San Ardo Race Report from Hussein S. (2023)

I raced the San Ardo Road Race today in the 50+ 123 field which was around 40 strong. It was a fun race. Hard. This is a great course to race - rolling hills on one side and a long flat section with wind on the other connected by a hill and a bridge with the worst pavement of any race in the district.

The race started out slow but got animated on the hill heading into lap 2.

I used a bunch of bullets on lap 2 trying to get in a move off the front. I got in a break. Then son of break. Then grandson of break. But all got brought back. Great grandson of break went and I missed it as I was gassed but it also got pulled back. These were all moves where as we got brought back we would go again and get a new gap, get brought back etc. etc.

Going into lap 3 I was near the front on the hill and we hit it hard and a group of us got separation but people sat up. I got swarmed and that’s when folks started going off the front again - and this time staying away. But I was too far back and by the time I moved up two groups were way gone for a total of 8 off the front who stayed away to the end.

So I was sprinting for 9th. On the hill before the turn into the sprint I hit it hard as soon as the guys leading it out slowed down. I got to the corner in the first three - but two of those guys were real sprinters and were gone. I put my head down as I had a gap and faded. It’s a long long sprint into a headwind and my legs were fried from the sprint up the hill and I had no wheels to hide in so several guys caught me, sat on my wheel and jumped me at the line.

I’m lobbying for the finish line to be on the hill next year. (it will also keep brain dead cyclists from inevitably turning onto the highway on-ramp - as two guys in my field did today).

Race Report from Hussein S.