god's speed

Somehow in the trip south we gained 30 degrees and lost all the clouds. Maybe signing God's code of conduct did the trick?

Brilliant day, brilliant race. If they were all like this, you could come home happy with the result no matter where you ended up.

First off, team results: Molly attacked too hard on the hill, got separation, and chased back on to finish 13th of 23.

In the 3s, Al "I wouldn't bother putting wheels in the truck cuz you'll never catch back on" Urbanski got in a break of seven, built a three minute gap, but 61 miles in, flatted. The truck guy gave him some wheel and pushed him off, yelling GO! Chased back on for 5 miles, catching them in the last half mile. Went for a sprint move but finished fourth. Just out of the brick trophies, but hot results, the hottest of the day. Stan flatted earlier, but was right near the "team couch" so he opted for that.

Cat 4s set out with Cuttin' Crew and xXx up front, controlling the easy pace. A couple danglers get nothing. Squawking in the pack that "if we're going to control it, we should at least push the pace." - Uh, plenty of room up here if you want to show us how it's done.

My 45 minute crit seasoning shows, because at 47 minutes I fade for a few moments. Recover in the back, move up through the field just in time for the first hill. Ouch, but not too bad. Hill 2 shoots me out the back, along with half the pack. I see 3-4 danglers out ahead, if I can only get to them, maybe we can work it out and get back on. Start the second lap trying to do so, but a fruitless effort. I catch them and it turns out they're no use for pulling. I soldier on, averaging 22 mph and somehow getting stronger. I sweep up a dozen or so, nobody can hang on.

I find Andrew (teammate) and Andrew (Yeoman) from Pegasus. Maybe we can all work it out, so I slow up. Turns out I'm doing all the pulling. I'd lost my water bottle but now I'm sticking around teammate Andrew to use his. I absentmindedly drink too much and almost drop him. Sorry dude! Finally I have to go, I hand it back and press on, collecting spots.

I spot a guy on the killer hill out ahead. I gotta get this guy, who cares if I'm mid-pack. I'm not done racing. I get close on the hill but he sees me. I catch him at the crest, drop him on the downhill but I take the lipped corner too easy and burn out a bit on mild cobbled climb. He catches up to me, then fades. Another guy in the distance, in green. Is he too far? Maybe. Gotta try, now THIS is my race.

He's got thirty meters on me in the corner. He glances back but I think he writes me off. I take the turn and start to build. He easily picks off another rider and sits up a bit, but oh no! teammates cheering me on! He sees me and starts to really wind it up. Twenty meters and closing, ten, can he hold me off? No. I get him in the final meters and hold it by inches.

Iron Mike Morell got his best finish ever at 6th, and looking for more hill races this summer. Rooster improved his endurance showings over last year and got 12th. Max at the tail end of the pack, 29th. Me at 41st, Brean shortly behind me (dropped from the pack due to mechanicals, but got back in it). Nordyke building early season conditioning, a bit behind him.

For me, everything went great today, except for that hill. I'm not too disappointed though, I haven't done any long rides or hills, so I'm not too surprised. All in all, a gorgeous day for riding. Back on the bus for the postgame analysis, $7 twelve packs of Stag beer, and the long ride back to the city. Good times.