Having My Day

Posted by mattcrane | Filed under Uncategorized

Hi Everyone,
While training/riding/commuting, do you ever picture yourself riding in a breakaway towards a potential stage win in a big race? Or at the very least, can you appreciate how surreal it was for me to be doing just that after years of kilometers with such dreams dancing through my head?

Well, yesterday was my day to get out front, represent my sponsors and myself, and in the closing kilometers attempt to hold off the charging peloton.

The move formed very quickly after I counterrattacked the day’s first break attempt, and from there I was joined by the other five riders who would become my comanions in toil for the next 200 kilometers. For a little over four hours we worked in a civil and professional manner, and with the strength and class of the move’s composition, we maintained a nice gap with a smooth double file line along straight windy roads that often didn’t change direction for 20-30 kilometers.

However, with 35km to go, it was time to test out the weaker links and try and compress the group to achieve a
more concerted effort. Peter Wiening laid down an attack on a small climb, and it was here that we lost Louder and Gunn, and but for a supremely deep dig, almost yours truly, as I was at the back when he jumped.

From here it was all guns blazing in an attempt to stave off capture. With a gap of 2 min 30 and 20km to go, we had a fighting chance. Time to down some caffeinated Sport Beans and get in the drops. Behind us Columbia was dialling up the chase to near nuclear output, and we soon saw our respectable margin plummet.

I now knew the time had come to go for broke and try and bring another strong rider with me in a final all out run for the line. Four guys pulling through at 48kph doesn’t have a chance no matter how you look at it, but two rolling at 55 might just make it happen. With this in mind I jumped 8km out, and got a small gap. No one on my wheel, but the other guys clawed their way back to me, not without a good amount of trash talk once they made the bridge.

However, rather than flick me into pulling, they all resumed pace setting, and not only did they allow me to get on the back, but skip a turn to boot. 7km now, less than 30 seconds to the peloton.

Approaching a small rise I take a few deep breaths and cut across the road giving it everything to jump clear. Looking back, I see arguably the day’s strongest guy, Cam Evans, riding up to me, with Chadwick and Wiening side by side looking dropped. When Cam got on my wheel I kept rolling then signalled his turn to pull. No go. Now some harsh words on my part, response from him being to the effect that he won’t work with me. 6km to go now and he’s thinking tactics when it’s time to sell out for potential glory.

I put him all the way to the right and roll hard, then swing off again. Guy has his mouth closed, but won’t work. Here I have no choice but to sit up, and allow Wiening to come back up to us with Chadwick.

I get lambasted, and then we rotate a bit before getting caught. I think I’m a fair competitor and treat guys with due respect, but I have to say that Evans threw away what COULD, maybe, you never know, have been a big day. Lesson here guys is cycling is a sport that requires a lot of thought, but sometimes you just have to GO. Why tear yourself to pieces all day just to hold back in the finale? Sorry buddy, you deserve to lose a few nights sleep on this one.

Anyway, I got the Most Courageous Rider jersey for my efforts, and but for almost falling onto one of the podium girls from exhaustion, really enjoyed my trip to the stage.

I was torn to pieces last night, but got a great massage and a good night’s sleep, so am ready to give it my best go today in the time trial.

Thanks for Reading,
Crane

Permalink | February 20th, 2009

13 Responses to “Having My Day”

  1. Smolko Says:
    February 20th, 2009 at 12:33 pm

    Thats the way to roll bro…never say die…great job yesterday…good luck today and for the rest of the toc

  2. patrick Says:
    February 20th, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    way to race your bike, bro. better to go down swinging.

  3. p Says:
    February 20th, 2009 at 1:47 pm

    That was pretty awesome,

    I noticed you were trying for a break the day before. The helicopter footage of peloton single file behind you guys was cool.

  4. Tom Says:
    February 20th, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    It was clear from the TV footage that Evans could but wouldn’t pull through. I was thinking ” what a dumba$$, why doesn’t he give it his last ditch effort before dying?” The pack really was timing it right doing the catch withing 3 K to go. Good effort from your part and 2 hours of free commercials for having Jelly Belly on TV.

  5. Henry D Says:
    February 21st, 2009 at 6:24 am

    :)

  6. Jeff Says:
    February 21st, 2009 at 6:59 am

    Good job “P-B”. Good to see you at the show, for a minute I teared up a bit watching the stage unfold, you on the break. Then I realized the cat dropped a bomb in the other room.

    Have a great season my friend!

  7. k2 Says:
    February 21st, 2009 at 8:34 am

    well, from the looks of it… if you did fall on them you would’ve ‘bounced’ right back up! ;-)
    Awesome ride!

  8. Todd Says:
    February 21st, 2009 at 12:27 pm

    I was fired up that you made the break! Proud of you man. Keep it up!

  9. Nicole Says:
    February 23rd, 2009 at 10:35 am

    I noticed you were aiming for a break, lighting up the group for a couple days until it finally stuck. Great ride!

  10. Crazy fan in a cow hat Says:
    February 24th, 2009 at 12:11 am

    The good thing about the internet is 5 hours of live Matt-in-the-break coverage – it doesn’t get much better than that! The downside is that because one already knows what happened during the stage one might not check the race standings and thus might have missed the news that you were awarded the most courageous jersey. Imagine my befuddlement in Solvang when the rider who was supposed to be Matt Crane turns the corner and is wearing a blue skin suit. By the time I had made the journey from confusion to angst to recognition to relief and finally to pride you were long gone, as was my opportunity to scream, tear at my clothing and generally carry on in a fan-like manner. (I did manage to steal a photo while you were warming up, but it just isn’t the same.) When are you coming to the western states again?

  11. Crane Says:
    February 24th, 2009 at 10:45 am

    I was looking for you out there! But the bigger question is how I didn’t see you while I was warming up if you were in photo range! Was the cow hat obscured by the camera, or was I just too much in the zone? Anyway, San Dimas/Redlands are next, so until then…mooooooo

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    March 3rd, 2009 at 10:07 am

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  13. Crazy fan in a cow hat Says:
    March 4th, 2009 at 2:14 pm

    YAY! I got to see more of your Solvang TT ride thanks to SaddleVision. The only thing better than Matt Crane in person is Matt Crane on TV! Incidentally, you were very focused during your warm up and rightly so. Nice tat. Is there a matching invocation on the right arm?

    Redlands it is.

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