Race Report: 2024 Sand City Crit - Women’s 4/N
Race: 2024 Sand City Crit - Women’s 4/N
Date: July 7, 2024
AVRT racers: Hannah Chen
Top Result: 2nd/9 overall
Course: Approx 1km, 10 corner loop with beautiful murals as backdrop. Road conditions and weather were great - an escape from the heat wave! There is a short hill (max 9%) after turn 3. I found positions could be gained at (1) the start/finish straight, (2) the hill, and (4) taking good turns on the short block after the headwind section.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/segments/32745702
Nutrition: oatmeal for breakfast, 1 gu at the start. Sip of water during the race, but wasn’t necessary.
Race Summary
The women’s 4/N race was combined with Women 35+ 1/2/3, but scored separately. It was also the first race of the day at 8am, so I was able to warm up on the course and practice my cornering lines. It was mostly singletons; the only team represented was Eclipse with Stephanie and Suzzette.
The race started and I had trouble clipping in. Stephanie led at the front and I settled into the back of the pack. It was a pretty chill pace. Being in the back really sucked though and I was frustrated: got stuck with bad lines and people slowing on the hill really killed your momentum.
About 5 laps in, I was fed up and attacked on the start/finish straight. I had a gap for a lap and Stephanie bridged up to me. We probably had a gap for another lap but it was a prime lap, and she sped past me on the final straight for the prime. She wouldn’t take a pull after that and the field caught back up.
The remainder of the race was straightforward. We kept the race at a decent pace and it was the same few people vying for the front positions. I realized I could conserve energy midpack for most of the race but then gain positions by zooming up the hill (thanks Egan rides!), putting me at the front to pick my lines on the downhill and backside of the course. I tried a couple more times to attack but Stephanie was always on my wheel. However, I was able to surge for a prime lap and won a box of bonk breaker bars :) salted caramel and peanut butter flavor, yum!
With 2 laps to go, Stephanie made her move. I wasn’t expecting it and was behind Suzzette at that time. I hesitated. Should I chase Stehanie or draft Suzzette, since Suzzette was chasing her teammate? From my attack earlier in the race I wasn’t confident I could max out for two whole laps… At the hill on the last lap, she was only 8 seconds ahead. I pushed as hard as I could and even clipped my pedal on two corners(!), but it wasn’t enough to catch her. In hindsight, I should’ve immediately started chasing. There was a comfortable gap between us as I crossed the finish, and another gap behind me so I didn’t even sprint.
All in all, I had a great race. I went in with a plan (try some attacks! make people suffer!) and stuck to it. While initially hesitant with pack cornering at speed, I got more confident towards the end. The weather was wonderful and the walls of art alongside the course were super picturesque. Shout out to a great race put on by Monterey Bay Racing Team - they put up soooo many barriers and had a lot of sponsor flags which made it feel so legit.
