Late season crits are a tall order. I think the mental rigors are more draining than the physical expenditure. The physical demands are not remarkably different from cyclocross. Most of yesterday's race felt to me like a cyclocross start strung out over twenty miles: constant jostling for position at thirty miles per hour.
But what a scene! Racing around Government Center with crowds, cowbells and Frankie Andreu announcing was very exciting. Early on, I nearly overcooked the turn onto Congress while pushing the pace off the front - that bordered on too exciting. There were a couple of iron grates on that turn that I couldn't shake out of my head and I thought I was going into the metal barriers for sure. Later, it looked like I had gotten away with two other riders. I was the only one with team mates in the mix, so it was a long shot and got shut down pretty quickly. With one lap to go, I got pushed into the barriers and had to brake going into the hill on Court Street. Between being a little spooked by the pack and all the lost momentum, I was looking to finish upright from there on in.
I haven't seen the final results yet, but I definitely made the fun podium. The place podium, not so much.
