natbikes.com

So I just got back from the Tour de Beauce (two weeks ago, but I’m just posting up now), which possibly aside from Georgia, is the hardest, and highest ranked UCI race in North America. The race is renowned for fast races, cracked/ potholed roads, long stages, fierce European competition, incessant 2-5km long hills, fierce side winds and cold wet weather. This year did not disappoint in any category.

Though it’s the highpoint of the Canadian Calendar, I have only visited ‘Beauce’ once in 2000 when I hung on to finish by the skin of my teeth. This year I was better prepared, and with a stronger better supported team.

I’m planning on laying out a summary of the stages, as well as a play by play of a day, just so you have an idea what it’s like being on a D-3 Canadian Pro Team.

Sunday:
Pack up the Vehicles ‘The White Whale’ (large Ital Pasta van approaching 1 Million kilometers, 930 000kms!), and a 2005 Saab Wagon with bikes, riders, bags, and food. Unfortunately the Massage therapist, and Mechanic we had scheduled to come with us somehow fell through at the last minute, leaving us with just team Managers John Harris and Annie Segat as support.

We then drove 8h into the Province of Quebec, and to some place past Montreal. As we were driving just after we exited the highway we all noticed that something came off the car in front of us, passed the car, and proceeded down the embankment into the river. Seconds later a cloud of dirt, and sparks flew up twice the height of the car.

Otherwise I have to note that I have successfully managed to avoid spending any amount of time in Quebec, and I had a few re-adjustments to make. First the people speak only French. Sure they all know and understand English, but they only speak French, and it’s also a provincial law, which makes it illegal to put up signs in English. The kicker is that they love to smoke, everywhere. Public vending machines usually sell cigarettes, making it convenient for people of any age to start the habit, and all restaurants, and public places are smoking friendly.

Monday:
3.5h of driving up to Quebec City, to pick up Annie, and 2h drive to the host town of St George, for race, and Hotel Registration. We unpacked the cars, ate, and headed out for a 2h spin, with a few efforts to blow out the legs.

Tuesday: cold rain bumpy roads, nothing really went wrong, though I did feel a bit gassed much of the time.

Wednesday: This was the crazy day. Crazy side winds literally blew people off the road. I never knew why euros use the big rim on the back and a low profile rim on the front wheel. Well sometimes it helps you to stay more grounded. After the wind, things re-groupped into two groups, I was in a group of 7 that was bridging up to the front group on a 5km climb. We’d made up 2 of 3min, and were still closing when a car motorpaced some, and literally towed others coasting uphill to the break. Somehow in the shuffle, I did neither and was left alone in the fog, the group ahead and my chase pack were gone. I was bummed, like really bummed, but the bottom line is ‘this is bike racing’, there were no officials back there in the fog, just me.

Thursday: Yeah it was cold and raining again like yesterday. If you turn a hair dryer on low, and leave it in your shoe 1h later it will be dry. The stage was shortened and pretty uneventful, though not really easy. I was starting to feel great at the end of the stage, but flatted 14km to go. Things were going pretty fast, and I was happy to catch on, but it was just as we started the 1km climb climb on the finishing circuit.

Friday: AM 30km Time Trial. Being that I was so far behind, and didn’t really have aero equipment, I rode tempo.

This evening is where things started catching up to the team. I was too tired to get around to massaging my own legs any more, and things are running, but not quite so smoothly. Between, laundry, washing bikes and cars, fixing bikes, preparing food, and catering to the whims of cold, tired racers, what have you, Johnny and Annie have been sleeping around 3h a night and its starting to catch up. Just from fatigue little things start falling through the cracks.

PM Criterium. This is what I remembered as the easy stage, but tonight I just seem to be dogging. Loading the Whale after the race it turns out that my brakes were rubbing so much that my rear wheel barely turns. My comment is ‘shucks’. From racing late at night, most of us were only able to sleep 3-5h before leaving for breakfast and the race.

Saturday: Most stages have a decent drive before and after them, but this one is almost 2h of driving on each end up to Quebec City. It turns out to not rain! And the stage is super cool with a steep twisting climb up though the old downtown of the city. My team mate Brandon has another fantastic day, and though he’s a little green behind the ears at 19, he easily defends his Red under 23 leaders jersey.
If it doesn’t look like a big field, it’s because it isn’t any more. Sunday’s finishing group was half this size!

Sunday: No booties, no thermal clothing. Actually nice weather greeted us. As well as a 2+km climb off the gun that we went up 13 times. At first didn’t seem to be responding, I think perhaps it’s because they were no longer attached to my body. After spending most of the first 40 km in the caravan, the field was down to only 20 or so guys, I started coming around. I go so excited that I attacked towards the winning brake, which then tossed me back into the Caravan. I catch back on with 7km left to go, and start thinking that I’ll take out the group sprint for 5th, but nope. 17th is the result on the day.

Night time partying with the Quebexican locals. I get home to my room, solo just before the pumpkin hour. 5am sees us the loaded white whale on the move driving home to rest up and do it again.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/jun05/beauce05/?id=stages