Book of Chad

Topaz is back after being off the calendar for a few years, and it is always well attended. Being in Victoria and early in the season, it attracts many first-timers, and with the course being more like a grass crit, it has a low barrier to entry. It was pretty awesome watching large groups from the team tents with the barriers right in front of us in the beginner, intermediate, and masters fields. The course itself is defined by long straights and tight corners. There is an off-camber section that is a great place to watch riders navigate, and a set of stairs where the team at Butt Cat Racing always offers good hand-ups. This year, the upper field became more like a sand dune, which made it tricky and faster in sections off the bike. There was also the addition of a pump track that was installed since we last came to Topaz.

The race started well. I began from the front row and was second into the first corner. By the time we reached the long straight to the off-camber section, I had been passed by the really fast guys and found myself just inside the top ten. I was quite happy with my skills during the first part of the race; I felt efficient and was going along well. However, it became pretty clear that what I was lacking was horsepower. This has been a recurring theme for me at Topaz, and with my focus on XC stage racing this year, I really lacked the punch and recovery that this type of course requires.

In the later laps, I started making tired mistakes, which slowed me down and pushed my position back a few places. In a different season, I would have been unhappy about that. However, this year, I’m just happy to be racing and looking forward to the courses changing with the weather, bringing them more into my wheelhouse.

Race: COTR #1 Topaz
Time: 59:44 Laps: 9
Avg Heart Rate: 188
Max Heart Rate: 197
Place: 22nd