The ABRT group is off to the airport at 08:00am tomorrow.
The ABRTers hooked up with Ken Whelpdale again, and brought Big Ring Eddy (who has been to Mallorca 10+ times and knows the routes better than the Fred Rompelberg 268 guides) with them. Not all the ABRTers rode, but with Ken and Eddy we had eight riders. Others were spending quality time with their sweethearts, in Mallorca. Ace and Tina did an easy ride up the boardwalk for coffee. It appears that Tina may be aware of the slowing effect coffee has on Ace.
The Wheelsucker has been trying to hold back slightly all week and save something for the last couple of days, and this was the last day; it was now or never. When the group arrived at the base of the one long climb (the longest climb in Mallorca), the Wheelsucker waited until the climb started to get steep and launched as hard as an aging Wheelsucker can launch. AND IT WORKED!!
The Wheelsucker had been targeting a really strong twenty minute interval all week and this was the very last opportunity. No one tried to come with him. Early on, perhaps two to three minutes in, he was seeing an average of 345 watts, but the Wheelsucker knew he could not hold that for twenty minutes. But the clock was ticking, and the Wheelsucker’s job was to keep the current power number above 300 watts each time he checked the display on his computer. The Wheelsucker stared at his front wheel and the road a few feet in front of him and pedaled as hard as an aging Wheelsucker can pedal. He checked behind two or three times, but did not see anyone chasing. The average power slowly came down as the Wheelsucker tired. He would sit and spin until his legs were screaming and the power number started to drop, and then he would stand and shift up two gears and grind until the slightly different muscles used were jelly, and then shift back down and spin. And repeat; over and over again. The Wheelsucker tried to avoid staring at the elapsed time number on the computer; it helped that he could only see it when seated.
The average power number slowly dropped, but almost every time the Wheelsucker checked the instantaneous power, he was still pushing over 300 watts. The twenty minutes took forever. At seventeen minutes the Wheelsucker decided he would make it. He was averaging 318 watts at that point, but at eighteen minutes he figured he could drive it up, and hammered with everything an aging Wheelsucker had left, for the last two minutes. And the average climbed to 319 watts. The Wheelsucker’s best twenty minutes (CP20) up to this time was set on a timed climb at the Idlebreaks training camp, several years ago. That number was 305 watts, so 319 is fourteen watts better.
Very early on the Wheelsucker had considered continuing hard after twenty minutes, also going for thirty minutes or even the entire climb, but he had nothing left and sat up. Sitting up on a climb still doesn’t work all that well, and he still averaged 248 watts for the rest of the climb. While going easy he was passed first by Scott, then by Big Ring Eddy, and then finally by Katy. But even though the Wheelsucker sat up at twenty minutes, he still set a new high CP30 of 297 watts.
Scott came back down part way to do part of the climb again. Big Ring Eddie – who caught Scott just before the top -- found a warm spot in the sun to wait for the others.
The view from the top of the climb was spectacular.
Arriving at the top of the longest climb on Mallorca. The second time for Scott and Katy, as they dropped back down part way after first making it up 
The Wheelsucker badly needed a coffee/Coca Cola stop, except he did not feel like having anyApparently so was the view while climbing, but the Wheelsucker only remembers the road, his front wheel, the computer display, and the suffering.
The Wheelsucker had a long wait for the others. First he got off the bike and laid down on a bench to rest. The Wheelsucker ate a sandwich, consumed all the gel in his flask, and when Ken arrived, ate a Powerbar Ken offered him. Apparently the Wheelsucker had expended everything he had in twenty minutes. When the group rolled out the Wheelsucker had stomach pains and felt weak. After a fun descent (which the Wheelsucker was very slow on) there were some rollers. The Wheelsucker was slow on the technical downhills and had no power to go up small bumps. Others in the group were particularly concerned with the Wheelsucker’s condition, with Scott telling him to stop at the fountain of credibility and Katy telling him to practice not showing he was in pain.
The group had to stop and wait several times for the Wheelsucker. But he slowly felt better and most of the return 50 miles were downhill, though into the wind. The Wheelsucker took two short pulls and sat in the rest of the time, trying to conserve enough energy to make it up the short bumps without going off the back. Finally seeing the hotel was awesome for the Wheelsucker, who was ready to fall off his bike.
The group assembled at Frank and Carmen’s "La Terraza" http://www.la-terraza.eu cyclists bar (a frequent post-ride hangout near the hotel) to watch the finish of Milan San Remo. The entire place is decorated with cycling jerseys, some from well known pro teams and signed by the riders.
Tina took one look at the Wheelsucker and told him to get some food. A cheese burger, fries and beer later, the Wheelsucker was starting to feel a little better and able to enjoy the Milan San Remo finish.
The Wheelsucker particularly appreciated Simon Gerrans wheelsucking behind the amazing Fabian Cancellara all the way from the top of the Poggio to about 20 meters from the finish line, taking what appeared to be one nine second pull (which was nine seconds more than Nibali did), in that time. With Cancellara doing an amazing job of pulling the three rider break away from the field on the descent of the Poggio and on the flat section leading to the finish in San Remo. This was a move the Wheelsucker could dream about.
Carmen was particularly enthusiastic about Cancellara, cheering her favorite on at several points.
That evening the entire ABRT group escaped “little Berlin” for a nearby restaurant called “Parilla” recommended by Carl, our contact at Pactimo.
The Mallorkeen spelling of Parvilla?Some of the ABRT contingent claimed this was simply “Parvilla” mis-spelled. How does someone in Colorado know about restaurants in Mallorca? Apparently Carl knows Mallorca very well. The food was again wonderful. The Wheelsucker was barely able to walk to the restaurant, but felt much better after a great meal and several glasses of wine.
Paella!The winning jerseys were awarded, with Katy Colgary winning the green sprinter’s jersey, “Uncle” Bob Walters winning the polka dot climbers jersey, and Scott Giles winning the yellow jersey.
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