First up, the ITT course. It has a few rolling hills, but with only one turnaround, it's a big ring out-and-back. This is an incredibly strategic stage in the race. I just hope the weather holds up - a flat disc is a useless disc.
The circuit race looks like a blast. There is a steady 100 foot rise every lap and at the finish to keep the hurt high, but the long straight descent means lots of jockeying for position and little to keep people's speed down.
This looks familiar: it's almost identical to the X-Pot road race, voted the most soul crushing race in the ECCC. The famous Wachussett finishing climb is gone, but that only helps big guys like me so much. The nasty 12% grade is still there. I just hope a 39-25 can get me up the hill. I may have to dust off the 28. Ouch. Look for big moves in the GC here. (Tech note: the start and finish are at different places. On the profile, from the start to the crosshairs is a typical lap, and from the crosshairs to the end is the last lap.)
This is what all crits should be like: a one mile romp up and down Main Street, with a little climb to keep everyone on edge. This race looks absolutely fabulous. Who knows - the field may even get lapped!
The weather in Massachusetts lately has been, well, a good reminder of why I'm moving to California. (I'm moving! More in a later blog post.) Let's see what the skies have in store. Honestly, I'm expecting lots of rain, and thus, lots of flats. Blech.Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming south between 4 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday: A chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.
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