Tales from the Peloton: Crestline, California
The 2004 Crestline stage of the Redlands Classic stage race was one of the most dramatic and memorable days of racing in North American cycling.
It was the day when I felt I finally discovered my place in the peloton.
I was riding for the tiny, underfunded Webcor team. But, despite our diminutive size, we had a major weapon on our team: Chris Horner. Horner was the three-time defending winner of the Redlands Classic, and twice the overall winner of the year-long United States National Racing Calendar points competition. Horner had won the race leader’s yellow jersey in the Mount Roubidoux time trial the prior day putting over 20 seconds into US Postal Service teammates of Lance Armstrong. The second stage to Crestline featured an open, exposed course with a final steep, ten kilometer climb to finish in the town of Crestline.
As our team lined up on the start line to defend Horner’s jersey, the other teams looked on us as like a pack of hungry wolves ready to devour their prey. They were certain that our poor squad would be helpless to resist their relentless attacks and would break under the pressure. The weather forecast was for strong winds, which would allow the bigger teams to try and tear the peloton to pieces in the strong cross winds. As the gun went off, we dutifully went to the front to lead the peloton into a strong block headwind, nervously awaiting the first change of direction in the course when the strong teams would attempt to impose the will on the race. After ten kilometers slogging away into the headwind with the other teams conserving energy tucked safely in our draft, the first right turn approached, and the tension within the peloton reached a boil.
Immediately the peloton exploded into echelons as the strong Mercury and US Postal Service teams attempted to bully our team into submission. I found myself in the second echelon struggling to regain contact with the first echelon so I could help Horner. Worse yet for our team, Ted Huang - my teammate and co-founder of World Champ Tech - had been badly hurt in one of the many crashes in those opening crosswinds as rider fought for wheels, and was on the way to the hospital by helicopter and out of the race.
Small echelons breaking away from the peloton at the Crestline stage of the 2004 Redlands Classic
Finally, a large group of nearly a dozen riders, with most of the strongest teams represented, started to form off the front. Almost simultaneously, my echelon, containing most of the riders from our team, caught back up with the front echelon after miles of chasing. Immediately we went to the front to control the peloton and protect our team leader. Losing Ted was a large blow to the team and left us with only five riders to pound out the miles in pursuit of the leading group. Our plan was to save our best climber, Justin England, to help Horner out on the final summit finish. Once the leaders reached a two minute gap we set a strong pace, pinning the rest of the peloton in our wake.
Ben Haldeman takes a turn on the front with the peloton stretched out behind
Charles Dionne leads the peloton past one of the many small ranches along the race route
Then, something almost unthinkable happened. On a small downhill we heard the tell tale sounds of screeching breaks and crunching bikes to signify a crash behind us. Nearly immediately our team director Jay Gump radioed from the car: “there’s been a large crash and the road is completely blocked so you will have to rely on neutral support for wheels.” A giant crash had taken out scores of riders and blocked the road.
A giant crash split the field with only our team and a small number of lucky riders managing to sneak through the carnage unscathed
Since our entire team had avoided the crash, and we had a break still to catch, we continued to ride a hard tempo at the front. One of the US Postal Service riders - teammates of Lance Armstrong - came up along side Horner begging him to order the team to ease up and allow their best riders to catch back on. The US Postal Service team was one of the bigger teams that had been bullying us all day. Horner asked if they would help us chase if we waited for their team leader. The Postal Service rider informed Horner that they would not help. Horner told us to keep riding, and so we did.
Webcor continued to set the pace at the front of the peloton following the massive crash.
Our team had spent most of the day thoughtfully riding at the front tucked to the leeward side of the road with Horner the last rider in the gutter getting a good draft. The other teams had to expend energy riding in the wind to protect their own riders. Our persistent efforts after the crash forced the other teams to use even more energy to catch up with the peloton, and the chasing riders were likely also nursing bruises and open wounds from the crash. Finally, as the summit climb approached, Horner gave the team orders to empty our tanks before we would be inevitably dropped: “10 k at 100% percent!” Our acceleration quickly started to eat into the time gap to the leading group, with the time dropping from two minutes to just 30 seconds by the base of the long climb to the finish. I was immediately dropped, but got a chance to see Justin England punch his time card and get to work, quickly bridging the final gap to the break with Horner in tow. Horner then put the hammer down to blow away the remnants of the peloton and take the stage win.
Until this day, I had always felt a bit uncomfortable and unsure of my place in the peloton. You may believe that you are strong enough to play a key role in a race, but until you are forced to perform or yield under the fierce heat of the crucible of racing, you can’t be certain of your strength. The Crestline stage showed that I was forged with the necessary toughness to withstand the sternest hammer blows from the strongest riders, and that I deserved a place at the front of the peloton.
— James
Justin England stretched the peloton to the breaking point on the opening slopes of the final climb to Crestline.
Horner delivered the hammer blow to the remnants of the peloton once Justin England caught the break.
Photos © 2004 Rob Karman