Manda is as close to a Belgian day race that there is in Central Texas I suppose. Set in rural, working poor country, settled by Swedish immigrants.
There are long flat stretches along treeless wind swept fields. It's seems to always be windy and overcast.
Generally the race gets strung out as the wind plucks riders off the back like a John Deere combine harvester or something like that, and comes down to a survivors finish. I had the luck to be a survivor and finish in the top 10 this year.
P.S. All the other 2011 spring classix were marred by mediocrity:
Tour of NewBraunfels
Survived the winds and finished with the selection. Allsatian
Formerly a classic road race turned suburban sprawl circuit race.
Recklessly lead the charge up the finishing hill. Swallowed by the pack across the line PaceBend/Walburg
Did about 5 minutes of each due to injury from improperly carrying heavy objects by bicycle. LaPrimaVera
Pack finish both days. Fayetteville Saturday; Pack finish for RoadRace and middle of TT (6.6miles@16:20) sitting top 20 in GC at the end of the day. Following the advise of my director's sportiff's to be more aggressive this season, I cursed the entire field for passing me over the yellow line, while I elbowed my way to the front before the final turn. Sunday; I found myself in a 5 man break for 2 laps with 2 min on the field which eventually caught us and spit me off the back before the finish. Manor
Woolly Mammoth and Party Time animated this race. Lots of attacks and a 5th field sprint, 12th overall. The last K's covering the talented Jaime Dayo, who did not disappoint, with a bike throw for 4th. Party Time took the win in a 2 man break ahead of Jaime's 5 men.
This remix pretty much sums up my feelings on the Kraut Town Road Race. (Listen to it while you read for full experience.)
Patricio was in the form you want to be in for an early 2 man break after the KOM hill. I was just behind them in no mans land for a spell but resigned to return to the comforts of the peleton. Of course I was going for that first KOM, but also had reservations about attacking my mate. I ran false tempo, but the breakees were inevitably groupo compacto'ed. I knew correctly faking it when someone accused me of chasing the break, which I was happy to let them think that I was so stupidly doing. Some fitter folks called the bluff and picked up the pace. After catching the break my next mission was to cover all the puny attacks that were to follow. Coming into the second and final lap all I could think about was my Coke in the feed zone. As we approached I rode up to Best Young Rider and War on Drugs veteran James Dayo. My instructions were to block the road from all attacks coming into the feed. Just as we were conspiring there was an attack and surge. Enraged, I raced to the front to kill the momentum. As I was about to give the instigator a piece of my sugar deprived mind I noticed it was friend of the team Eric Hess riding for Austin Bikes. I told him what a dick he was and he apologized saying he didn't know about the feed zone. Oh, I dropped my Coke anyway.
No hard feelings Eric. Your one of the good ones.
Near the red kite I was up front and feeling great. I should have attacked out of the last low water crossing and rammed it into the final k, 'cause that's the way I like it baby I don't wanna live forever. Instead I ended up to early in the sprint on the wrong side of the road . There was an official standing up the road in front of me waving a yellow flag, so I drifted back to find a hole. He looked as if he were preparing to body check me if I did not comply. Noncompliance would have disqualified Patricio's 4th also. Which, by the way, he almost disqualified himself for by littering, but he was only handing out autographed pictures of his win at Ft. Davis, Which he is now famous throughout the hill country for.
