Prologue: I raced here last year and it totally kicked my butt. I reluctantly anchored a 212 mile running relay the weekend before, had to travel to the East coast and back that week, and as I found out later had Bronchitis during the race. This year was going to be different, with none of these problems. There was one problem, they made the hardest race even harder. Stage 1 was lengthened by 14 miles and then they added another 3000' of climbing. Stage 1 is actually harder than the Queen stage, however, I was determined to come back and prove I was worthy.
This year, I had the perfect prep, racing an uphill TT (HC climb the weekend before) to top off 2100 bike miles for the year (a lot for me, probably the most I ever did by this time of year). I crushed my previous best time and finished second Cat 3 (4th OA) and did 4.6 W/kg for the 55:00 minute TT climb. I was ready for Baker City, except the 100 degree forecast was scaring the shit out of me. I debated Cat 3 open versus Masters 1/2/3 and ended up going Masters, although in hindsight I would have been much better off as a Cat 3 in this one.
The Race: BCCC is (as far as I can tell), the hardest stage race for anyone who is not a Cat 1 or 2. Everyone (even Cat 5 women) race the same parcours.
Stage 1 (Strawberry Mountain RR). 86.5 miles, 5 Cat 3 climbs, 1 Cat 2 climb, 7500' total ascent, forecast was for 98 degrees. Starting at 1:00 pm. This was as bad as it sounds. About mile 30 we get slowed as an ambulance goes past and shortly thereafter I see a girl on a gurney on the side of the ride that looks like she is having a seizure (heatstroke?). Before the turnaround, the winner of the state RR the weekend before is out of the race, he looked really bad. I never have brought salt tabs out on the race course (I usually put 2 in each of my bottles and that is it), although I did not take as many as I should have, it saved my race in the end. It was 43 miles out and back and the first 43 miles went almost perfect. I was in the main bunch, legs felt good. Hot as all hell, but surviving. My two teammates were already a few minutes down though. On the Cat 2 climb out of Prairie City I start to crack from the heat. I feel like I have the legs to stay in ever shrinking bunch, but I feel like if I don't slow down I am going to overheat in a bad way. I drop back to the support car and get a bottle and cool off a little, but I still am way too hot. Near the crest they have neutralized the Cat 3 field as we pass them (they had a 10 minute head start), but I am probably one of the last ones past that is still considered in the field. I am hoping for help on the descent and a bigger body comes over. I really should be eating and taking some salt tabs, but I need to hold this wheel. A couple more come over and now we are five, but I am feeling some cramping coming on. I have to drop off about mile 60, so those four go and I get some salt and food. The next climb is really bad for me, my hamstring almost completely locks up and I am so hot. I take another tab and a support car from another field gives me another bottle. I get passed back by the Cat 3 break and then what is left of their peloton. I am a little better on the last climb, but I am still suffering like I never have. Eventually make it in at 4:31, 22 minutes down on the lead group of 9 in 22 place. My teamates are more than 20 minutes back. However, considering how bad I cratered and 8 riders in my field did not finish, it could have been way worse for me. I took 9 bottles in total, but I almost lost all will to race bikes. I'm not sure if I'm just stupid for not abandoning and am seriously questioning why I am doing this. In total, 59 riders from all the fields did not finish the first stage (about 20%). By far the hardest ride of my life.
Stage 2: 11 mile TT. Pancake flat, not too much wind. I had a 9:09 start, so it would only be about 84 degrees. Hardest part was getting out of bed. One of my teammates abandoned before this stage. I ended up at 26.0 mph, my fastest ever, but pretty far down, like 27th place.
Stage 3: 40 minute Crit. 2:30 pm start. Hot as balls. My other teammate abandoned before this stage, so I'm the only one left. The OGs are putting nylons filled with ice inside the back of their jerseys across the shoulders to keep cool. What can I say, I suck at crits and for me it is a challenge to not get pulled. Course here is super sweet, six corner, 1K, with great surface. The Masters know how to roll and I hardly have to touch the brakes, smoothest crit I ever rode. I go through two bottles, but stay on no problem. I'm only 40, but a lot of these guys are well into 50 and still super strong, a little humbling. I even get to the front with 5 to go and take a one lap flyer for fun and then finish in the field. 26.2 mph average. I told myself before the crit if I got pulled I would use that as an excuse to abandon, but now its all on me.
Stage 4: Anthony Lakes RR. 84.5 miles, 7000' total ascent, 1 Cat 3, 1 Cat 4 and then finishing with an HC climb. We start at 8:10 am, which helps a lot. A break goes away about mile 8 (9-10 guys out of a filed of 32). I could have got in it, but I am worried about saving energy for the finish and expect the race leaders team to chase it down. Nope. Shortly after the jersey calls for a piss break and then his three teammates proceed to do almost nothing to bring back the break. We still pass the Cat 3s and really it is pretty mellow until it starts to get hot by mile 55. I ended up taking a whole little canister of Enduralites (no cramps today) and again 9-10 bottles. The break eventually balloons to over 10 minutes, and we hit the base of the climb (mile 72) at about 3:15. I go to the front for about 1K and open up a gap riding a good tempo pace, not because I am killing it, but because no one is really going yet. I am back in the group by the feed at 10 miles to go and then I am riding my own race. Under any normal circumstances this stage would be brutal, but after Friday and how bad I suffered on this stage last year it is not that bad. I get some bottles from various support cars and reel in a lot of the womans (they started 40 minutes up) and even a few from the breakaway. I do the climb 13 minutes faster than last year and probably did not go as hard as I could have, but am happy to finish in 4:30, 16th on the stage. Somehow the jersey held on for the win, but not by a lot and a few other guys in the main field got screwed by the break. I am not an expert on tactics, but it seems like the jersey really gambled (but this guy has won lots of races, so maybe he knows what he is doing). If you have three teammates put them to work. The one other team with several riders (and at least one in the break), rightfully did nothing if the race leaders weren't going to do anything. For all this effort I move up 1 spot in the GC, to 21st place out of 42 starters.
Epilogue: I don't know if I will ever come back here, as this race is really f&*king hard and I felt like I could have died (literally) on stage 1. However, if you are looking for a real challenge, maybe you should give it a shot once. As I said, even the Cat 5s get to race the same parcours and honestly the there are easier stages in the Vuelta than the two road stages here.
This year, I had the perfect prep, racing an uphill TT (HC climb the weekend before) to top off 2100 bike miles for the year (a lot for me, probably the most I ever did by this time of year). I crushed my previous best time and finished second Cat 3 (4th OA) and did 4.6 W/kg for the 55:00 minute TT climb. I was ready for Baker City, except the 100 degree forecast was scaring the shit out of me. I debated Cat 3 open versus Masters 1/2/3 and ended up going Masters, although in hindsight I would have been much better off as a Cat 3 in this one.
The Race: BCCC is (as far as I can tell), the hardest stage race for anyone who is not a Cat 1 or 2. Everyone (even Cat 5 women) race the same parcours.
Stage 1 (Strawberry Mountain RR). 86.5 miles, 5 Cat 3 climbs, 1 Cat 2 climb, 7500' total ascent, forecast was for 98 degrees. Starting at 1:00 pm. This was as bad as it sounds. About mile 30 we get slowed as an ambulance goes past and shortly thereafter I see a girl on a gurney on the side of the ride that looks like she is having a seizure (heatstroke?). Before the turnaround, the winner of the state RR the weekend before is out of the race, he looked really bad. I never have brought salt tabs out on the race course (I usually put 2 in each of my bottles and that is it), although I did not take as many as I should have, it saved my race in the end. It was 43 miles out and back and the first 43 miles went almost perfect. I was in the main bunch, legs felt good. Hot as all hell, but surviving. My two teammates were already a few minutes down though. On the Cat 2 climb out of Prairie City I start to crack from the heat. I feel like I have the legs to stay in ever shrinking bunch, but I feel like if I don't slow down I am going to overheat in a bad way. I drop back to the support car and get a bottle and cool off a little, but I still am way too hot. Near the crest they have neutralized the Cat 3 field as we pass them (they had a 10 minute head start), but I am probably one of the last ones past that is still considered in the field. I am hoping for help on the descent and a bigger body comes over. I really should be eating and taking some salt tabs, but I need to hold this wheel. A couple more come over and now we are five, but I am feeling some cramping coming on. I have to drop off about mile 60, so those four go and I get some salt and food. The next climb is really bad for me, my hamstring almost completely locks up and I am so hot. I take another tab and a support car from another field gives me another bottle. I get passed back by the Cat 3 break and then what is left of their peloton. I am a little better on the last climb, but I am still suffering like I never have. Eventually make it in at 4:31, 22 minutes down on the lead group of 9 in 22 place. My teamates are more than 20 minutes back. However, considering how bad I cratered and 8 riders in my field did not finish, it could have been way worse for me. I took 9 bottles in total, but I almost lost all will to race bikes. I'm not sure if I'm just stupid for not abandoning and am seriously questioning why I am doing this. In total, 59 riders from all the fields did not finish the first stage (about 20%). By far the hardest ride of my life.
Stage 2: 11 mile TT. Pancake flat, not too much wind. I had a 9:09 start, so it would only be about 84 degrees. Hardest part was getting out of bed. One of my teammates abandoned before this stage. I ended up at 26.0 mph, my fastest ever, but pretty far down, like 27th place.
Stage 3: 40 minute Crit. 2:30 pm start. Hot as balls. My other teammate abandoned before this stage, so I'm the only one left. The OGs are putting nylons filled with ice inside the back of their jerseys across the shoulders to keep cool. What can I say, I suck at crits and for me it is a challenge to not get pulled. Course here is super sweet, six corner, 1K, with great surface. The Masters know how to roll and I hardly have to touch the brakes, smoothest crit I ever rode. I go through two bottles, but stay on no problem. I'm only 40, but a lot of these guys are well into 50 and still super strong, a little humbling. I even get to the front with 5 to go and take a one lap flyer for fun and then finish in the field. 26.2 mph average. I told myself before the crit if I got pulled I would use that as an excuse to abandon, but now its all on me.
Stage 4: Anthony Lakes RR. 84.5 miles, 7000' total ascent, 1 Cat 3, 1 Cat 4 and then finishing with an HC climb. We start at 8:10 am, which helps a lot. A break goes away about mile 8 (9-10 guys out of a filed of 32). I could have got in it, but I am worried about saving energy for the finish and expect the race leaders team to chase it down. Nope. Shortly after the jersey calls for a piss break and then his three teammates proceed to do almost nothing to bring back the break. We still pass the Cat 3s and really it is pretty mellow until it starts to get hot by mile 55. I ended up taking a whole little canister of Enduralites (no cramps today) and again 9-10 bottles. The break eventually balloons to over 10 minutes, and we hit the base of the climb (mile 72) at about 3:15. I go to the front for about 1K and open up a gap riding a good tempo pace, not because I am killing it, but because no one is really going yet. I am back in the group by the feed at 10 miles to go and then I am riding my own race. Under any normal circumstances this stage would be brutal, but after Friday and how bad I suffered on this stage last year it is not that bad. I get some bottles from various support cars and reel in a lot of the womans (they started 40 minutes up) and even a few from the breakaway. I do the climb 13 minutes faster than last year and probably did not go as hard as I could have, but am happy to finish in 4:30, 16th on the stage. Somehow the jersey held on for the win, but not by a lot and a few other guys in the main field got screwed by the break. I am not an expert on tactics, but it seems like the jersey really gambled (but this guy has won lots of races, so maybe he knows what he is doing). If you have three teammates put them to work. The one other team with several riders (and at least one in the break), rightfully did nothing if the race leaders weren't going to do anything. For all this effort I move up 1 spot in the GC, to 21st place out of 42 starters.
Epilogue: I don't know if I will ever come back here, as this race is really f&*king hard and I felt like I could have died (literally) on stage 1. However, if you are looking for a real challenge, maybe you should give it a shot once. As I said, even the Cat 5s get to race the same parcours and honestly the there are easier stages in the Vuelta than the two road stages here.