Naju MCT Race Report / 나주 MCT 후기

Last weekend was the 3^rd round of the Korean National Amateur Series (MCT) and it is the only course of the 6 round series that is consistently suited to my abilities (flat and likely for a mass sprint finish).  Given this, I tried to prepare as best as I could despite my work situation and a friend visiting for a week prior just before the race.  The best prep ride I had was definitely the Watts Century which was a hundred mile group ride with multiple long climbs included.  That plus lots of mid-week mountain bike & road rides before work plus squats at the gym all winter was my main training base. 

I have a good history racing in Naju with a 2^nd, 8^th and 1^st place finish to my record but I wasn’t feeling as strong as I did last year for the race.  I was still confident that a top 10 was well within my reach though.  The race started off fast and despite numerous attacks nothing got more than about 10 seconds in front of the pack.  I felt good and stayed sheltered until the last 5 km when I started to move up.  About 1km before the finish there was a tight corner and I knew it would be critical to be in the top 10 going into it because it could easily cause the pack to split. 

Watts cycling had other ideas though and they had 3 guys at the front leading out their leader Tim Rochford for the sprint.  I wasn’t as far up as I wanted to be so I passed several riders in the gutter to jump into about 8^th place in line going into the corner but the Watts team took it hard enough that they pulled off the front of the line.  Looking around I knew no one in front of me was going to start pulling but out of the corner of my eye I saw the yellow jersey and winner of the first 2 races Chang Jin Ahn come flying up the side of us.  I jumped on his wheel and we came in to sprint for 2^nd place with Tim holding us off by 2 seconds at the finish.  I wasn’t able to come around Chang Jin but still held on for 3^rd which I was satisfied with.  It would have been hard to beat Tim even if I would have been on his wheel going into the last corner given the perfect lead out his teammates gave him. 

Our team placed well with 3 riders in the top 20 for 2^nd place in the team competition on the day.  Which puts us as the 5^th ranked team in the series currently and myself ranked 14^th overall.  There are 3 races left and I would like to work my way into a top 10 spot in the series.  I will be more than satisfied if our team is able to hold onto a top 5 spot as well. 

The next day was a circuit race and TTT at the F1 race track in Mokpo.  We majorly screwed up the tactics in the circuit race to miss the breakaway and hence prize money spots but redeemed ourselves with a respectable top 10 in the TTT.  All of the races were super fast with over a 42km/hr average for the TTT and 43km/hr for the Naju road race.  The highlight for me though of racing at the F1 track is going out for crab afterwards.  They have this amazing restaurant which serves raw crab meat marinated in sweet red pepper paste and then served with crab soup. It’s definitely one of my favorite foods in Korea and was a great way to end an overall successful weekend. 

This was also my first week on my new Cipollini Bond bike and I have to say I’m very pleased with performance.  Light, stiff, responsive and comfortable as well.  I’m definitely looking forward to racing more on it.  For the next 2 weeks there are no races but my team is going to a pension in the woods this weekend for a sort of team building camp and to do some photos for the sponsors.  Next up there is another fun team time trial and then the next race of the MCT series which will be on a rolling course with a small hill for the finish.  If I can keep training well I’m hoping for a good finish there as well.  (Pics Below)

지난 주말에 시합 두 개 나갔습니다.  토요일에 MCT  3번째 나주 대회 탔고 일요일에 영암 F1경기장에서 써킷 레이스 와 티티티 탔습니다.  나주 에 우리 팀 약속에 땅 같은 곳 입니다.  항상 탈 때 마다 누가 포디엄 오로 가고나 단체 일등 합니다.  작년에 제가 나주에서 일등 해서 이번에도 잘 타 고 싶었습니다.  작년 보다 준비 좀 부족 했지만 웨트 하고 주중 남산 라이딩 와 와츠 센추리 장거리 라이딩 하면서 준비했어요.  

그리고 이번에 우리 팀 새 자전거 다 받았습니다.  내가 치폴리니 본드 캐모 새 깔 로 선택 했습니다.  자전거 가 아주 stiff 와 comfortable 하니까 자신 있었어요!  

이번에 나주 전략은 작년처럼 그냥 팩에서 마지만 5키로 남을 때 까지 잘 쉬면서 라스트 잘 치고 싶었습니다.  이번에 코스 조금 달랐지만 아주 빨은 코스이었고 브레이크어웨이 절 때 못 가는 코스 이였어요.  1키로 남을 때 약간 어려운 커브 있어서 난 그때 10등 정도 되야 일등 가능성 있겠다 생각했습니다.  그래서 그 정도 자리 잡았습니다.  하지만 와츠 팀 다른 계획 있었어요.  커브에서 앞에 3명 너무 세게 타면서 4등 사람 못 달라갔어요.  그래서 1키로 남을 때 갑자기 와츠 3명 50미터 gap 있었어요.  그리고 내가 앞에 있는 사람들 안가고 있었어요.  근데 갑자기 안창진 선서 갔어 서 내가 바로 뒤에 달라갔어요.  우리 1등 했던 Tim 선수 못 잡았지만 2,3등으로 들어왔어요.  난 창진 넘어 가봤지만 못넘어서 3등했습니다.  이거 아주 만족 한 결과이었습니다. 

우리 팀 결과 도 잘나왔어요, 20등 내 3명 있어서 단체 2등 했어요!  이제는 우리 단체 랭킹 5등 이고 난 개인 14등 입니다.  앞으로 난10등 들어가는 목표로 타겠습니다.  그리고 우리 팀 5등잡을수있으면 아주 만족 한 MCT 시즌 될거같습니다.  

일요일에 영암에서 써킷 결과는 전략 잘 못 잡았기 때문에 잘 안나 왔지만 TTT 십등 내로 들어 와서 만족 했어요.  앞으로 시합 전에 팀 회의 하고 그날 전략 잡아야겠다 ㅎㅎ.  근데 항상 F1시합 타로 올 때 시합 보다 계장 먹는거 도 기대 합니다.  이번에도 게살비빔밥 와 꽃게 탕 맛있게 먹었어요!

앞으로 우리 팀 야유회 있고 싱싱 TTT있고 그리고 그 다음 MCT 영주에서 합니다.  영주는 코스 아직 안타봤지만 열심히 준비 해서 좋은 결과로 타볼게요!