Race Report – Axel Merckx Gran Fondo Penticton.
Distance: 160kms
Temperature: 21 – 34
Background
Do not stay at Apex Mountain the night before the race. It’s too far away. Travel time in the morning was about 45min. Really nice place but too far from town.
Pre-Race
I arrived too late to properly position myself in the corral. I was about midway back with maybe 1500 riders in front of me. It was choc-0-block. No moving forward. I knew that I was going to have to give it some serious effort in the beginning to get near the front.
Start
I crossed the line 2:33 after gun time. Made my way to the left side of the road and started to work hard. Up Vancouver hill, I was passing many riders. I kept on the gas out on my own or dragging others for about the first 10K. I settled into a pack that was riding at a pretty good clip to rest. I made my way to the front of this pack as we rounded the corner onto Hwy 97. At this point, I could see the front of the race maybe about 2K ahead. I went off the front to bridge to the next pack dragging a fair number of riders with me. One of these brave souls was Bryan Rahill!! We chatted and then decided to work together and get to the front. On the gas big time just Bryan and I. We bridged one pack two pack. We are now at the back of the front pack after 22K of riding.
Hills and spills
After 22K it was time to climb up to Summerland. I was pretty knackered after all the effort getting to the front so I climbed at a moderate pace losing a bit to the leaders. I figured that I would make some of it up on the downhill (been descending well lately). The front pack had separated into about 3 packs due to the hill. I was at the front of the third pack at the start of the downhill. The downhill was fast but safe. There was only one other rider descending at the pace that I was. We were now about 10 – 20 seconds off the front of this pack. The slope got steep and going fast required skill. I felt really good and could blast into corners with confidence. Onto a very steep bit I see a white pickup truck on the course about 100meters ahead in the middle of a switchback. We both started to yell at him to get moving. The spectators started yelling at him to move. We both intuitively decided to go left around the truck but we were also breaking hard to scrub off some speed. WTF! The truck starts very slowly to head towards the left side of the road fully blocking our path. There is no time to take him on the right. We both lock up the brakes. He puts a foot down. I CX it and swing my leg over as my bike goes down. I leave the bike at about 15kph and run it out all the way into the scrub on the side of the road. I come to a stop. I’m totally fine but my bike is under the truck. I look back and yell at him not to move. He apologizes and I tell him that he could not have seen me but what was he doing on a closed race course?!? I pull my bike out from under the truck. Chain is dragging behind the bike. It doesn’t look too bad. I get the chain back on. Check the other bits of the bike. It looks OK. Back on the bike I go. Race is ON!
Gotta Catch Up (Again)
I spent about 7min at the side of the road so, I knew that there was no way that I was going to get back to the front. I was shaking with adrenalin and feeling totally lucky that I wasn’t licking wounds. I started to work hard again. Bike making nasty noises. Grind, click, pop. Oh but, this is going to be a long ride. I’m passing riders again and quickly. I’m starting to fade a little as the wind hits me in Penticton. I latch onto a group and slowly make my way to the front. Bridge another group taking a few riders with me. Bridge another. Turn onto Mclean Hill. I’m feeling good and I pick up the pace rolling up to another group. Shit! Who’s this? It’s a team I recognize. Wholly! It’s team Botranger Livestrong (Axel’s junior team). I know these guys are really strong, like they performed well in the Tour of California strong.
Riding with the Boys
I latch on with the team. They must be on a casual ride because I’m able to stay with them no problem. I start talking with them. Great guys!! Lots of stories that I will tell you later. Double pace line. I take my time in the wind and again and again and again. I’m keeping to pace at their pace. All good. At 92K they peel-off at the lunch stop. I thank them for the pulls and keep going along. I attract a group who latches onto me and I pull for about 5 min. I try to get someone to go through. No go! I see up ahead the TNA team. So, I pick up the pace and latch onto them. Make my way through their pack and onto the front. Sharing the load I ride with them for a while. They are not going as fast as I like so when the climb begins up golf course road I leave them behind.
Climb Climb!!
Up up I go. Passing riders at a good pace. Half way up the climb, I have to stop to refill a bottle. A 30sec stop long enough to fill one bottle. I’m 125k in and I have 1.5 bottles. All good, I can get to the end with that. Climb and climb. With a few nice people exchanging stories and stuff. I’m now at the top and I’m in the front of a pack of about 20. I can’t get them to work. I pace at about 37. They pace at 33 when I’m not on the front. No good. So I turn it up on the front. Who wants to go fast can come along. If you don’t then go away!
The last 30k
A couple of riders stay with me and will work a little. We are going at a good clip. I see a small group ahead of 3. I decide I’m going to make it to them. I do and dropped the others as they didn’t keep up on the hill. I start talking with these guys. They look good. One has an accent. We are joking and laughing. Up another hill with them. I’m staying with them and we are pacing well. On e the front I go. They seem happy. OK. The guy with the accent… Is he Axel. So, I ask. Yes. It’s Axel Merckx. OMG! Too funny. And the other 2 guys are pros from somewhere. OK. Here we go. I’m going to ride with Axel. And so I did all the way to the 5k mark. I see a train blast by on my far left and I’m on the front of my pack. I yell that I’m latching on or something like that.
The Finish
Well as hard as I tried I could not catch up the train that was Axel’s junior team again. I have no idea how fast they were going, but my sprint (say 50k) could not catch them. I look back. I’m 100m in front of Axel’s pack with 5k to go. OK. I’m going to TT it until the pack catches me. Head down I take it to the 100m line and pick it up a bit to the finish line. I guess I can TT J
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