City Cycle takes to the streets of Los Gatos during the 38th running of Cat's Hill Classic. Here's the run down from winner, Patrick Ruggles.
Weather: 65 Degrees, no wind
Main obstacle: Cat's Hill, 17% grade up one residential block.
At the onset of the race a Los Gatos rider went off the front and stayed away for 4 of the 12 laps of the race. When that rider was brought back I marked him. During the race I tried to be as close to the front as possible and felt it was harder to get to the top of the climb if I was to far back. With 2 laps or trips up Cats Hill I was sitting 2nd wheel at the base of the climb and 10 meters from the crest the same Los Gatos rider who was off the front at the beginning of the race rushed up the right side and I jumped on his wheel and we sprinted over the crest and down the back straight of the course with a 5-7 second gap right away. I said 'it's you and me and we have a good gap" so we put our heads down and stopped looking back. I led through the finish line on the bell lap and up to the crest of the climb when I let the Los Gatos rider take the lead down the back straight. 3 deep breaths. I looked back only to realize that the peloton wasn't closing in so I let him have a couple of lengths going into the last turn so I could accelerate towards him going into the final turn. I got the jump in the sprint before we entered the last 100 meters and passed him as soon as we came out of the final turn and realized that I was free and clear of him with nothing but beautiful clean day light between me and the line. A clean pair of wheels. Success! Cat's Hill is a super fun race to be in and watch and was my big objective for this year.
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