the rest, and soon met up with four riders, all from my race. In there were two out of state guys, a Salinas kid, and another interesting jersey. One guy attacked on the last descent before the main climb, and I followed. I didn't catch him until the end of the lengthy false flat at the start of the climb. He was going good, but not good enough, and soon after, the other four came back. I couldn't see anyone in front of us, and thought that this could be the race for 15th, so I was cool with racing this bunch. The Salinas kid went to the front, and I decided that if I wanted to best these guys, P2 was the best position to be. 

I got around the first kid, and he faded. I'm glad I did this, because the others couldn't respond as well. The whole climb was a mix of comfort and excruciating pain. His rhythm was good, but he kept injecting the pace a little more at a time. As we kept going, Lamperti and Vahlberg, Gianni's counterpart, came into view. I couldn't believe my luck. I was getting a free ride to these two! 

At the top of the climb, before we go down the famed 'hurl hill,' I attacked, and gapped the Salinas rider. I bombed down the steep descent, and could feel myself getting closer to Vahlberg, who Lamperti had cracked. 

Onto the climb and I caught Vahlberg, but could sense not all was peaches and dandelions. Behind me, the Salinas kid had found a way back. He caught me as I caught Lamperti, and he was just too strong. He passed me on the steepest part, and I could only think, that's it! Though, all was not lost! I knew he was stronger on climbs than descents, and the quick downhill into the final pitch up into the race track was the perfect launching point to get back to his wheel. We entered the race track neck and neck. 

He led the sprint, and although typically it is advantageous on a tarmack two man sprint to be in arrears, this was no ordinary asphalt duel. It was a downhill sprint, so the person with the lead into the finale had the opposition beat, and so, even though I made up ground, the furthest I got was to the front of his back wheel, succumbing to a very respectable 13th. 

I was happy to finally witness North America's best mountain biking affair first hand, and I'm also happy to hear that Sebastian finished 8th, 2 minutes ahead of me. Perhaps under different circumstances... Anyways, a great weekend for ACME!