Some Day You are the Bug... and Others the Windshield

....and some days your both.

This past Saturday I raced with the University of Rochester Cycling Team in the Bristol Road Race in Bristol New York. I was excited for this race, to this point in the season I had not been able to race with the team due to conflicts and alot of our riders are graduating this year.

Going in the race we had high expectations, as it was a cat 5 race and we had 4 riders who have shown consistent cat 3-4 performances. From the very start the UofR team dictated the race. We rolled out (~40 riders) at a steady pace and I set a moderate tempo as we approached the first of a series of climbs. My legs felt good and I pulled up the first climb. With my teammate Kevin at my side, and Liam and Travis behind we rolled through a false flat and prepared for the next rise in the road. As we made our way through the second uphill an attack came and we quickly countered. UR continued to drive the front of the group through the next few climbs and as we approached the largest/longest climb in the circuit another attack came. Again, we countered and as we continued to climb the field was reduced to 5 total riders; myself, 3 of my teammates and 1 "outsider", the PERFECT scenario.

So now for the part were I become the bug...

As we crested the climb we approached a massive downhill. We quickly discussed and agreed that we would play it safe, stick together as the lead group and not risk a dangerous accident by someone crashing out as a result of trying to exceed 50+mph (something that could be easily done on this decent). As we made out way down the initial decline all was well and I was sitting second wheel to my teammate. Then all hell broke loose.

I remember hearing an explosion behind me. My immediate thoughts were: "Oh crap, someone just lost their tire and they are about to be in big trouble". At that moment we were moving at 45mph. And then I started to speed wobble. Hard. It was not SOMEONE who lost their tire, it was ME! At 45mph, and my back tire shredded (literally) my bike was out of control. It was wobbling from right to left over the span of 5 to 6 feet and all I could do was try my hardest to keep everything under control. Horrible thoughts ran through my head. I had been in a bad accident three years prior: 46mph, end-over-end, bad concussion, hospital trip, sort term memory loss, and I did not want it to happen again. Somehow I managed to unclip my left shoe and drag it on the road to maintain three points of contact, preventing myself from hitting the pavement and slowing the bike down to were I could manage to pull it over to the side of the road, the process of which wore off my entire pedal clip. Suffice it to say I was a bit frazzled.

When I finally got around to looking at my rear tire I found a 3-4 inch gash where the bead had pulled away from the side wall. My tire had pulled apart. At the time of the accident Travis was directly behind me and he said he saw the air explode out the side of the tire. Not good.

Having crashed out I was not pleased, but worse yet the UofR team had taken control of the race and would continue to dictate the tempo all the way to the finish, with Travis crossing the line in first. Would like to have been there with him but after all that excitement I am happy to have been able to walk away with no injuries of damage to the bike. There is always next time, which is more than I can say for half the bugs that smack into my windshield.

My Mom put it very well: "I must have a very quick guardian angel".