18 Mar Bariani Road Race 2024
Post from Rick Pepper on the Bariani Road Race 2024:
Bariani RR 60+, 60 miles, 3 ea., 20 mile laps
shit ton of potholes
about 50 starters
Race predictor has me at 17th. Goal #1 is beat the race predictor on the Bariani Road Race.
Two big teams – Thirsty Bear and Paco’s
I had no teammates
Tried to get away at KM 0 was marked
Tried to get away at about 5 miles in, 15 …
Tried sneaking away at mile 18 in the hilly section before the start finish
Second lap I noted a false flat in a crosswind section. The race was pretty negative not often going hard.
Popped a gel and felt great and the wind had whipped up a bit so I made to the very front, got in to the gutter and rolled through hard letting a couple other guys move through and I HAD TO CONVINCE THEM that if we punched it now the pack would go kablooey. They hesitated and messed around a little, so I came through again hard but not super hard for like 30 seconds, leaving enough room for two or three guys only and when I flick my elbow I have a 20 sec gap. FFS
So now I’m off the front so I hit it, but not full gas as I’m 33 mi into a 60 mile race, trying to keep wattage between 225 and 325, so if a small group comes up to me I won’t be so shellacked I get dropped. Solo OTF is not my specialty.
We hit the headwind section and I have a minute plus lead. Trying to stay riding within myself and as aero as my back will let me be. We get into the hilly section and the cat 4 men (including our own Zach and Tyler) catch me and I fall in with them for a bit until the moto tells me I need to let the 4’s go past as it’s not fair that I’m taking pace from this group. Well yeah that’s true but they are on the course … any who I let them go but s l o w l y and I’m sort of tail gunning the 4s, about 10-15 meters back until on one rise, some attack goes and I lose contact. So I’m back to solo riding. I hit the final hill (big ring) and the plunge to the feed zone solo, roll through with about a 2 min lead on my field. I catch a big cat 4 rider; a big UPS truck of a dude. “Hey let’s you and me get you back to your pack” Trying to get him incentivized to ride with me. No luck I just roll past him.
Last lap, tailwind section I’m only managing 26-27 mph and I know the guys behind me are doing like 31. Sure enough on the overpass my gap reduced to like 45 sec. In no time I’m caught with like 9 miles to go.
I try to grab a breath mid pack and note the wind was dying down and the final crosswind section not so selective. I move towards the front and three riders look to have pulled off the front. No Thirsty Bear, no Pacos representation. I’m still a bit thrashed from my solo effort so it’s on those teams to pull it back.
The two main teams mess around, playing cat-n-mouse, and finally get sort of serious but it’s a little too late. One independent guy tries to make it across a 20 sec gap and he almost does it but couldn’t do it. In retrospect I should have gone with him and we would have had a chance of going across together. That’s on me.
We hit the hilly section prior to the finish and it goes insane up the the final climb and I’m cresting like 4th over the top of this and pretty sure some separation occurred behind me. I’m gasping for air, looking like a landed cod and hang with these guys as it starts ramping up for the finale. It is getting kind of aggressive on this rolling downhill and I want to keep it upright. The sprint was a group of like 20 guys (with the three still just barely up the road) and I jump on it and for about 2 seconds and my gears jam. This was not decisive but it did put a pause in my effort and the rest of the sprint was spent desperately trying to roll up on enough dudes to not place 17th.
I ended up with 16th.
So I beat the race predictor!
Note: follow the Red Peloton bike racing calendar for more great California bike races.