Race Report: Helen Pool 4th of July Criterium - Davis (Masters 35+ Cat 4/5)
Race: Davis Criterium - Masters 35+ Cat 4/5
Date: July 4, 2025
AVRT racers: Michael Matthews
Top Result: 1st Place (of 23 starters)
Course: Flat figure eight course with choppy roads in places and eight corners. Wind was a minor factor on two south-facing straights. Most corners can be pedaled. Warm (not hot) morning weather.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/15007063729
Nutrition: ~100g of carbs in a bottle for pre/during race nutrition. Carbs and electrolytes after the Cat ⅘ race and before this one.
Event Recap: With a modest field of 23 riders in Masters, this would be a very different race from the cat 4/5 race earlier in the day. I had a busy race schedule this weekend and so didn't plan to empty the tank or try anything too long. There were some strong riders in this race that I had raced with previously, so I knew that if a break went containing them, it could stick with a smaller group to chase. Only one break stuck for a lap, and I was in it with two other riders. But we didn't work hard enough to keep it away. The rest of the race was fairly mellow, usually strung out and didn't bunch up very often. With no teams in numbers present, and just a bunch of single riders, there was no motivation to work on the front. That said I did ride with the top 3 to 8 riders all race, and ended up on the front a few times. I would do my pulls, but not expend too much energy, saving it for later. Things got spicy with three laps to go and the pace picked up. At the end of the second last lap, the start of the last lap, I felt some momentum on the finish straight, and sitting third wheel I decided to attack after corner one and go on a flyer for the rest of the lap to attempt a solo win. I did not want to be cornering through the last three or four corners with anyone, and the finish straight was not long enough to move up too many wheels. My solo move stuck all the way and I crossed the line with tens of meters to spare, hands up, and on my own! My favorite way to win!
