Tour of the Battenkill - The Process

It’s amazing that The Tour of the Battenkill has developed such a storied reputation in just eight years.  There are other road races that mix pavement and dirt or include a covered bridge or are just as long and hilly, but they just don’t have the reputation of Battenkill.  Battenkill:  it has kill in the name.

So when a team mate made it easy for me to race Battenkill for the first time this year, I knew there would be some unusual preparations.  First question was what bike:  road or cyclocross.  Then which wheels, what tires, what size tires…  Is a dirt road really dirt or is it gravel or sand?  Even the usual questions presented problems.  Google Street View doesn’t cover most of the course; 62 miles of elevation profile completely misses some climbs; and I was signed up for the 30+ race and waitlisted for the 40+ race, resulting in 300 racers to research.  And yes, I usually show up for races with a detailed spreadsheet printout.

As it happens, I got an easy introduction.  My team mate guided me to an excellent equipment setup.  He also noted the crucial sections of the course with psychic accuracy.  The weather was perfect:  sunny, 60s and really dry.  I even got into the 40+ race.  The overall effect was manageable dirt and mellow climbs.  Which is not to say that a little rain wouldn’t make the whole thing a wicked mess; it would.

Here’s what I rode:  the normal team road bike (Specialized Tarmac Pro SL), my usual wheels (Mavic Ksyriums SL) and Continental Gatorskin tires, 23mm in the front and 25mm in the back, pumped up to 100psi.  I brought along an extra water bottle full of Gatorade spiked with protein powder and left the extra tube and inflator in the car.   I should have left the second bottle in the car, too.

Here’s how I rode:  the plan was to be at the front but out of the wind for as much of the race as possible; the idea being that I could respond to any serious attacks and avoid the accordion effect inevitable with the dirt and climbs.  I adhered to said plan except for the short climb on Juniper Swamp Road, wherein I put myself in to what little wind one finds while climbing.  The exercise confirmed that no attack was likely to get away until very late in the game.  At the second feed zone, I forced a selection and brought along four other riders.  Three of my breakaway companions turned out to be outlandishly strong.  The fourth was simply a fair match.  I was very happy with fifth place.  Tactically, a couple of better decisions might have improved my finish. But then again, I was in excellent company nearly a minute ahead of the field.