Starcrossed

Aka: My "ego" race. As it is the only one where friends and family will likely ever see me race. My goal this year was to finally conquer it as this race the last couple years was anything but a boost to my ego. With big names like Dunlap, Syder, Butler and Helen Wyman (from Britin, ranked 5th in the world) I didn't have high hopes of this race being a big ego boost. Mainly I just wanted to ride a clean race and not crash at the beer garden barriers (something I have accomplished at this race before).
Thankfully the luck of the women's race was with us as the rain paused long enough for the course to become perfectly tacky and almost ideal race conditions. (not so for the elite men - downpour the second our race ended!) I had a great start - 4th going into the first set of barriers. I tried to keep composure while mentally screaming "Alison Dunlap's chasing my wheel!!!!" but she came around me shortly after so then it was me in no man's land for a couple laps in 5th place. My goal was 5th. My first UCI podium shoot (as this race generally goes 5 deep)! There was no way I was not going to get 5th today. The chase group eventually caught me, but with some serious attrition. One lap later and it was me against Wendy Williams and Emily Van Meter from Subaru/Hudz. Although I could get the gap on them, they kept working together to chase back on and with 2 laps to go I went into roadie mode - sit in and go for the sprint! Going into the last turn, Emily attacked but I was able to outsprint her on the final stretch to take 5th!
Talk about a boost to the ego! I might as well of won the Olympics as I got surrounded by friends and family! In anticipation I went over to the podium, ready and overflowing with excitement...to find out that they decided only to put the top 3 up there this year!!!! Go figure! Looks like next year's goal is top 3....