MERCO Cycling Classic, Stage 4: Almond Blossom Road Race

I'm not sure what to say about today..  I have mixed feelings about the last stage as far as performance, results and the experience I had out there in the P/1/2.  First off, it did end up raining on us today.  Started out as a sprinkle, then it came down a bit more.  The worst part was that the roads were wet which meant water spraying up regardless of what was coming from the skies.  I might have used my glasses for about 8 minutes before they were useless.  I did not want to cross wheels just because I couldn't see out of my own glasses.. Anyways, I spent the rest of the race squinting and dodging people's wheels and the reflective bumps in the middle of the road.
One the first lap rolling down one of the hills in the orchards all the sudden people are piling up in front of me and everyone's sliding down the hill with breaks locked up.  I slid right into someone's bike, still upright.  My right quad hit the back of someone's seat post.  That brought me to a halt so fast my Original pair of M Frame Oakleys flew off my helmet. (DANG IT!)  Anyways, that was a mess.  Fortunately things were slow after that that I could rejoin the group and continue riding.  The first three laps things were somewhat tame.  Actually, so calm that we were just rolling along for the second and third lap that we took like 3 pee breaks.  Seriously.  I didn't mind that though, but it was just weird because I wouldn't have imagined we'd get another chance after the first one.  Bissell just pulls off and I figure well if they are pulling off, I'm pulling off. No one's going anywhere without them. (they and their yellow rain jackets.)  Not sure if I should be in awe or in frustration at the sight of Bissell just rolling along, all 7 or 8 of them on the front just taking turns setting the tempo, whatever speed they wanted.  We were going so slow that they had to neutralize us in order to let the Masters go by us.. That was weird..  We were going that slow, and THEN to get stopped for like 5 minutes WHILE there was a 4 or so man break off the front.  Apparently Bissell didn't mind and they would just chase them down later. (which is exactly what they did).
After 3 laps, they turned up the speed and we were strung out and popping off the back one by one.  I lasted a while, but my leg was killing me from the crash on the first lap.  My quad felt like someone punched it and gave me a dead leg, so any acceleration was not at all enjoyable.  Yea, so anyways I too fell off the back and ended up doing about 8/10 of the 4th lap solo.  Super slow, just destroyed mentally and physically.  Leg killing me and just soaked as can be.  I finally made it to the finish line and stopped.  I did not do the 5th lap, I had no desire to do another 25 miles alone, knowing that the P/1/2 was already doing their final lap and I would be just doing a "training ride"..  And, that's not exactly what I wanted to do after 3 consecutive hard days of racing.  The downside?  I DNF-ed, which took me off the results for today AND the overall results.  I can't even say I was "--th" at Merco.  Because I wasn't, I DNF-ed all because of one lap.

Anyways, then driving home wet, dirty and with hurting legs from the past two days of crashing..
I can at least be glad I got to race with these guys, enjoy a great team and have a great time this weekend living the racing life.  I got a lot of experience out of this weekend, as well as a lot of great riding in.  There are always more races, more chances to NOT do certain things again, and do other more beneficial things that might yield better results.

Alright, for those who were like "where's the photos?"  Or, if you just scrolled down here as if my blog was a picture book.. here you go.

The drive out to the road race.. already looking wet to begin with.

All the team cars heading out to the course as well.

This is where they got the name for todays stage race. 

The gang after the race..

The legs after the race.  Nice and beat up.. 

Yea, so lets see.. results:

25.  ALBRECHT David Chico Corsa 4.44'38"   

11.  MYERS Lindsay Chico Corsa 3.07'21"  

and overall:

23.  ALBRECHT David Chico Corsa 10.08'05"   10'39"  

15.  MYERS Lindsay Chico Corsa 7.39'27"   3'58"  

Nice work Dave!  You raced great out there this weekend, and I'll look forward to sticking on your wheel in future races. (when I have the legs to hang with you!)  As for Lindsay, it's great to have you racing for Corsa and seeing such great results at Merco.  Keep up the great work! 

That's all for this long, long weekend.  I'm ready to sleep in my own bed and enjoy it!