Lake Auburn RR — Cat 3

by Jonah Tower

It was very hot (85+) and we were rolling out at high noon, but I was still very much looking forward to the 5 laps on the hilly 11-mile course. The race itself was slow. Many attacks were allowed to go and were then left to cook a while, before being brought back, but in general the race didn't get going until the final lap, after several people had packed it in from tire legs and heat. On the final time up the steep climb right after the start, CCB attacked (I was thinking the same thing, but only another 500m up the road), and I was caught trying to chase. However, I was pulling the remains of the field in a long line with me, and since I had no teammates, I was not going to do this work for the field. (CCB managed to stay off and take first, because the field did not chase at all.) Then, on the last climb Louis Garneau put on a great attack and ripped the remainder of the field apart. About 7 of us gave chase for the last few miles, and just barely caught him at the line (he still managed 2nd). In the field sprint I took 5th (6th overall), but was not aware we had the whole road and thus had been needlessly hemmed in.