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Thursday, August 4, 2011

I though it would find the perfect storm

But in the end this was the news that was delivered. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/htc-highroad-disbands-after-failed-sponsor-search. No takers for the deal, and it is now dead at the close of this season.

Another blow to cycling ? Another blow to American cycling ? Either way this is a strong team that had a huge amount of talent and heart. But in the end, CASH IS KING. 
It's just kind of disheartening. We have made some real strides stateside in professional cycling as far as team organization and real recognition as contenders. 

As for me.
Tuesday night races went exactly as planned and played all the way until 100 meters before the final turn.

Prime 1 - I would stay strong up front and not contend. (check)
Prime 2 - I would stay strong up front and contend for the sprint to see where my legs were at. (check) I got 2nd.

Race finish- Look for a breakaway within the last 2 laps. Don't initiate it, but if it comes hard, get on it.
The true jump at a breakaway never held, 4-5 of us would jump and real them back within 75 yards.
Once again there was shenanigans in the masters race and it equated to a 5 man wreck with firetrucks showing. The wind was freaking brutal and it played the field like an accordian. 
Cat 4/5 final lap found about 12 of the 24 starters still in and on. I felt fantastic and strong. I moved from about 8th-5th in the 2nd to last corner. When we came around at probably 26-27 mph, there was an elderly man on a beach cruiser coming right at us ! He came in the back way and hadn't noticed the 100-150 men and women flying by at motor speeds ? Really ? WTF ? 
The field jerked hard right, lots of braking happened and then let the mayhem begin. The line of riders moved and cracked like a bull whip, sending people hard right and holding on. Of course up front it's not bad, but anything beyond the front few is gonna be dicey.
It was, and as the front surged to get the pace back up and steady again.The back end chased harder. Eventually over compensating and then the tire rubbing started due to overlapping. I heard it, then seen 1 guy shoot from the far right straight to me. I leaned in to him and saved it. Then the guy behind me reacted and caused an overlap nightmare behind me. I felt my rear wheel get clipped, and from there I started heading for the inside curb. The next thing I hear is snapping and cleats dragging, then slamming. It took every bit of bike handling skills I had to keep it up right. 3 of us got pinched out and one went down hard, breaking his helmet and bike frame. 
I actually stopped and turned around I felt so bad, and concerned for the guy. Fortunately his body came away with nothing more than a few healthy patches of road rash. His equipment ? may have saved his life. He was shaken, then pissed. I was pissed, then thankful, then pissed again. I road a smart race. I had road exactly how I had planned it.
In the end it comes down to this, racing is racing and anything can happen at any time. So I got over it pretty quickly and wrote it off to a great training session that could have been worse.

Wednesday I took off.
Today I got out a little extra early this morning. Getting down just shy of 30 miles and yet I was home by 7:05 a.m. My 2nd favorite way to start the day.

Train hard,train smart, be active.            

2 comments:

  1. Wow, nice job staying up. Your experience definitely paid off there. Bummer about not being able to finish under your plan, but like you said, what happens happens.

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  2. Oh well, you do what you can do. Sounds like you were executing your plan. Sure hope I can dodge all that diceyness in my first outing. You did a nice job keeping it together. Keep racing and it'll all come together!

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