Power File 3.20.10: Vint Hill Classic Cat 3/4 race

Tale of the tape (for the race portion of the file above):

20.08 miles
47:12 time
25.5 mph average speed
231 watts average
279 watts NP
.929 IF

What's cool about racing with the iBike is the white and blue graph in the center. White is how fast I'm going; blue is how fast the wind feels. So a white line at the top with blue trailing below it means that the effective wind is less than my speed, or I'm drafting. The longer the blue trail, the better a draft I'm getting. When there's a white line and no blue line, it means I've got my nose in the wind, but the wind isn't a factor - either it's calm or not a headwind. If the blue trail goes above the white line it means I've got my nose into a headwind, like from 48 to 49 minutes on the file.

My max power for the race was 1000 watts. It occurred on the 2nd lap. I was right on Joe Dombrowski's wheel (during the brief moment when he was still in the pack), fully expecting him to go any second. He did, and I just accelerated with him, from 23.8 to 32.8mph in 12 seconds. I remained seated, and I had to jump so hard just to stay on his wheel that my front wheel came off the ground, like a dragster.

He didn't get away that time but he jumped again about a lap later. I wasn't right behind him so had to come from the other side to get to him. My jump wasn't as hard this time (about 700 watts) because I didn't want to bridge to him - I wanted to bring the pack back to him. I know how Joe's been training and how I've been training - putting myself in a break with him early in the race wouldn't have exactly played to my strengths. So I ramped it and cruised up to him, expecting I'd string the pack out but still keep them in tow. Nope. One guy. We were clean away. Success disaster. We were flying (according to my file, I was averaging 29.5mph while in the break) and I knew I wouldn't hold it, so I dropped back after about a minute. As long as I was in the break my team wouldn't chase, so better for me to get out of it while Joe was still in sight. 

Alas, we didn't end up catching him. Neither did your team. But unlike your team, mine rocked some stylin AC/DC kits. (The team doesn't know how close they actually were to wearing these.)

Comments

[big kliph dog]

and neither did mine.

Primal makes everything, who do they sell the faux-tuxedo kits to? I'm baffled.

[Jesse]

isn't joe a pro in cyclocross?

[Mike May]

@ Jesse, are you just trying to make me feel better?

@ Big Kliph Dahgh, this guy:
http://www.cencalcycling.com/index.php?option=com_cencalblog&m=200807

[Generic Viagra]

As The New York Times wrote in 2007, "Until recently the cat was commonly believed to have been domesticated in ancient Egypt, where it was a cult animal." A study that year found that the lines of descent of all house cats probably run through as few as five self-domesticating African Wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) circa 8000 BC, in the Near East

[Mike May]

Terry, is that you?