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

Training Peaks Data

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!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks to Race Rim Wheels!

Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!

Thanks to Voler!
Thanks to Vittoria Tires!

Thanks to SJBC Race Team!

Chico Stage Race #1 RR

Zachary Hilton
Chico Stage Race #1 RR 35+ 3/4's

Chico, CA 
Place: 25
Field: 39
Teammates: None

Weather:  59 little wind, no rain, sun
Start Time:  2:25 pm

Total Time: 02:01:00
Power: 205 W avg, 666 W max, 200 W NP  

Average Speed: 21.19 MPH, Top Speed 42.41 MPH

Average HR: 171 Max HR: 190

Elevation Ascent: 1,578 ft

Training Peaks Data

I'm riding a 2015 Specialized Tarmac with Ultegra 6800 11 speed group set with a 53/39 11/28 for this race.  I am racing with my Mavic Kysrium SL's and Open Pave 25mm tires.  I don't have a pair of carbon clinchers and there is a 4 mile dirt gravel road that we are crossing around mile 11.  I arrived early and warmed up on the trainer for around 50 minutes. I carried two bottles of Hammer Nutrition with me.  No need for a feed this race.  I am racing without teammates and Pen Velo has 7 guys.  I do have some friends in my field though, that's always helpful!

The race started with a neutral roll out and center line rule was in effect throughout the race.  We reached the feed zone which was used of the earlier races and the race was on.  We went up and over a some rollers with no issues.  The road was packed and no one could move around each other.  I had to get up front before the gravel at mile 11.  Around mile 4 we hit a rough patch of road and one rider blew a tire.  Two other riders within a few minutes each had flat tires too group was quiet about spotting cars and potholes. I was sitting in the middle of the pack and the speed was tamable. Everyone was waiting to see what this gravel was going to look like.  We were also getting some good wind gusts now.  I was able to move up to around about a mile before the gravel.  The road widened on the right and riders were taking advantage of this and a few of us moved up.  In a combined 3/4 field there are huge variances of riders capabilities.  I found two riders from Pen Velo that I race with and marked them as who I wanted to stay with.  One was stronger than me and would allow me to honestly gauge my performance.  Rolling up to the gravel with a sweeping right turn was the biggest unknown moment for me!  We hit the gravel and I found a wheel and a good line to follow.  I stayed on the right side, and away from the sides and corners.  They were deep in gravel.  From the cars that had passed through we some good areas to ride.  We accelerated up the first hill, and I stayed seated.  The feeling was that we were riding on water.  You always feel like you are going to fall, but you don't.  Keeping a good steady cadence and seated was the best move for me.  Some were able to stand up and push it, but I wasn't ready for that yet.

We used the entire gravel road as we road through the rollers and turns.  Around mile two we hit a small hill where I couldn't spin fast enough to stay with the front group and began to slip back.  I wasn't alone either.  The front group of around 20 was up the road and Pen Velo's James Rainbow came around me fast.  I wasn't going to let him get far.  On the last section there is a fast descent and as I came across the wash boarded ground I swear my bike was airborne and my back wheel was slipping.  I thought I was going down and I tried to find a line to follow.  I was leading us down this hill because I made it to the top first, and as I struggled to find a line I didn't care who was around me.  We were finally free of the gravel and back on smooth road.  We collected up some more riders and we now had 12 of us together.  We still had 26 miles to go.  This is point in the race where I wanted my carbon RaceRim wheels.  Pen Velo had two including James Rainbow, and another team had two (their jerseys made it so has to know who they were, way to many sponsors and no team name stood out).  The rest of us were solo.  We all worked well in a pace line.  Some weren't taking their turn up front and we all called them out on it.  A big group like this won't drag anyone up to the front.  Even Pen Velo who has guys up in the front group were working with us.  We had no time checks and couldn't see the front group anymore.  There was no giving up in this group however and in a stage race it's about time.  There were a few unsuccessful attacks from my group.  Just guys trying to test everyone.  With three miles to go 3 guys went off the front when our pace line for some reason just stopped!!!!   I was too far back and we let them go.  Hoping that they wouldn't get too far away from us.  We still had 9 in our field and we all collected again to work to catch.  Each time however when one guy would get on the front he would slow down because his teammate was up the road.  Me and two others agreed to attack and bridge to the group of 3.  It was a hard effort that exhausted me.  I kept my head down and never turned back.  We each took 10 second pulls and caught the group.  I turned around and we had a one minute lead.  I was stoked that it worked and I was going to beat James. He's been a strong competitor and kudos to him!  The finish is a series of uphill rollers that benefit me.  I passed up two on the way to the finish.  We had finished 5 minutes behind the leaders.  I was actually stoked that we were five minutes back.  I've been in other races that kicked my but and I would finish 10-12 minutes behind the leaders.  No cramping and I had enough Hammer fluids and food.  No mechanical too!  I rolled back to the finish with James.

I used two bottles of  Hammer Heed , an Oatmeal/Apple Hammer Bar, Race Caps Supreme, and two Hammer gels.  Tomorrow morning is the Crit in downtown Chico.  I've never been able to compete in a Criterium without getting pulled.  They are not my style of racing, but I'm here to advance my skills!  Time to recover with Hammer Nutrition's Recoverite and get a good night sleep.

Thanks for reading!

Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!

Thanks to Voler!
Thanks to Vittoria Tires!

Thanks to SJBC Race Team!

Jamba Juice's Veggie Harvest Fresh Juice, Energy Bowl, Espresso and Fresh Orange for the Wifey!

Snelling Road Race

Zachary Hilton
Snelling RR 35 +4's

Snelling, CA 
Place: 50
Field: 70
Teammates: George Bonanto, Peter Cathcart, Alexander Komlik, Paul Young, Phil Tercero, Phil Malaspina

Weather:  50 no wind, no rain, no sun...but who cares no wind at Snelling!!
Start Time:  12:40 pm

Total Time: 02:12:00
Power: 200 W avg, 819 W max, 194 W NP  

Average Speed: 22.20 MPH, Top Speed 33.84 MPH

Average HR: 165 Max HR: 189

Elevation Ascent: 1,785 ft

Training Peaks Data

I'm riding my new 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 around 50 minutes.  I don't really warm up until 45-50 minutes.  It was a long ride in the car again.  This time I brought a tennis ball for some in seat massage and stretching.  I didn't want any cramping.  I allowed extra time to stretch after I arrived.  I carried two bottles of Hammer Nutrition with me.  No need for a feed this race.  We did 4 laps.

I wanted to get to the start line early.  It gets really crowded there and if you aren't up from for the neutral start it gets sketchy in the back of the group.  We had 70 people register.  I had 8 SJBC guys and 7 were signed up for Revs Road.  The next biggest team was Rio Strada.  The neutral start went perfect.  Moto set the tempo and we were controlling the front.  Once the moto peeled off the wide open road the race was on full gas up the first roller.  There was no organization behind us, and SJBC took control in the front.  Several other teams were taking turns as we approached the feed zone for lap 1.  Of course the feed zone at Snelling is always an attack for the 35 4's.  Maybe because we do 4 laps and 2 bottles work out just fine.  No one was attacking the first lap and we all did a great job sitting in and watching the field.  The roads were a grinder as usual on Figueroa and Fields.  Make sure that everything is strapped and tightened!  Lap 1 completed.   In lap 2 after the feed zone a team named Genesolve came to the front several times and launched one of there riders up the road.  The first few times the field caught the solo attempt.      I think there was 4 of them, and they all looked like powerful crib riders.  Some counter attacks would happen as we brought Genesolve back in, but nothing would stick.  Several attempted to come around the front and attack but the group itself always pulled them back in.  This group was really strong and truly wasn't letting anyone get away.  Unless they were buy themselves.  On lap 3 a VSRT racer (not sure which one) launched an attack after the feed zone and I followed 2 others who were chasing him.  We got a bit of a gap and then they let up.  The VSRT guy was really strong, and maybe he was just testing the field.  He was itching to do something.  As we approached the rollers before Olsen Rd VSRT and a few others tried a break again and we had two guys to follow it.  They got a bit of a lead again but fizzled out and wouldn't work to keep it up. I thought it was going to be a great move away from the group with 1 lap to go but clearly it wasn't going to work.  Gene solve came up to the front again as we approached Figueroa and send sent one of there guys off.  This time he had around a 1:30 lead on us as we approached the feed zone for the last time.  SJBC and others kept the tempo high to finally reel him back in, and then Revs Road counter attacked sending one guy off the front.  He was able to get a good lead but was brought in as we turned onto Fields for the finish.  As we turned the 45 1/2/3's were screaming up to the line behind us.  I picked a wheel to hold onto and kept my head down as everyone swarmed all over and off the road up to the finish line.  I got boxed in a couldn't get around the wheel in front of me.  I slowly drifted back for an upright finish.  Congrats to my friend Tim Vickroy of Wells Fargo on winning Snelling RR this year.  We were teammates when Taleo Racing was around.  Looking strong bro!

I was happy with my performance.  My power numbers are up and I'm feeling great.  Each year I get closer to staying and competing for a top position at Snelling.  It's a great course.  I'm getting smarter about my positioning and saving my energy.  I might have had a bit more at the end if I hadn't spent time in the race chasing down some attacks.  This is a good block of training right now, and it's going to send me into our Team Training Camp in Paso Robles next month feeling strong!  Our Team Training Camp is pretty much a 3 day stage race :)

I used two bottles of Hammer Heed , an Oatmeal/Apple Hammer Bar, and two Hammer gels.

I've been taking Race Caps Supreme from Hammer Nutrition for a year now and I am hooked on the benefits.  On the longer distance races I used to get burnt out from the racing after two hours, but the race was for three hours.  I added some longer days of training, and with Race Caps Supreme I am now able to compete for an entire 3 hour road race.  I am also still a believer on a scoop of Hammer Nutrition Whey Protein mixed with water 30 minutes before bedtime.  I can wake up the next morning after a hard day, and do the same workout or race.

My next race is Chico Stage Race on February 28.


Thanks for reading!

Thanks to Race Rim Wheels!

Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!

Thanks to Voler!
Thanks to Vittoria Tires!

Thanks to SJBC Race Team!