Zach Hilton Gilroy City Council Member: Chico Stage Race #2 Crit

Zachary Hilton
Chico Stage Race #2 Crit 35+ 3/4's

Chico, CA
Place: 26 (GC Placing 22)
Field: 36
Teammates: None

Weather: 49 cold, little wind, tailwind to finish line, sunny
Start Time: 8:35 am

Total Time: 00:27:40
Power: 180 W avg, 700 W max, 200 W NP

Average Speed: 25.29 MPH, Top Speed 31.97 MPH

Average HR: 169 Max HR: 181

Elevation Ascent: 0 ft

I'm riding my 2015 Specialized Tarmac with Ultegra 6800 11 speed group set. I ride a 53/39 11/28 for most races. I am also racing with my Race Rim 46's Carbon Tubulars, and Vittoria Corsa EVO CX Tubulars. I arrived early and warmed up on the trainer for 40 minutes. No bottles needed for this Criterium. We got a quick chance to warm up on the course, and then we got delayed for 10 minutes because of a previous race's crash on turn 1.

Race starts and my plan was to stay at the back of the pack so that I can take smooth lines around every corner with no braking. All I need to do is preserve my place in the GC and perhaps move up. I never race Crit's. I'm comfortable with them a lot more now. I did not want to get pulled. That's happened in every Crit I've been in up until now. The first few laps were easy, and then the front started to really stretch us out. The course is an L shaped one and really fun. The turns are mostly 90 degree turns and some are more sweeping because we have the entire road before and after to use. The extreme inside line have chips in the road, and I stayed away from those. Like in most of these races when the pace picks up it will eventually stop. We were full gas for 2 laps and began to pop riders off the back. My plan was working and I didn't need to yo yo on and off the group. I would accelerate around the corners on the line I picked and roll up tot he group. A breakaway formed with 4 guys and our group slowed. I looked up front and the yellow jersey is staying with us. Eight laps to go and I've survived the time cut!! I'm really feeling great and confident. Three laps to go and now we are going fast trying to catch the breakaway. More riders getting shredded off the back and a few I notice are ahead of me in the GC. I stayed tucked behind the pack and came across the finish line upright! I didn't get dropped, pulled, or lapped for the first time in a Crit!!!! Whohoo!!!!

Overall I moved up 3 spots in the GC by sticking to my plan while trying to conserve energy for the TT at 12:40 today. I was so excited that I came back to the car ecstatic where Katie and Avery were waiting for me. Next up was some much needed coffee and food. Avery has a kids race coming up at 11am!