Race: Tucson Classic
Dates: March 18-20
Team Riders: Alister Ratcliff
Places: 3rd Overall, 2nd Prologue
Results: http://www.tucsonbicycleclassic.com/2011results/CircuitRace/ProM-GC%203.pdf
I made the trip down to Tucson this past weekend to start off my season with a 3 day stage race. Unfortunately this year I was missing my teammate, Thom Coupe, who spent the winter down in Tucson last winter but is back east this time. The race usually has some good competition and this year didn’t change. We had Phil Zajicek on hand as well as a few guys from Real Cyclist pro cycling, Kenda pro cycling, Wonderful Pistachios pro cycling amongst others.
The race started with a 3 mile prologue with a few rollers on the course, a perfect opener for me. I’ve done well on this course in the past and was motivated to put out a good result once again. I thought being my first race of the year I wouldn’t be as fast as I needed to be but I think realizing that I know I can put out a good result brought me to a fast time. I was 2nd place only one second behind Phil Zajicek.
The next two stages I thought I was going to be in suffer-fest mode however I was let off on the first day because I could hide in the pack most of the day on a windy 80 mile circuit where the break got brought back and a field sprint took place. I stayed out of trouble near the finish and came home in 12Th place. The last stage was not easy and I definitely was put into the hurt zone. A 5 mile circuit with a decent climb every lap led me almost being shelled out the back a couple of times. However, I hung in there for the bunch sprint at 11th place. Unfortunately the 2nd place finisher surpassed me on G.C because of a time bonus. I wound up in 3rd place for the first weekend of racing for the 2011 season. My best start ever to the cycling season!
