Mad Cow Classic

I raced the Mad Cow Classic in Grand Junction today, the threat of crappy weather kept a lot of folks at home and it seemed like a GJ locals only affair.
I like the course a lot. It is a lollipop shaped deal. You ride out about 8 miles then do multiple laps and round a 12 mile circuit. The climbs are steep and punchy and in general just a fun ride.
Our field was small and was whittled down even smaller on the climb out to the circuit, a guy attacked shortly after the climb but no one reacted and there was 4 riders from one team so I figured they knew him and didn't consider him a threat. Later I did find out they did know him and just didn't want to do the work I guess this guy was an Iron-man finisher and also the winner of today's race. After the first lap I knew I wasn't going to win but I still wanted to shake the rest of these guys but it was the 4 guys from the team vs me and two others. You could say the race was very tactical but it was more like an exercise in frustration, cat and mousing followed by crazing fast pace lining then more cat and mousing! This pattern continued all race long. On the second lap we caught another rider from their team from a different group so now it was 5 against 3, complete fucking BullShit! This fucking guy started setting tempo and totally interfered with the outcome of the race. On the Last climb of the circuit I attacked dragging two with me one from the "team" and an independent.We got away and stayed away till the end but the guy from the "team" wouldn't help. After a short descent right before a short little climb I found myself in the wrong gear at the worst possible time and a gap opened that I could not close with the head wind so I TT the last few miles in for 4th place.
Side note Laura race with the Cat 4 men and finished 4th overall and 1st woman.