Zach Hilton Gilroy City Council Member: Cascade Classic Stage Race 2013 Race Reports

Cascade Classic Stage 1 RR Bend, OR (Open Cat 4/Raced with Open 3’s each stage)

Field Size: 26

Placing: 26

Start Time: 1:30pm (Finishing time 3:48:00)

Teammates: None

Average Speed: 18.6 MPH, Top Speed 47.7 MPH

Average HR: 166 Max HR: 189

Power: 184 avg 661 max

Elevation Ascent: 3,573 Ft.

Weather: 96 degrees avg!!! All sun and no shade.

Race Data http://tpks.ws/0AiI

This is my first stage race and first time racing the Cascade Classic in Bend, OR. The town is beautiful and Stage 1 took place at Mt Bachelor. Mt Bachelor is at around 6,300 ft of elevation. I have never trained at this elevation prior. I have ridden my bike in 3,000-5,000 ft but never raced at that level. My only goal was to finish each stage, get some great training in, and enjoy racing. I was in an open category with lots of young kids and experienced cat 3’s. We were going to race combined with the 3’s for each stage. 85 guys for Stage 1. There was no way to distinguish the categories. I got a descent warm-up, but it was hard to find shade and keep cool. Next time a pop up tent would be awesome. I could feel the physiological effects of the elevation since last night before I went to bed. We arrived into town and pre rode the TT course at 5pm and it was still 90 degrees out. There were a few intact teams, but mainly just groups of 2-3’s.

It’s a neutral start for the first 3 plus miles downhill. They wanted everyone upright and safe for this start. I stayed mid-pack and there were no real hard accelerations until we made the right turn onto Upper Deschutes Rd after mile 15. It was so hot that the bottles I was carrying were already warm from the descent. There was a neutral feed zone at miles 25 and 55. I matched the accelerations all the way until after the feed zone at mile 25. This was my breaking point. It was just too hot for me and my HR was shooting through the roof! I just backed off and rode my own pace for the rest of the ride. It was an awesome scenic ride. Most all of the climbing came at the last 10 miles of the course. It was around 2,000 ft of ups and downs. Lots of support vehicles on the road always willing to give a bottle. There was also an “illegal feed zone” at mile 64ish. That’s actually what they called themselves. They had banners also. Its kind of messed up. No feed zone is allowed in the last 20k of the race. These guys know that and try to screw riders over. If you are off the back the race officials don’t care if you take something, about if you are in the peloton or lead group you will get penalties. A handful of guys got time penalties and money fines. I took a coke from them. The best rush ever! I was cramping at this point and water just wasn’t doing it.

Now it’s time to recover for the Time Trial tomorrow morning and Criterium in the afternoon heat again.

Thanks to SJBC!

Thanks to those at the Neutral Feed Zone!

Thanks to those that volunteered from the Bend community to put on this stage race!

Thanks for reading!

Cascade Classic Stage 2 TT Bend, OR (Open Cat 4/Raced with Open 3’s each stage)

Field Size: 26

Placing: 18

Start Time: 8:01am (Finishing time 00:22:09)

Teammates: None

Average Speed: 24.5 MPH, Top Speed 35.5 MPH

Average HR: 178 Max HR: 184

Power: No Power for TT bike

Elevation Ascent: 276 Ft.

Weather: 74 degrees avg sunny and getting hot

Race Data http://tpks.ws/0sms

This is my 2^nd TT race. We rode the course two days ago, and it had good pavement with flats and rollers. I got an early time, and a good warm up at the airport we were staged at. My goals were to give it all, because I knew I wouldn’t do well in the crit. I didn’t want to come in last! I have a Specialized Transition TT bike. I use my Zipp 404’s and Todd Munk gave me some Wheelbuilder Aerodisk covers for my rear wheel. Awesome set up for now!

I felt good at the line, and ready to get aero! I was able to keep a good position the entire time. I came out the drops a few times to accelerate up some rollers for a short time. Most all the turns were well marked and marshaled. You could stay in the drops the entire time. The final 1k I was able to power through and really get a good effort. Nose was running and I had the couch after.

Not much else to write up on a TT race. I enjoy these races where it’s you vs. the clock. Time to go back home and recover for a few hours before the downtown crit. It was now back in the 90’s and there is no A/C at the house we were staying at. We crashed for a few hours after changing wheels around and cleaning up bikes.

Thanks to SJBC!

Thanks to my Teammates!

Thanks for reading!

Cascade Classic Stage 3 Criterium Bend, OR (Open Cat 4/Raced with Open 3’s each stage)

Field Size: 26

Placing: 25

Start Time: 2:40pm

Teammates: None

Average Speed: 23.4 MPH, Top Speed 29.8 MPH

Average HR: 177 Max HR: 184

Power: 371 avg 825 max

Elevation Ascent: 138 Ft.

Weather: 100 degrees avg sunny and hot

Race Data http://tpks.ws/SpCh

This was my first crit ever! Lots of firsts for me in this stage race. I don’t have the horse power yet to stay with these guys on a flat course.

The race starts off fast with attacks around the 1^st turn. This crit was around the downtown of Bend. Awesome crowd support cheering us all on. I got pulled 12 minutes into a 30 min race. No big deal and it was expected.

The data shows that I was pretty much at my max for 12 minutes straight. The payoff if I were to try and keep it up would be a huge recovery that would have probably destroyed me for the final stage the following day. We ate dinner downtown and watched the Women’s Pro crit and then came back to the house. Took an ice bath and began recovering. Final race was tomorrow morning.

Thanks to SJBC!

Thanks to my Teammates!

Thanks for reading!

Cascade Classic Stage 4 Circuit Race Bend, OR (Open Cat 4/Raced with Open 3’s each stage)

Field Size: 23 (3 DNS’s)

Placing: 21

Start Time: 8:40am (Finish time 2:29:00) 3 Laps

Teammates: None

Average Speed: 20.3 MPH, Top Speed 36.6 MPH

Average HR: 166 Max HR: 245? (I actually felt that and looked down. It stayed that high for a few seconds)

Power: 411 avg 880 max

Elevation Ascent: 3783 Ft.

Weather: 86 degrees avg sunny and warm

Race Data http://tpks.ws/Bu8n

Last race! Had a good night of recovery. This course on paper looked challenging, but one that I could do well on. Arrived early to warm up on part of the course. Great pavement in a developed area in part of the course, and ranch lands on the backside. My goals were to stay with the lead group for as long as I could, and get one more good training ride in. I tried some different morning drinks and eating routine. I actually produced more power in this race, and had a triple increase in my watts/kg from the road race. Not sure if it was from nutrition or maybe just finally not feeling exhausted from the weather and acclimation. Neutral water in feed zone on laps 2, and 3.

The race starts off neutral until we reach the course. Attacks started right away and nothing was sticking. This was a course that I was able to hang onto the accelerations in the flats, and excel on the short climbs. I stayed with the group for 2 laps and then finally couldn’t hold on anymore. I caught two riders from my group as we finished lap 2 and passed them on a climb. They tried to catch but it was my goal to stay away. They almost caught me with 1k togo. I felt my front Zipp 404 tubular was squishy. I got a flat!!!! Love tubular however because they always get you home! I was able to make it safely back at the finish.

This was my favorite stage out of all of them. Cascade Classic was a huge challenge for me. I completed it and represented SJBC! The town was beautiful and the residents were so accommodating. Huge community support for this race every year. Lot’s of volunteers and residents opening their homes for racers to stay with them. A big thank you to my host Ellie. We got to stay at a home that had a back door to the Deschutes River.

My next race is Patterson Pass RR August 4th!

Thanks to my wife and daughter who let Daddy have 4 days free!

Thanks to SJBC!

Thanks to those at the Neutral Feed Zone!

Thanks for reading!