Date: February 12, 2012
Time: 11:15
Distance: 24 kms
First MTB race of
the Castilla León Open and … ¿a race
to foget? Maybe, not.
Very cold day with some snowflakes that appeared during
the warming up. The race was based in 3
laps to 8 kilometers circuit. The track was not really demanding in
technical terms, but it was a bit tricky and funny.
Although it was announced as a 4 laps race, it was
unexpectedly changed in the last minute. Definitely, it could affect to the
race strategy.
With the regular high level bikers, the referees set up
the starting line in an absolute caos that was used by some bikers to distort
their real position and get some advantage.
Although I was not placed in the first line, my position
at the starting line was not so bad and I could start well. However, in the first right turn I left all my initial
energy and I placed myself in the worst positions. Something started to go
wrong and I was sure that my Canyon
was working fine.
In the first
narrow paths, I was involved in a really traffic jam and I get really angry while the race head was riding
fast whereas I was walking patiently, but What
is happening here?! Are we in a race
or in a Sunday ride through the nice forest?!
The first up hills
were very hard due to the number of bikers trying to gain some places. I felt
that something was missing on me.
In the first lap,
my manager told me that I was riding
13 and I continue trying to find my pace. Additionally, my concentration is
very poor.
I was not riding bad but it could be a bit better, my
pace in up- and down-hills were not low, but my feelings were not good enough.
I do not know what is happening today, but it
is not the time neither to complain nor to negotiate the effort. We are in
a race and the effort level has to be the highest to gain some seconds.
In my second lap,
my place was improved. I was riding the 11th,
but my feelings were not much better.
In such a way I finished
my discreet race in Castilla León, place
11th and with many issues to do not forget and to recover the
spirit as soon as possible.
The bad training week or the intense 70 kilometers
session of the day before could be valid as excuses for today, but this
conclusion is really far away from me. Now, it is time to analyze the race and
its consequences to fix errors and try to improve in the next events.
Despite of my bad feelings, the race was too short for
me. Most probably because I was planed a 4-laps race and not a 3-laps one.
The encouragements
of my mother, father (manager),
sister and her boyfriend (Julio) have
no price and keeps me alive during the whole race.
