I didn't win.

But I did get second.

Cat 5 race. 30 minutes. 9 laps. really windy uphill to a cross/headwind (i think...hard to tell) sprint.

First (sprint lap) got lead out by a LSC (i think...) rider from a ways. He took first. I got second.

everyone (myself included) basically sat up after the line and cooled it until we came back around a few more laps later (basically, only the sprint laps were "fast", and only the last 1/4 of it-maybe that's because the first half is downhill?)

Lots of heavy breathing very early in the race. Especially on the hill. I think that some training helped with my fitness.

I sat out in the wind too often. I was more worried about being boxed in than being in the wind. It happens. I felt strong enough.

Nobody was working with anyone else, at least as far as I noticed. It was kind of surprising.

Same guy won the last two sprint laps. (not me...) He was nowhere to be seen on the first lap, though. So he ended with 10 points. I ended with 9. Second place across the board.

yeah. It was fun. I learned a bit. Stay out of the wind, and don't try to up the pace alone. easy. easier said than done, at least. Also, don't need to try to sprint from too far out...most (maybe myself included) can't hold the sprint that long and fade at the line...

No big secrets. Nothing super notable. I'll be doing some things differently if I do another Opus. Most primarily not time trialing the whole way to Minnetonka!