grant's tomb 2012

Saturday I had a pretty decent ride.

Totally botched the sprint...  I mean, in a three-up sprint the good money is generally on me...finishing last.  But this time I totally had 2nd place...  Excuses are lame, but this is sort of a funny story so you're going to get it.

Getting my race wheels out and dusted off a couple of days before the race I was frustrated not to find the smaller diameter SRAM cassette lock bolt thingy you need to accommodate an 11-tooth cog--the smallest cog on the cassette I generally use with my race wheels.  But I figured I wouldn't need that gear anyway, so I just put the larger diameter lock-ring on...  Well, I went the whole race not needing that gear, until about 40 yards from the line, and when I shifted into the 11 my chain didn't like it so much, stalled, and popped my rear wheel about a foot and a half in the air...and of course while up there it floated over to the side such that it's a wonder I didn't wipe out ugly right there in front of the line.  A fishtail or two and somehow I held it together, but obviously lost the sprint.

It's all good, though.  I was totally driving the break--racing for third, more or less, from the time the break formed.  I'd rather work my tail off for a high-probability third-place finish than play games for a low-probability win.  At least last Saturday I would.  Maybe next time I'll feel differently.

Good times!  Love the bike games!