What a race! I've never raced that hard in my life! I emptied the tank, left nothing out there thus was out sprinted with 200 yards to go. Initially I was really heart broken but I'm getting over it.
I rode the first half in a group of 6; Georgia pulling, Heather, Emily, Chloe, Mackenzie and I sitting on each others wheels. They dropped me in the trees a few times but I kept chasing back on. It is so much less effort when you're in a group and I knew that falling off the back means so much work alone and a much greater chance of being caught. So I kept chasing back on then finally couldn't chase. But I kept pushing, I didn't want to get caught, finally I caught Chloe. She and I worked together for a good bit until she had a derailleur issue. I kept going and was alone for approximately the last 10 miles. Too much work alone. I kept pushing but was suffering really hard core by the last few kilometers. The hills that I hadn't even noticed in the pre-ride were excruciatingly steep! I didn't realize Chloe had caught me until .5K to go. I turned myself inside out, but she passed me with 200 yards to go. There goes $300 is what I thought! I still made $700 for 6th place.
It was really great riding in that group for the first half. I'd just look up and think, "Wow, that woman in front just got the Bronze at the Olympics (Georgia Gould), that other one also rode in the Olympics (Emily Batty and the other two were on the long list for the Olympics (Chloe Woodruff and Heather Irmiger). The other girl is on the US national Paralympic team (Mackenzie), she rides in the front of a tandem." Riding with a big group of "Olympians" is pretty thrilling!
What needs to be highlighted are the crowds. They are incredible, they line the course for the last kilometer and scream and cheer and ring bells and hit the boards on the barriers and it is spectacular. You ride through a tunnel of people all yelling at the top of their lungs-it's the best feeling ! I love the crowds here, they get into the race the way no other spectators do. Makes it worth all the pain!
No guarantees, but I'm 98% sure I'm coming back next year!