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THE RISING SUN: OKINAWA
Lee Rodgers
December 2, 2009
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“Whatever you do,” I said to myself as I stood there on the start line, “Don't try a long breakaway…”
The morning was perfect. Not too much wind. Nice temperature, not too hot. No rain. Ideal weather for a long bike race. I didn't sleep too well, but still, after a good breakfast and a cold shower, I felt OK.
As I rode down to the start line I was surprised by how good my legs felt. I`d been training for this race for about 2 months, trained harder than ever before. 200km is still quite a long distance, but I was confident that if I followed my race plan and sat in the peloton, and kept calm – then I would have a good chance for the win!
On the start line I met some guys I was going to have to watch – like the 2007 winner Takaoka San. I beat him this year at KisoMura, but I knew that he always did well at Okinawa. I also met up with my friend Lewis Fellas, a strong Englishman from Hong Kong, and chatted with a rider I hadn`t met before, a young French guy riding for NFCC-Comrade Giant, Adrien Catalayud. I had never met Adrien before, but I was at Wajima in the TR race when he won the ER race, so I knew that he could climb well.
I looked behind me from the front of the start line to see an ocean of riders. There were 400 or so of us in the race – all the more opportunities to crash. As the gun went off to start, I made sure I was at the front. Finally, the waiting was over…
“You`ve got to stay calm… Save your energy… You can`t go chasing every single attack…”
And just as I'd said that to myself, Adrien Catalayud attacked, at about 20kms. I decided to chase. Well, I didn`' really decide, my legs did. They just took over. I looked down and there they were, flying around like pistons, pushing me out of the peloton and after the Frenchman's wheel! I knew he was strong but not how strong. As I set off Lewis Fellas followed me. Lewis is an extremely strong rider and a great breakaway companion. We soon caught Adrien.
We quickly got a small gap on the peloton. It was obvious to me that the Frenchman was strong, and I knew that Lewis was good too. So - should we go for it? My pre-race plan had already been smashed to pieces! Either we stopped and rejoined the peloton or we went for it. Of course, the sensible thing to do, with still 165 or so kilometers to go, on a hot day, with strong riders in the main group, would have been to sit up. But no… I looked at Lewis – he nodded. I looked at Adrien. He smiled. That was enough.
And so, we went. For the next 40 kilometers of coastal road, flat and twisting, each man did his share of the work, forming the cleanest chain I have ever been in. It`s rare to be in a breakaway in which each rider works so hard, and trusts that the others will do the same, but that's what happened. Soon we had a three minute gap. Three minutes?! I couldn`t believe it. Maybe we had a chance?
Then we hit the first climb, at 70.9 kms, Fukugawa Dam, 8 kilometers of climbing. We all started climbing well, in the big chain ring, only switching over to the small for the last 3 kms. Adrien Catalayud agreed to let me have the KOM points. The two of us reached the top together, with Fellas a little behind. Lewis told me later that his power meter showed 375watts @ 73kg for the climb, which means that myself and Adrien were pushing close to 400watts.
For the next 30 kilometers we rode over rolling hills, and Fellas began to drop away, leaving me and Adrien together. The race commisaire came alongside us and told us that we now had 4 minutes lead over the chasers. I thought that we might lose some time over the big climb up to Fukugawa Dam, but we'd actually increased our lead, which was surprising. We were going very well.
And then I looked up and saw cars. Lots of cars. And, a little further up, the back of a peloton. Then we passed a guy wearing a Fuji Team jersey, then another guy wearing a Ravanello jersey… we had caught the UCI Champion`s race!
The commisaire came alongside again and said “Slow down!”
Me: “What?!”
Him: “Slow down! You've caught the UCI race!”
Me: “No! We can't slow down! We're racing!” [Insert expletives as desired… I certainly did!]
Then he went away. Then he came back.
“Look, you have to stop! In about 5 kilometers there’s a car park, stop there. We`re going to stop the whole 200km amateur race there! You`ll be allowed to start again, 4 minutes ahead of the others!”
Well, this was interesting! We couldn`t really believe what was happening. But, we stopped. We got off our bikes, talked a bit, had a drink, and then after about 4 minutes along came a group of about 10 chasers, including Takaoka San and the eventual winner, Matsushita san. Then, another group came, about a minute behind them, then another, then another. It was obvious that the pace we'd been setting had shattered the field.
We waited in total about 20 minutes. And of course, Adrien and myself had been waiting four minutes longer than anyone else. Our legs began to cramp a little. Finally, we restarted, but Adrien said to me, `My legs… they don`t feel good…” I was the same. We had about 15km to the start of the second climb of the Fukugawa Dam, on the flat, but with a headwind, and couldn't go much over 40km/hr.
At the top of the hill, the commissaire told us: “You have 2 minutes 30 seconds!”
WHAT?! How was that possible? In just a few kilometers, and then the climb, which we rode up well, the chasers had gained a minute and a half on us?! I was sure that he was wrong. Still, we increased our speed. That was a mistake. We lost our rhythm. The 20 minute rest stop had not been good for us. But, it was good for the chasers…
We didn't know this at the time, but when the race was restarted behind us, the commisaires allowed everyone to start together. So instead of just the 10 chasers coming after us, it was the whole peloton. My friend, who was in that group, said that on the flat, where we had trouble getting over 42km/hr, the peloton was doing about 50km/hr. Now, I`m not saying that myself and Adrien would have stayed away to the end, but the whole pattern of the race was altered by that stop.
Eventually, at about 165kms, my legs completely cramped up. I tried to ride at the front for as long as possible, because I wanted to work for Adrien to help him win, if I couldn't. But the legs went! After something like 135kms out together with the young Frenchman, the dream was over. I somehow hung on to the second chase group, and just before the last climb, at 180kms, the cramp stopped. My rhythm was back, and my strength. It was frustrating, to say the least.
On the way up the climb I saw Adrien up ahead. He had cramped up too. When we hit the top of the hill there were only three riders now ahead of us, with a 50 second lead. But, we never caught the leaders.
Still, there was a chance for 4th place. With 2 km to go, I attacked, and I had a 50-meter lead. Then I had a 60-meter lead! One and a half km to go. But one and a half km can seem more like infinity at the end of a race. I was dying, like I was riding through sand. Suddenly I heard breathing – I turned around. And who was there? Of course, Adrien Catalayud! He passed me and said “Come on Lee!” I took his wheel! One km to go! Only one km!
But it was no use. We died. A thousand deaths. With about 70-meters to go the whole group of 17 riders came past us. It was a shame, because we could have got 4th and 5th, but to be honest, it was so satisfying to know as the line approached that I had given it my all. I looked at Adrien, he looked at me, we were both exhausted, but suddenly we started to sprint against each other. The slowest sprint I think in the history of cycling! He won, by half a wheel, and he deserved it. He is a fantastic rider, and hopes to go pro next year. I think he has a great chance.
So, 21st place. Next year I`ll be back, hopefully 20 places higher up…
I thoroughly recommend the Tour of Okinawa if you`re looking for a well-run race with fantastic roads, all in a beautiful setting. Below is the English Tour of Okinawa weblink www.tour-de-okinawa.jp/english/index.html |
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