The Koppenberg - 04/03/07

The first race of any season causes "the jitters." Regardless of how well I've prepared, I always wonder if I have prepared well enough. Only getting to the start line will answer this, but it leaves me in an edgy mood in the days leading into the race. On top of that this season, was the fact that this was my first race in the CAT 3s. Telling myself I was ready would do no good if, when push came to shove, my legs failed me.

The ’07 racing season officially kicked off on Sunday, April 1st with the Koppenberg Road Race. The Koppenberg circuit race is so-named after the famous cobbled climb in one of the most famous European Classics – the Tour of Flanders. This 77m climb in the Ardennes region of Belgium is feared by many riders because of its extreme steepness (22% on the trickiest parts) and because it is paved with cobblestones. This makes the Koppenberg extremely difficult to negotiate even for top professional cyclists. Quite often, riders will slow down almost to the point of losing their balance (especially common for those who approach the climb while riding at the back of the peloton) and thus have to dismount and scramble to the top on foot, while pushing their bikes. Our Koppenberg climb here in Colorado is similar in stature – short and over-the-top steep. However, instead of being paved, it is pure dirt and rutty. In fact, the circuit is not that challenging in-and-of itself. What makes the Koppenberg circuit race a leg breaking challenge is that half of each circuit runs over pothole-covered dirt roads. Finding a rhythm can become impossible so riders end up wasting a lot of energy.

Feedback Sports fielded two teams. The 4s went off first, to complete 4 laps of the 5.5-mile course, with the 3s having to complete 6 laps later in the day. If you understand bike racing, then you realize that the race does not always go to the strongest or the swiftest, or even the most tactical of riders. As both the 4s and the 3s would experience firsthand, sometimes Lady Luck throws the card which makes all the difference to a particular race’s outcome.

In the 3s race, all five of us were in the lead group. The first lap proved fast and furious as riders fought for positioning and being at the front for the first foray up the steep dirt hill. The hill hits us halfway through each lap, so it can be the launching pad of a decisive move. I hit the hill feeling great, positioned within the top ten. As we hit the dirt starting the second lap, I moved to the front and set the pace leading into the second time up the dirt climb. I wanted to keep everyone honest and, quite frankly, limit my exposure to knuckleheads who could force me to come off the bike on that climb. After topping the climb in the top three, I merged into the front pack which was still fairly large to conserve some energy. We still had 4.5 laps to go.

The third-of-six laps was the crazy one. I could feel that something was going to happen. At the top of the climb, I was riding third when from behind me another rider shouted, "We're clear, we're clear! Go, go, go!" So we went. "This is the decisive break!" I thought. Well, it turned out not to be. A couple of miles later we were caught by the main pack. No problem. I was prepared for another split to occur on Lap Four, but this lap turned out to be the most sedate of the race. I think people were either conserving energy and recovering or marking particular riders. If those marked riders ended up moving, then I would be sure to match their attacks. But none came, and Lap Four passed uneventfully.

Things started to heat up on Lap Five. And, we started to catch riders from other races (like the 35+ crowd). Hence, things got a little sketchy leading into the fifth attack of the dirt climb. I was positioned well again, within the top 5-8 riders. However, we also caught a clump of 35+ riders right at the base of the climb. There were two smooth ruts leading up the hill, basically tire tracks from vehicles off-roading in the area. In between the ruts was some clumpy crap you wanted to avoid. If you got stuck in the clumpy crap, you were sure to come off and be forced to run it up the hill. Not a fun prospect.

When I hit the base of the hill on this fifth lap, I had a choice to go in either rut. I chose the right hand rut because it proved to be smoother. Well, this is where Lady Luck reared her ho bitch head. Some joker was in that clumpy crap and, as I was directly next to him, he lost his balance, hit me and caused me to pitch over. I had to clip out to avoid falling and came to an instant stop. You can imagine the expletives running through my head as I vaulted off my bike and ran like hell up the hill. I desperately needed to get to the top in order to mitigate my time losses to the front pack. I kept telling myself I could hop back on my bike, sprint like hell and catch back on.

Behind me was a chain reaction. I don't know if anyone else ended up falling or running up the hill, but momentum definitely slowed as rider after rider made his way around me. I saw two of my teammates, Diran and Jeremy, come by and thought they looked strong. Then, about 3/4 of the way up the hill, I passed Andrew who had also come off the bike. At the top of the hill, my whole body's on fire and I am in "Red Alert" panic mode. My race, which had been going so well, unraveled in the span of 30-45 seconds.

At the top of the hill, the dirt road flattens out and hits a sharp bend to the right. As I hit that point and shifted into the gear I needed to get moving again, I noticed the lead pack quite a ways up the road. Then, about 50 meters in front of me was the first chase pack, to which Jeremy and Diran were trying to latch on. They made it, but I was falling into difficulty. Each lap took us about 14 minutes. From the top of the hill and for the next 10 minutes, I experienced a level of pain to which I have exposed myself a very finite number of times. It's a place where your brain shuts off and you "go reptilian." It's not fun to be there and it sure as hell is no fun realizing you HAVE to go there. More often than not, you back away. It's they body's survival mechanism kicking in. This time, I overrode that instinct, but did not particularly enjoy it.

Thankfully, the chase group lost its focus for just enough time for me to catch on at the back. At that point, all I wanted to do was sit in for a few minutes and try to catch my bearings. My lungs and legs seared. Unfortunately, right as I caught on, a couple guys launched themselves off the front in a last ditch effort to bridge up to the front group. I knew I had to go with them or resign myself to the chase group. So, I went. The three of us ditched the chase pack and picked up two stragglers from the front group as we hit the final lap. I had nothing left in the tank, so I focused on the wheels in front of me and made sure I lost no ground.

The last time up the climb split the five of us and, luckily, I was one of the front three to top the climb. The three of us worked to stay away from the two we had just dropped and to make sure we passed any other stragglers from the front group (there were none). Due to my effort after running up the hill, I got crushed in the 3-up sprint among the three of us, though we finished with the same time.

The net-net of the race: 13th and :32 down on the winner. In retrospect, I can't be upset. Disappointed, sure. Being forced off my bike is what kept me from being in the mix for the win. Or at least a spot in the top 10 (the front group numbered 10). However, on the bright side, my fitness was great. The first race is a perfect opportunity to blow the rust out. Mission accomplished.

I was also duly impressed with our 3s corps. All five of us finished. Jeremy ended up 15th, Diran was 17th (so all 3 of us scored team points for overall season results), while Andrew ended up 38th and J-Rod 39th. Our collective results would assuredly been better had neither Andrew nor I come off on that fifth climb.

Next up, Deer Trail at the end of the month. Stay tuned . . .