Copperopolis RR
http://ncnca.org/road/Copperopolis
Category: Women’s Elite 3
Field size: 16-18
Teammates: Cathy, Shannon, Denise, Jennifer, and Lindsay
Place: 2nd
My first race in NorCal Velo blue and it felt great. I was so, so proud to line up next to Cathy, Shannon, Denise, Jennifer, and Lindsay and I felt sure we would have a great day.
I like Copperopolis and was stoked for doing 3 laps and 63 miles. I came out and pre-rode last Sunday so the course and all its secrets were fresh in my mind as we rolled out and I had a good feeling. The course is a mix of some solid climbs that stair step a bit with a couple of really nice steep pitches, a decent that will get your attention and some rollers with your garden variety crappy pavement. If you’ve not done this race I’d highly recommend it. It is a deceiving course that some think is just for the climbers but the main climb really isn’t long enough and decent off of that climb and from the finish to just before the feed zone really can neutralize any gap.
Our plan for the day was to work for Lindsay, keep her out of the wind, rested and ready and she and I would attack on the main climb on the second lap. The group was mostly together at the top of the climb on the first lap and things were going as planned when Lindsay had a flat. Cathy and I moved to the front as we were getting to the decent and she, Shari Raymond and I just sort of got caught up with the P/1/2 men on the decent and suddenly Cathy says to me “hey we’re alone.” So here we are in a break of 3 as we roll through the finish on lap 1. Several girls managed to bridge back up by the time we made it past the start line and I became acutely aware that gaps achieved on the climb were going to get pulled back, particularly if the group moderated the pace a bit and I knew there were several in this race that would not work until the very end.
My plans for the race changed right then. I knew the pace had to be as hard as possible to really make this a race of attrition as so I did what I’ve learned not to do…I went to the front and rode as hard and as long as I possibly could, and so on the final lap as we roll through the feed zone we are a break of 3, Lauren Hecht from Webcor, a pro maintain bike racer I didn’t know and me and we couldn’t see the chasers. Knowing we still had the main climb, 6 flat miles at the top and the long decent before the finish I turned up the pace and burned my last match on the main climb and found myself struggling on the top flat section but I knew the damage was done and we were not going to get brought back as I knew my teammates made the break stick. So, I had a quiet moment of satisfaction here, while we were suffering, and knew no matter the final outcome of the race this was a day well spent with new friends and my new team.
Lauren and the mountain biker got a gap at this point and that is how we finished. Later we learned that Lauren was disqualified for a center line violation and while not my most desired was to gain a spot, it is what is, and I’ll take it today.
Thanks for reading,
-Anny
First of all… speaking to Anny’s “Field Size” above… I counted and there were ‘closer to 20’ of us starting this Cat 3 race: makes my 15th place sound like more of accomplishment, does it not? ;-)
It’s been years since I’ve road raced, but it all came back to me… it was a very typical “Shannon” experience- it goes like this: Ride 5-10 miles with group, then ride alone to the finish. Not much of a strategy, but, hey, I try!
Anyways, here’s how it went; I was dropped ¾ the way up the first climb, then met up with Denise, who was having bike troubles. We traded bikes, and while pedaling her bike up the hill I heard a gruesome crunch and looked down to see her derailleur flipped upside down! Oh no! I felt bad! Much to her credit, Denise had a great attitude about it, got in a support vehicle, and I went on my way. On the second lap Jen waited up for me; she is one strong rider and a loyal teammate- even with her aching head from last weeks crash, she rode super fast and pulled me past another woman in our field to position me ahead of her for the last lap. I rode the 3rd lap by myself and finished the race. I enjoyed myself and am so proud of my teammates--Congratulations Anny and Cathy for AMAZING finishes in the Cat 3 race!
-Shannon
I had been looking forward to this event. I have had 2 head hitting crashes in 3 months, my first in a decade and I found myself a little paralyzed by my own psyche. Some times its hard to distinguish between irrational emotions and intuition. I mustered up my armor and drew a lot strength from my teammates and other cyclists around me who have been here before and I went through the motions of getting myself together.
Denise, Shannon, Lindsay and myself headed down Friday well prepared with good humor and potluck meals to Angels camp. Pre-riding the course my head was tossed around and the headaches returned in full force. Denise my savior adjusted me on the side of the road, a crack of which was heard in Coopperopolis. I was amazed at how much better I started to feel and I am now not only a believer but a pusher. She worked on me later that night and I was so grateful to feel near normal and to feel what a blessing that, in and of itself, is. Race day came and I felt good riding up front on the first lap. Denise had given us an awesome lead out and I felt protected by the ability and confidence of the team. The plan was to work for Lindsay and help Anny get some upgrade points. Lindsay flatted and I was torn between what my role was at this point. I spent a number of miles wondering if I should've stopped or waited for her. I have never raced as a team before and I really wanted a job to do. We hit the descend just as the men started to catch and pass us and here is where I pulled back. I was not willing to risk that much on the bone jarring descend and away from me they went.
I rode alone with Tool in my head "over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind,..." and figured I'd have fun and hopefully I'd ride with one of the girls. So, in the middle of this race I pulled over on the side of the road and waited to be of service to someone. Some team Swift boys let me know about Denise and her mechanical. and then Shannon the solo time trial queen came smiling along on her bike!! I was so happy to see her and I wanted to be useful as I knew at this point that I was only going to do two laps today. I was so impressed by her desire to keep going and if it weren't for my head I would've been right there with her.
Instead I joined Denise and Lindsay for a picnic and watched the race! Ready to fight another day!
My personal goal for this race was to get over being scared, trust wheels again and to see if I could be of service at the front, once I get my psyche together. I know that things will line up in time. I just got to keep dancing on the good foot like James Brown!
I can't say how good it feels to be a part of such an awesome team. We had so much fun preparing for this and supporting each other. Frankly, that's what its all about for me this year. I am so proud of each one of my teammates! You guys are awesome!
Cathy and Anny were poised, focussed and on fire! It was exciting waiting and watching the cat 1/2's & 4's come in.
You guys did awesome out there!
-Jen
The plan before the race was to have Lindsay and Anny as protected riders. They were to attack on the hill on the second lap, with the rest of us working to control the field as much as possible. With 6 girls starting the race, it seemed a good plan. But as plans can do, this one needed adjusting, as various mechanicals, etc. led to Anny and I being the only two NorCal girls in the lead group by the end of the first lap. A couple gals were dangling on the back of our small group, not doing any work, and I knew they were good sprinters, so I threw myself into my role as Anny's domestique for the day and shelled myself riding as hard as I could to make the break smaller, knowing Anny could easily match any effort I was putting out. It worked, and by the feed zone climb we were a group of six.
Anny and I had talked before the race and I knew the spot she planned to attack on the second lap. I positioned myself in the third spot and Anny came around me, accelerating her freaking powerful little legs up the climb. Two girls were able to stay with her. I was still shelled from my efforts driving the break, and watched the three pull away, staying with two other girls behind Anny's lead group. We stayed a second group of three for a bit, but I couldn't really work with the other two to catch Anny's break, and my shelled legs finally made my only choice a long day of time trialing. I rode solo for the the last lap and a half, but felt fairly strong after allowing some recovery spinning, given how shattered I'd felt after doing my "job" earlier.
I ended up catching one rider, but was in turn caught myself by a skinny climber girl on the last lap. All
in all, I felt great about our teamwork in getting Anny her 2nd place and final Cat2 upgrade points, and am really satisfied with holding on for my own 5th place. I love our team!
-Cathy
Gawd, I love this race. Ashlee was not singing the same song during our 3 laps of suffering, but I think deep down she has a place in her heart for this race. Several times I considered racing the masters race for 2 laps instead of 3, but some strange metamorphosis has occured this season, and I have actually been enjoying road races. Plus, Jesse put his foot down and dis-allowed me to do anything but the 1/2 race.
I am sick in the head for bike racing. This was the most difficult race I've completed in a really long time. I can't even remember anything harder, actually. I know I write this every time, but I'm not kidding: this girl can't climb. But today I didn't care, the whole thing was so fun! I almost stayed with the main group all the way up the first climb (Yulssss!!!) but got gapped towards the top. No problem, fight, fight, fight....I caught back on. That first time around the back side of the course in the main group was quite nice and I loved how the group KILLED IT on the descent...no hesitations whatsoever. We were flying down that thing. Ashlee has some trouble here, but fought back on near the start line and it was a group of, I dunno, maybe 20, heading out for lap #2.
I got popped again on the climb, this time a bit lower down. Now I was looking at a long lonely road of working alone along the back of the course. I didn't care, though. I annhialated myself, time-trialing like a mad-woman. I knew I'd catch someone. Fight, fight, fight. Finally, right before descending toward the finish area, I caught an Organic Athlete woman and signalled/yelled "hop on!!!", so away we went, barrelling down the descent. We took turns and worked well together on our way out for lap #3, through the feed zone, and up the climb for the last time.
Then...in front of us...something small...something orange....Ashlee's little butt!!! She was climbing with a group of 3 other girls. I knew if I could get up there, I could be of some use to Ashlee. Easier said than done, cuz that was the hardest bit of chasing I've had to do to date. When I looked behind, I had lost my Organic Athlete companion and eventually bridged up to Ashlee's group near the reservoir.
I was pretty well cooked at that point, and I think they were too, cuz there was just a lot of socializing and goofing around, not much racing going on. So our group of 5 headed into the last climb of the day and both Ashlee and I got dropped. Buh-by! The last obstacle of the day was the descent, so Ashlee and I rode down together and crossed the line together too! :) Photo Credit (left): Steven Woo
-Clairebell
Girls that raced:
Cat 2: Claire House, Ashlee Staroba
Cat 3: Cathy Crawford, Denise Prue, Lindsey Segbers, Jen Scott, Shannon Sobeck, Anny Henry
Cat 4: Alexis Marbach, Kate Burgess, Chandra Farnham, Mariko Fischer
Girls that placed (6 places per field): Claire House 6th Cat 2! Anny Henry 2nd Cat3!!! Cathy Crawford 5th Cat 3! Chandra Farnham 5th Cat 4!
Great job all you fast kids ;)
I will not be the first to say it, but that is one challenging race. The pavement (if you could call it that) leaves the body in a seemingly endless state of vibration that makes one long for the smoothness of road that occasionally comes only with races not nicknamed "The Paris-Roubaix of California." The terrain and wind are harsh enough to make you crack yet somehow mellow enough for the faster kids to really stick it to ya. And yet the race leaves that feeling in your gut that you will be back next year, on the same horrible roads, fighting up that damn climb after the feed zone.
Although I promptly got dropped on that very climb (after the feed zone), I have to say that I had a great race. I have never spent myself that much, either by virtue of my own mental pushyness or by the road shaking me to exhaustion, in a 42 mile stretch. Even though I knew there was no chance of me catching any kind of a placing in the overall results, I just wanted to get that course over with, and get it done in a hurry. Alexis seemed to share the same sentiment, and although it took me damn near a whole lap to catch her, she finally waited up a bit when a Vello Bella girl so rudely forged ahead denying any kind of sportsman like cooperation with her. So Alexis and I stuck it out, going as fast as we could without totally cracking, and me rambling about silly things all the way up that first vicious climb of the second lap. The rambling seem to stem from a desperate attempt to distract myself from the immense discomfort I was experiencing in my legs. We had a laughable moment when a Roaring Mouse girl who had gotten a flat, fixed it, and the proceeded to chase down girls for the rest of the race, spent all of 30 seconds with us, then promptly dropped us, and apparently five other girls to finish 11th. One day I tell ya, one day, I just might be that strong.
Great representation from the team out there, it's too bad our start times were so scattered, it would have been great to get a picture. We damn near took over the whole Cat 3 field, I can't tell you how proud I was to see all that orange and blue!! You girls are AWESOME!!
Yes it was hard, but I seem to be getting that illness of the athlete where when something is so ridiculously punishing that you just want to keep trying over and over again, vainly thinking that one day it will somehow hurt less, or perhaps you will be faster than one more person out there.
Peace (in your hood)
-M
There I was on the starting line as a Cat 3 for the first time at Copperopolis, a race I had done two times prior as a Cat 4. I'm not sure how it happened, but I ended up leading out the field for the first 2 miles. This was a good thing, because when the hill arrived, my moment of glory subsided quickly. The billy goats passed me, and Shannon and I planned to settle in and do 'er together, but my chain kept slipping. She got on my bike to see if she could get it smoothed out, and when I reached
her, the derailer had flipped up in a major "oh shit" sort of way. I immediately knew I was OUT, and was really disappointed to not ride with Shannon, and to not ride this notorious 63 miles on such a perfect race condition day.
Shannon proceeded, and along came the junior 15/16 field, and their follow car offered me a ride. So I got to switch into doctor mode....witnessing a one person crash and helping out with some (fortunately minor) injuries, and donating some CO2 cartridges....you know, typical Denise stuff. Once dropped off at the finish line, I trudged my way to the car and found Lindsay there with her unfixable flat. We proceeded to set up a picnic spot and be the best spectators we could be. Cheering wasn't quite as satisfying as racing, though, and that's when the idea of a subsequent race weekend began to form. So we'll head down to the central valley and give Orosi and Hanford a go.
The best part of this adventure for me was definitely being part of such a great group. When I get to help out with my chiropractic skills, I am grateful for the trust inherent in that experience. Thanks Jen for letting me help you (literally ON THE ROAD!) Thanks to my roomies on this trip for all the yummy food, and all the laughter! Thanks to all who made the trek to wear our colors so well! Thanks Lindsay for the pre-race leg flush which turned out to be a pre-drive leg flush instead. Oh
well....it's all good! Orosi here we come....................!!
Denise
Highlights of Claire's Spring Break include seeing Fritz Wisor and Shannon Sobeck in a road race. Only at Copperopolis will such anomalies occur.
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
| - CCCX @ Fort Ord | 2004-10-03 |
| - Documentum Crit | 2004-09-26 |
| - Giro di San Fransisco | 2004-09-06 |
| - Return of the Jedi | 2004-09-04 |
| - Winters RR | 2004-08-28 |
| - 12 Hours of Humboldt | 2004-08-28 |
| - US Pro Criterium Championships | 2004-08-22 |
| - Corral Hollow RR | 2004-08-21 |
| - TransAlp Challenge | 2004-07-17 - 2004-07-27 |
| - Superweek | 2004-07-09 - 2004-07-25 |
| - Wine Country Criterium | 2004-06-13 |
| - Fremont Criterium | 2004-06-12 |
| - ICCC Dash for Cash | 2004-06-05 |
| - California Outdoor Sports Championships | 2004-05-14 - 2004-05-16 |
| - Sea Otter | 2004-04-14 - 2004-04-17 |
| - Pilarcitos Stage Race | 2004-03-27 - 2004-03-28 |
| - McLane Pacific Foothills Road Race | 2004-03-14 |
| - McLane Pacific Downtown Grand Prix | 2004-03-13 |
| - Land Park Criterium | 2004-03-06 |
| - Apple Pie Criterium | 2004-02-07 |