On Saturday, we raced the 30+ and Mike Williams made the break. He finished 4th, I was 8th, and Tim Coleman 11th. Tim and Mike did the 40s and Mike again made the break for 3rd.
I did the Pro/1/2 at the end of the day and was feeling okay. A break of ~5 got off and there was no way it was coming back. I was tiring and I knew I wouldn't be able to race the second race of the omnium the next day (because we were leaving early), so I considered pulling out but ended up pressing on.
It was forecasted to rain during the day and it started to drizzle ever so slightly at the later moments of the race. Coming into the last laps of the race, it started to come down a little more and the ground started to get wet. I hit a fast downhill corner like I'd been doing ever lap before, but this time my bike slipped out from under me and I slid on the pavement.
I didn't take anyone else down and they were kind enough not to run me over. The slip-out was very sudden so I was shocked and then in a lot of pain in my left calf. No one saw what happened but we think my bike, pedal, or the slamming force to the ground caused the calf muscle to knot up.
My teammates were nearby and ran to help me and the bike off the road. I sat to collect myself and waiting for the calf to release. It finally did and then I was able to get up to assess the damage.
Mike said my bike looked okay. When I worked on it later, it really was. I just had some more torn bar tape, a more scraped seat, and had to readjust the left brifter position.
As for my body, my lower rear-end took the brunt of the fall and slide. I got a fist-size razzie there, one small one on my shoulder, and surface abrasions along my outer left lower leg. There was no helmet scrapes or damage, no broken bones, and the thing that hurt worst was the knot in my calf. It sucked to lose a brand new pair of bib shorts. As I walked away, I could see balled up portions of the shorts fabric still on the road.
I wasn't the only one to go down at that turn. At least three others went down in the last two laps including two guys of the breakaway. Then later there was a fun/kids race that took place and several of them crashed, too.
I still raced the next day. I finished 10th and ended up 8th GC in the 30s. Mike was a stud and finished 5th in the 30s for 5th overall, and then he took 2nd in the 40s and took 2nd overall.
AND YES, I KNOW I NEED TO SHAVE.
-adm
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