Ore to Shore Recap

The month of August is always a big one.  Not only for me but the Midwest. In other places where the cycling season is rolling to an end ours in the Midwest is hitting its stride.  The sprint starts with Ore to Shore which happens to be my home race and a target for the year.  Those of you who know me or have talked mountain biking with me know that this race is always on my radar, right in the center.

The 2011 edition was contested between 13 guys for 38 out of the 48 miles until it was finally broken down to 5.  Last year is last year but I mention it because 2011 had a part in the 2012 edition.  It made this years competitors anxious and aggressive.  It seemed as if we were on the gas for 48 miles with a lot of attempts to split at every mile.

The group went over Lucy Hill and immediately we were back on the gas over the top.  We probably had a group of 20 or so.  Typically down the snowmobile trail the pace comes back but Brian had the idea from the beginning to keep the pace high.  Coming up to Snyders I found a good line through the tracks and then Mike Anderson kept the pressure down to the power line.  The power line proved to be the breaking point for most this year.  Whether it was a mechanical or fatigue most got split off from the brutal pace of Tristan and Brian.  Their pace created a 2 man split that at the time I figured to be very dangerous.

The power line took its prisoners and spit out 4 of us to chase Tristan and Brian.  Mike P. and I took the work as we slowly pulled them back.  We were a group of 7 with the above mentioned, Cole House, Jordan W. and Christian T. for the remainder of the race.

Misery Hill

Even though we had a decent 7 man split the attacks came for most of the day trying to make it smaller.  Brian and Tristan deserve the most aggressive rider awards because they went off the front attempting a break most of the race but the strong head wind and complacency of others made it tough to make it stick.  There was an attack by Tristan I figured was going to work.  As he was off the front I noticed others were leaving wheels go as we rolled to the Noque trail.  I bridged up to Tristan taking Mike P. with me.  When I got to Tristan I went to the front trying to make it stick but Brian is to savvy to allow that to happen and he was back on our wheels.    

The final punch came at Lucy Hill.  Cole went hard over the top and created a small gap.  Tristan bobbled the climb and I cramped.  Tristan and I chased but Cole went hard over the next climb too and neither of us had the legs to pull it back.  A 20 sec gap was created with 2 miles to go.  It was myself, Tristan, and Jordan.  We gave one last attempt down the pavement but couldn't close.  Jordan nipped me at the finish and I rolled in 6th place.