Is what it is. Did my local RR. Tried a few things that didn't work and dropped off and TT'd to the finish.
Last year's winning avg speed was what I did this year, while getting dropped. I did try things, things that didn't work. I'd rather say that than that I didn't do anything.
A few folks have said many times in something like this, you can do just fine without a team. It's low enough level it shouldn't matter. I can understand the sentiment, as folks do fine. Most of the time, probably. Today at least, I'd politely disagree. There were a couple of us loners up front for a while. One guy finished up there as a loner, to prove the point.
But, out of the entire 4/5 field, I was one of probably 3 or 4 not on a team. I dropped, one made it, one broke a chain, pretty sure the other one was behind me somewhere. And every team there seemed to do what a team is supposed to do.
I guess my gamble that lost was my bet to try to get the other loner to follow. Can't remember if 1st or 2nd lap, the ending hill section. We were up front somewhere and I wanted to pull him out. I got good separation, he made it, he took his turn......then didn't spin well going downhill. He just tucked. Group caught us. We probably would have gotten away and been able to team TT it.
He was stronger and made it. We both reabsorbed after that failed, but I fell off somewhere the next lap.
I really really felt with what was happening around me that was my only bet with what the teams were doing, and doing well. That's a crappy bet I feel I had to make. It was very very obvious I would not be in any position to win anything following the team's wheels.
I get told I can't be frustrated by something like that, it just feels kind of fruitless while watching team mates work together and you suffer alone. I hear all the stories of folks moving up over time by themselves. I'm sure they do. The numbers around here though seem highly skewed the other way.
The pace was such that if I had one or two equal compadres.......would have had no problem keeping going.
Summary: choose to gamble on making something happen and finish in the bottom...........suck wheel all day and have zero chance to win/podium
I've got some thinking to do.