Will Brieger, Elkhorn Classic

This year they opened a masters 40+ 4/5 race for the first time [30 guys], which was raced with the Masters 40+ 1/2/3 [50 guys], but picked separately. It was great to race with the experienced guys, and interesting trying to read both races simultaneously to figure out what would happen next. Here's what happened:

Stage 1, 75 mile RR with two significant climbs. MY FIRST WIN EVER!!
Good advice from Bruce Hendler had me near the front, and not chasing a 1/2/3 breakaway on the flats. After the first break was caught, we shed most of the peleton on the first climb, leaving about 20 guys, including only me and one other Cat 4 from Seattle, and Roy, the violin bow maker from Calgary, who bridged up.

On the second climb, which had 4 or 5 false summits, 10 of the 1/2/3 guys got away. I bridged up and the other Cat 4s did not, at which point I drove the pace to increase the gap. Then someone attacked at the real summit, gapping me and a few others with 5K to go. I chased back on during the descent, reintegrated, sprinted with the front group to claim the 4/5 Leader Jersey and more than a one minute lead in the masters 4/5s.

Stage 2, [morning] 10 mile TT, 3rd place. Unfortunately, the winner was
the guy from Seattle, who took almost all of my lead back except six seconds.

Stage 3 [afternoon] L-shaped crit in historic Baker City. I finished
with the bunch, but toward the back. The 1/2/3s kept it safe and fast.
What I did not know was that the officials used a camera to actually time everyone, so everyone in the elongated pack got different times. Seattle got seven seconds on me to take the GC. I am down 00:00:01. Boy did I feel stupid!

No worries, to win the GC all I have to do is win Stage 4, 100 mile RR through the stunning Whitman-Wallowa National Forest. Up the Powder river, three climbs through the Blue Mountains at miles 28, 42, and 58, 25 miles down the Burnt River, then a 7-mile switchback climb up 2000' to the line. No road closure needed: No one there but the race and some bike tourists.

After the first two climbs, the 1/2/3 race had a 2-man breakaway [with former DBCer Clint Chase] and an 8-man chase. By now I know that the Seattle guy is Martin, originally from Czechoslovakia, who trains with Yuri, his pro/1/2 son. After the race I learned that he rides 4 hours a day.

Neither Martin or I was going to let the other join the chase alone, so
we stayed in the third group on the road, mostly 1/2/3s and five of us
4s. The chase caught the break and apparently slowed [we got time
checks from the cars]; then the 1/2/3s in my group got interested and
semi lined it out on the 25-mile flats leading to the final climb. I
did zero work, sat on Martin's wheel, with a vague plan to destroy him
somewhere near the top of the climb.

Base of the climb: Martin loses his chain, which messed me up more than him. I figured too early for a full out attack [??], but i accelerated just to make him work. He had a 1/2/3 teammate who towed him back. I sat on a wheel for 1/3 of the climb, then got impatient and took over the front. Definitely a mistake, but Martin was marking me no matter what. I should've been on his wheel or at least out of the wind [cuz we are climbing fast]. Some stupid primitive instinct told me to climb hard and hope we separated.

Pedal. Breathe. Pedal harder. Breathe harder. I am not looking back, but I am shredding the group, all of the 4s are gone, most of the 1/2/3s, everyone except Martin and a few others. Passing the women, try not to pant so loud. In my haze, I forgot I did not need to race anyone but Martin, and instead I am basically leading him out. Finally the 5K sign. The next switchback is disconcertingly far up to the right. What was that plan? Relax, look fluid, look strong [for Martin, not the women's race, Alan.] This must be hurting him. Is there going to be a 4k sign?? When to attack? How the hell am I going to attack? I am pretty maxxed. Standing on every right hander, clicking one cog harder, accelerating, but not launching. As if.

3K sign. By now the finish line officials can hear me breathing. Martin is right there. I felt his wheel touch once. And so on. What was the plan, again? I am dopily hypoxic, but I hope still looking strong. 70m to go a tall kid in same kit as Seattle [First Rate Mortgage] is riding down the other lane. "Geretjxchen wutevver, big diff, big diff," he says. [czech for "way to go dad, attack, attack"]. then the worst part, Martin answers: HE CAN STILL TALK!!! Words that still haunt me, he calmly replies: "Ja, ickcjh dkerectskcjehn wutevver."

AND HE CAN SPRINT. In the last 50m he opens up approximately a 49m lead for a well deserved stage and GC win. So I was 2d on stage, 2d in GC. Very happy with it, despite my stupid finish strategy or lack thereof.

And in Oregon they have free food, drink, and beer at the finish area.

Will