Rouge Roubaix - Racing Down on the Bayou

March 9, 2008:  Come get some pain!...that’s what the race website says in big letters.

Rouge Roubaix, as it’s namesake implies, is a hard mans race, in the spirit of Paris Roubaix (I’m still boycotting ASO events).  It’s a 101mile affair starting in St Francisville LA (about 30minutes north of Baton Rouge), on Louisanna backcountry roads and jeep trails.  The course is a huge loop heading north into Mississippi, and back around.

Having faired well in the Athens Dirt Road Race, fellow Zealot, Jason Guzak, and I took off on the 9hr drive to the next adventure.  We left Friday night in the snowstorm, wondering if this was the smartest thing we’ve ever done...but, by Huntsville, the snow had turned to rain, and we made it to Meridan MS, before waking up the next day and heading down to the race site.  The race was Sunday, so we got a short 25 mile preride of some of the course.  Weather was fairly nice, and we where just glad to be away from the cold & snow.

We preregistered Saturday night, and where informed there where 3 sections of dirt, totaling 20miles.  What they didn’t say was that there was another 40miles of “roads” that made Temple Road look like a newly paved superhighway...the worst chip and seal stuff you’ve ever seen, with massive sinkholes, and maybe one lane wide, at best.

Sunday’s weather would prove challenging...the day would start out at 31degrees, but forecasts for 67degrees by noon meant clothes would be shed. 

As we rolled up to the start line, with no less than about 80 others in the A race, Jason turned to me and said “look, everyone has 25's on”...Umm....what where we in for?  Jason and I had our normal 23t setups...I thought I was smart by using a 12-23, instead of my 11-23...nope...MISTAKE #1 for the newbies...you need a 25t, at min. On the bright side, we’d have a wheel truck, which I really did not expect....just in case, I took all my stuff to change a tire, as did Jason...Good DECISION #1.

There where 4 teams well represented, each with at least 6 guys.  To be honest, I did not expect the size or quality of the field present.  There was a Volkswagon team from Texas that showed up with at least 8 guys, and would assume control of most of the race.  Memphis Motor Works, Herring Gas, and some team out of San Antonio where the other major teams in attendance.

The race started with about 10 miles of good roads, before venturing off on to about 5miles of chip and seal.  After this, it was back on the good roads for another 5miles, before hitting the first section of dirt.  Immediately, the speeds went up to 27mph, on mostly flat, well packed dirt....and stayed there....the peloton was strung out pretty well at this point.  This section lasted for about 6-8miles....as we exited, the field had been cut in about half...we still had at least 40-50guys in the peloton.  A nice “natural” break was had for those to get rid of coffee, and shed some clothes...things where just starting to heat up.

At was nice and smooth, as Team Volkswagon massed at the front, and kept a nice 25mph pace for the next 20-25miles on smooth roads.  At about mile 64, we knew the next section of dirt started, and there was a good pitch 1mile in, with a hill prime at the top.  As we started the pitch, the road became less well packed with lot’s of small gravel...now I knew why folks had 25's...it was the kind of pitches and surface you find in a mtb race.  I had to work my way from midpack, and dodge several of those weaving back and forth trying to find good lines, to make it to the top with a lead group of 10riders....one rider in the front had smelled the prime, and had already gotten a 5 second gap...oh well...need to work on positioning...but, over the top, we where 10 strong riders, with about a 20 second gap on the field.  The break worked for about 5minutes, but it was apparent the Herring Gas team, with one rider in the break, wasn’t happy with this draw, and where drilling it in the field behind to catch up.  We where caught before the next section of road.

A few attacks followed on the road, but nothing stuck.  The last section of dirt was at about mile 80.  This would prove the decisive point in the race.  MISTAKE #2:  not knowing this was a decisive point in the race.

With 40-50riders still in tact, we made a sharp turn onto the dirt, dumping a lot of speed...we where immediately faced with a very steep, very narrow, very loose climb....this is where you REALLY needed the 25t...and, you really, really needed to be in the front...the very front.  The road was just wide enough for an atv, and had huge gulleys on both sides.  The surface was small, loose gravel, and the pitch was probably around 20%+.  After one less than brilliant guy riding in a skinsuit and on a disc wheel (Oh my!) managed to lay it down across the trail, this is what it looked like behind...

The Nashville Zealots where caught behind, and the front 10 that made it to the top without walking, would race for the win.  Jason would comment afterwards, that cyclocross didn’t seem appealing, after that run up.

After remounting, and hitting the gas hard, in a vain effort to chase (at that point, I didn’t know how many where up the road, or how far), Jason and I found ourselves in the first chase group of 10.  But, to our dismay, half of the 10 in our group had guys up the road.  The next 20miles would be dirt and nasty chip and seal, all the way to the finish.  It was a constant series of attacks by the 5 with no representation, followed by the inevitable chase.  With about 3miles to go, I heard this hissing sound...with the wheel truck having past our group 5miles back, in support of the lead group, I was glad I brought the needed repair tools.  I knew it was either me, or Jason, who was right in front.  Luck had caught up with the Nashville Zealots, as Jason’s rear tire went flat.

With 2miles to go, there was a very short, but very steep pitch on chip and seal, that would pop 2 more from the group.  As we came to the line, we where still on the very narrow, chip and seal roads, and coming around people was rather challenging...it was all bunched up, and kind of a funky sprint, as those at the front clogged the road, for those behind trying to come around...I think I had to restart my sprint at least twice, as we weaved around trying to find a opening…I ended up 5^th in this group, and placing 15^th overall.

As we sprinted across the line, the road opened up, and low and behold, we where right in front of a bar....always party time in the bayou.

 Clarke