# @pvellner on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvug5k3rEYF
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/8198684-pvellner-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/legacy-do/601615127d76e00f57da20ca9736597836d5bc6ff38f4986bcf74ef3271e85f8.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-08-09T14:13:32.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Vellnerd (@PVellner) — https://gondola.cc/PVellner

## Caption

Test 1: Hell on Wheels
40 minutes is a long time to ride in a circle right? I thought so too until we got to do our practice lap and I saw how many death trap gravel corners there were out there. The Ride was a full focus event, and that means the time go by fast! It felt kind of like being in a video game, Constantly trying to figure out were you could make a move for a pass.
2 out of the last 3 bike events I’ve been in major crashes and the other one I came out too hard and blew up on the back half of the event so I wouldn’t say confidence was at an all time high. I trained a lot of biking this year, but I don’t race much so my plan was simple: stay on the bike, and have back half gas. I decided to go for a higher cadence to try and save leg power for the end. 
The mass start was super aggressive and the pace on lap 1 was nuts. I fell back and settled into pace for 2 laps before starting to climb. I had a few good pacers with me early and we worked our way up a bit, but I got dropped by Fikowski and Smith around lap 4 which in hindsight was a crucial mistake. As the end of the race approached i had no group to ride with and my pace showed it.
By the way that little dismount section was the absolute worst! It’s funny the things you cling onto mentally in long workouts like that. I was counting down those dismounts and there was one corner where my dad was that always jacked me up. I never saw him but could hear his voice through the crowd clear as day every lap. That penetration power comes from years of being yelled at as a kid 😂
No crashes, no blow ups, no excuses, just poor execution on a strategy that left me flapping in the wind. Worst part is my legs were still cooked either way. Good news is no heat issues or anything and 27th is a smaller hole than I’m used to.
As we walked back to the venue you could see some peoples spirits were crushed and there were obviously some serious crashes so I’m glad I avoided that, but it’s always fun to hear other people’s drama. Im better at shaking the Test 1 blues than most.
📷 @tamanephotography 
#rideordie #hellonwheels #test1 #notwhatweneeded

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 16,158
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 98

## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Vellnerd | @PVellner | https://gondola.cc/PVellner | Athlete |
| Justin Tamane | @Tamanephoto | https://gondola.cc/Tamanephoto | Photographer |

## Tags

test1, hellonwheels, rideordie, notwhatweneeded

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