Finishing up a long weekend of racing

Wow what a long weekend. We finished up today with a quality crit in downtown Cloquet. 45 min of pain is what crits are. The course had a long very wide finishing straight at a slight downhill and a strong tailwind. At the end of the straight was a screaming fast 90 degree corner, after the corner was a short kicker that you could carry some momentum up with another 90 degree corner at the top. From there it was a gradual climb into a headwind to the 3rd corner and down a somewhat rough descent into the last 90 which spit back out onto the finishing straight. Anyway it started raining when we started and the corners at one point were getting slick. I felt my rear tire slipping a little going into the fast 40+ mph corner. I backed off a little after that. Dave Muecke broke away early (I'd say within the first 15 min) and another guy had joined him. I never even knew there was a break until I hear people yelling "40 seconds" with like 7 laps to go. Everyone still had some kick in their legs and the pace was surging quite often. I tried to make a prime at one point (not knowing that Dave was out) but a couple guys still came around me. It was kind of fun coming down the finishing straight all stretched out single file going 45 mph. I was amazed that Dave stayed out the entire time. I'm impressed with the endurance and jump speed these guys had the entire weekend. I was happy making up some time every day in the GC. After the TT on friday I was like 21st and by the end of today I climbed up to 15th. These guys have been pushing big headwinds in road races all spring and started training alot earlier than I did. This is also my first road race in 2 years (besides last years cat 4 Northfield crit) in which I was racing cat 4 or 5. This curly bar racing is a totally different effort than mtbing, and tactics is a major factor.

Observations on the differences in the mtb community vs road racers (note: these are merely personal observations and I mean no offense to anyone or group)
With an environment of tactics, and ones standings being effected by what others do there seems to be more tension between riders in the road community and a more "competitive" attitude toward others. Its a more serious game out there on the road. And since everyone is together sketchy riders can easily crash out a bunch of riders, so there is some tempers that can flare there too.

In mtbing the strongest rider always wins, there is nothing a team can do to affect the outcome of a "real" mtb race and no one can hide or get a free ride at the back. There is no support out on the trail and everyone must fend for themselves. Unlike road racing where you quit racing if you get dropped, you keep racing because everyone is spread out over the course. Anyway, this kind of racing doesn't give much reason to get angry at anyone. You either have it or you don't. The mtb community seems to be more laid back and friendlier to competition.

I still like road racing and I think both disciplines compliment each other. This weekend definitely kicked my but and I'm fried right now but now its time to recover and wait for the benefits to be had on the other side.
I have to say thanks to the Thompsons for feeding me out on and off the course, Tone Coughlin and Jill for housing me and putting on a superb weekend of racing, to all the volunteers out on the course making it safe to ride, and to Hed wheels for some TT goodies and the pair of Ardennes wheels which made the bike quite a bit lighter and handle like a dream out there. There is also some pride in riding some wheels that you built yourself :)