The Race: City of Redlands Criterium
The Course: 60 minutes on a 1-mile, 9-corner course
The Field: 1/2 women
The Finish: 15th
When I first got the tech guide for this race, I noticed there was an abundance of anxiety-inducing corners on the course map. It turned out better than I’d expected though; after a few laps, I started to feel the flow of the course and actually enjoyed the distraction of constantly turning. That’s not to say there isn’t room for improvement in my cornering – often it feels (and looks, I’m told) like I’m fighting the bike or hesitating – but I think it’s getting better. The pace of the race was fast, but it never felt relentless or overly painful. That seems promising considering that it’s only early April and my season is just getting started.
Our team goal yesterday was the keep the GC contenders rolling smoothly while Tina, Jen, and I would work towards a stage result. In the end, we pulled off a decent finish, with Jen in 6th, Tina in 8th, and me in 15th. I didn’t play the last lap out as well as I should have and lost position before the final corner, but the three of us came away feeling like we will really be able to make things happen at future races once we nail down our tactics. The GC riders finished without issue and we spent the rest of the day recovering in preparation for the Sunset Road Race.
