Enumclaw Omnium Road Race - A pleasant ride in the country

Not being a great climber, today's goal was to stay in contact with the bunch up the Mud Mountain Road climb for at least the first of three laps. Close but no cigar. I lost touch with just a few hundred meters left the first time up and spent the rest of the first lap in a group of about eight riders trying to chase back. Most of us in the group understood the plan: pull through and swing off as soon as you hit the front. When we managed to keep it working smoothly, we were definitely making great headway coming back to the group. Periodically however, someone would sit on the front too long and the pace would drop and the rotation would be disrupted. We managed to get within a few hundred meters or so, but could never quite close the gap.

Approaching the climb for the second time, at least half the group shut off, probably feeling that even if we caught back on, we'd immediately get dropped when the climbing started again. That sealed our fate to a day off the back. Shortly after the climb began for the second time, a pack of riders with lead and follow cars miraculously appeared before us and we were gaining quickly. As we drew closer, our dreams were dashed as it turned out to be the Cat 4 field which had been neutralized to allow our field, the one we were chasing, to pass. A few of the stronger riders in our group attempted to climb past the Cat 4s and a few of the weaker ones had already dropped off our pace. My pace on the climb was just enough to match the neutralized Cat 4s and so I followed along up the rest of climb behind their follow vehicles. Climbing a steep hill while breathing the exhaust of the follow vehicles gave me a new appreciation for the pros you see climbing the Alps in the Tour led by a number of cars and motorcycles.

After the climb was crested, the officials released the Cat 4s and they began to pull away. Our little group had splintered and I found myself working with one other rider on the descent back to Enumclaw. He seemed a little stronger than me and we were working well so I was surprised when he told me he was going to pull out at the fairgrounds and bail on the last lap. I told him I was going to finish it off and was left to start the third and final lap by myself. On the flat farm roads that begin the lap I was making good time and soon found myself up the back of the Cat 4s who again had been neutralized for some reason. Just as I pulled along side their follow car to ask if I should attempt to pass or not, they were again released and quickly left me behind.

The third and final time up the climb, I just rode at a comfortable pace and topped out with another rider in view just up the road. I picked up my pace and soon caught him. He turned out to be another master C/D rider, but he was pretty dead and unable to hold my wheel. I set about trying to get myself back to the finish as quickly as possible. Partway down the SR 410 descent I was caught by two members of our original chase group. We stayed together to the finish where I put in a token 75m sprint only to finish second in our group.

All in all it was a really enjoyable weekend of bike racing. The event was well run and marshalled, although I'm continually puzzled why it takes so much longer to put together the masters results as compared to any other field. I will definitely try to put this race on my schedule for next year.

Next up is my home race the Methow Valley Tour in two weeks.