Gravel bike WORLD CHAMPIONS is an event that’s been around for about 10 years started by the local “Pirate Cycling League.” It started very “tongue-in-cheek” with roughly 25 participants. It’s grown dramatically over the years and though it’s still a bit “tongue-in-cheek” this version was clearly on the level of a true World Championship. This was my most mind-bending race to date. Read on to find out why…..ouch!
Thomas, Jacob and I traveled to Lincoln Friday in time to register, finalize equipment prep….and chill. Obviously, there’s nothing special about the drive to Lincoln. One needs to invest another 6+ hours of driving to get to the good stuff. But it was reasonable for a day drive and not being too tired. We were well-rested, tapered for this one, and ready to deliver. Really ready.
The 6 AM start is dark this time of year and overcast skies didn’t help the light show through. The good news is the temps and forecast were very nice by Nebraska standards. Very DAMn like weather-wise. Humid and warm, but not unbearable. It was going to be a great day in that regard. As usual, it’s hectic. A much more competitive field than DAMn means a much larger peloton. The first 30 minutes or so were stressful as usual. We also made the choice to bring only a tinted lens for the Scott glasses. That meant all 3 of us had our glasses in our jersey pockets instead of on our faces the first hour. I’ll never do that again. I took a golf ball-sized rock in the shoulder at 30mph and tons of gravel to the face. That’s the last time. From now on rose tint lens for the duration and be safe!
During that first half-hour, there are real rollers. For those of you familiar with the DAMn or even the area between Cannon Falls and Red Wing where many of the gravel events occur that’s what we dealt with for 150 miles and about 10,000’ of gain on this day. Much more than the advertised 6500’. Endless big rollers. They never quit. All-day. That helps thin the peloton a bit more quickly, but not quickly enough for my taste. Fat bikes and single speeds at the front first 30 minutes…yep. A few fliers were taken during that time that came back, but there were a couple of guys up the road. I believe that ended up being 1 guy up the road and a dirt bike pace vehicle, but it was a guy way up the road early.
Maybe 45 minutes in with the lead group thinned to maybe 30 I could feel guys letting up. The group was tired, my computer was showing sickwatts, and if I’m showing sickwatts guys are tired. I was tired. About the 2nd time the group letup I attacked and was gone. This was part of the plan. From past results, I knew it took about 21mph average to win the race. I figured I could do that solo. I was a “nobody” in that field I figured. Here we go! 6+ hours of riding left!
That next hour or so I chased the other guy hard. I could see the dot, but it never seemed to come closer. I chased and chased while riding a bit too hard. But it was World Championship, so I rolled the dice a bit. 2 hours into the race my average speed was over 22mph. The dot was getting closer quickly now and it seemed the flatter the road the faster the dot grew. #aeroiseverything and I believe I had the fastest set up in the field maybe besides Thomas on his Madone. I was riding the brand new Domane with a more aero frame, much more tire clearance, and a much higher feel of performance in the SLR model (very Madone like in feel). An incredible rig. Couple that with an aero cockpit courtesy of Chris Wiswell and the HED V6 Vanquish wheels and long sleeve skinsuit and I was giving up very little if any to anyone in the field.
The dot became a person and we were together. My first attempt was a run at him to try to ride straight through him. At roughly 2.5 hours in he wasn’t having that. We then chatted a bit. He was from Brazil. He was the Brazil National Road Champ. No big deal. 21 years old. I could be his dad! We then agreed to work together, but his idea of that and mine were different. Him at 140# we are both similar in strengths. But at 21 he still feels the need to hammer the hills. I wasn’t willing to do that with 4+ hours of racing to go so it was hard for us to stay glued to one another. There was potential benefits to us being together, but I’m not sure we went any faster as a result of different tactics on when to go fast.
Mandatory Check 1 is at 60 miles. This race is unique in that it’s 100% self-support. You are allowed no support of any kind on the course or at aid stations. You are on your own. That was awesome. This race is also unique in that it requires you to grab a colored pipe cleaner at each of 2 required checkpoints. That was easy. I came in first and they were there to grab. What I did not see was any water. I asked, begged, asked, begged, panicked. This was a World Championship. I had the ability to carry about 5 bottles of water. There were none waiting, and I was met with blank stares. Instead, they had big jugs of bulk water sitting way back in the weeds. With emotions and levels of caffeination very high (think Perform….X) I made the decision to forge on without grabbing water. Ouch, but it wasn’t really hot, and I had only consumed one of my 3 bottles. I had my 2 concentrate bottles of Sustain on board yet. Worst case I had 3+ hours of riding with concentrate bottles and my remaining 10 ounces of maple syrup. Best case were the “optional” checkpoints along the way hopefully having some sort of bottled water ready to go.
We rode off. Due to my Brazilian son filling a bottle he had to bridge back which he did in short order. Maybe 45 minutes later I noticed him looking back a bit. I didn’t even want to look, but when he sat up, I knew we were caught. I couldn’t believe it, but we were caught.
Stats the first few hours:
2 hours in average speed 22, +4 w/kg
3 hours in average speed 21+, +4w/kg
How they caught us? I think the 2 of us did not go any faster than the 1 of us would have gone. Darn it. Lesson learned there. Another lesson learned in this race. Unless you know all the guys in the field don’t try to ride away from them. If only I knew.
Modesty aside and with pride, I believe as soon as we were caught, they went to work trying to finish us off. It didn’t help that I had a teammate in the group with Thomas. I believe at that point the total number in the group was 11. I’ll stop right now and say I was mind-blown when I saw Thomas in the group. Thomas is elite level and strong as heck, but Thomas is not a featherweight and this course is absolutely suited to pure w/kg type dudes. It made my day to see Thomas in the group. Incredible. But again, there were 2 teams of 3 in the group. 3 Giant guys and 3 Panaracer guys. I knew for sure all those guys were crazy strong. What I didn’t know was the singles in the group were arguably stronger. Eric Marcotte was one of them and OMG to even ride with a guy like that….an absolute honor.
But they attacked and attacked very hard. Here we are 3.5 hours into a race and I’m tired to say the least from spending 3.5 hours riding hard and we are absorbing 1000-watt attacks. Seriously. I kind of looked at Thomas in disbelief. Can this really be happening in a 7-hour race? It quickly became a matter of proper decision making and we made the wrong one. It was a matter of calling bluffs vs. covering attacks in the crosswinds and knowing when to go hard and when to sit in. They caught us off guard and just like that were clear up the road and it was back to full-on TT mode. I needed water. Thomas needed water. We were both tired. EVERYONE was tired. But we chased. We came to a water oasis and Thomas had to stop. I grabbed a bottle, spilled half of it and spilled half of that dumping into the aero bottle. I knew I had to keep moving forward to have a shot at these guys. It was now or never so back to full-on TT mode it was. Instead of thinking about the win I was now hoping to pick off as many blown-up riders as possible the rest of the way. Short story that number was 1. It was right after I grabbed that water! 3+ hours of riding left!
Long version? I just kept pedaling. Though I never truly faltered I did fade a bit. After talking to the guys after the race everyone faded. They had to after those attacks. Unfortunately, instead of it being an attack fest they also agreed to work together which was bad for my solo effort trying to chase them down. I could see them for a couple of hours. Then I couldn’t. That was a bad feeling. It was about damage control and confidence and both were hard coming into checkpoint 2 at mile 131. I was tired, getting a bit dehydrated and a bit in disbelief that I couldn’t catch anyone still averaging 21mph!
I filled 2 bottles and soldiered on. Equipment had been flawless, nutrition flawless and still putting out wattage. It was mostly tailwind home. It became a matter of watts vs. risking exploding. I managed. I kept passing shorter course riders, but as far as I know, never caught sight of any of the 8 guys ahead of me. About 3 miles to go the course turned into the wind and up to one last long climb. Ouch. The cramps came and I let up a bit to survive to the pavement. Once on the pavement, it was hammer down one last time just in case and cruise home to the downhill finish. Once home I found out I was 9th, 2nd master by a minute (ouch) and waited for Thomas to finish a few minutes later. What a day. Physically and mental destruction. We truly gave all we had. That’s racing. We’ll be back I’m sure and with a little better tactics. After the initial disappointment, I think we are just thankful we got to ride bikes with those guys. We got to play bikes with Eric Marcotte and 2-time DK Champ Mat Stephens! And more! How cool is that!!!??