Colnago, you raise an excellent point I did seriously consider. The Domane may not be the best choice for someone with the goal of being competitive. I'm in my mid 40s with some aches and pains so I decided to sacrifice additional speed for a bit more comfort that may help me achieve longer distance in a more 'participatory' fashion. But ya, you're totally right my prospects of ending up on the podium are reduced by this decision 😂 let me know if you guys have any more pointers for noobs!