2013 Rouge Roubaix "The Hell of the South"

     "The Hell of the South".... that moniker truly fits the 2013 edition of the race known as Rouge Roubaix. The race is 106 miles long, 30 miles of which are over dirt roads! The race has the character and feel of a European one day classic. Specifically, it is incredibly similar to what is arguably the toughest one day classic in the world, Paris Roubaix, otherwise known as "The Hell of the North". Given the length of the race, combined with the relatively early date on the calendar, preparation for this race is critical. So....Evan East, JD McCay, Dave Grundfest, and I all loaded up in the RV on Saturday morning, March 9th, for the six hour trip to Saint Francisville, Louisiana. We have all been training hard for this race and the day had finally come to go down and test our legs against the course and our competitors.
     My team, OKC Velo, would have seven riders registered for the Masters 40+ race. People ask me all the time how Masters racing compares to the Cat 1,2 races in which I still sometimes compete. Given the fact that a high profile race like Rouge Roubaix attracts riders from around the country, there would be several Cat 1 and Cat 2 riders racing in the Masters race, making it very fast, but with a wide range of abilities, which means that only about half would have a realistic chance for a top 10 placing. JD and I were both in the Masters field of 60 riders, Evan raced the Cat 3,4 race which had around 75 participants, and Dave raced the 4,5 race which had the most riders with close to 80.
     As we lined up Sunday morning, I felt really confident that I had put in the work to be competitive in the race. I also know from past experience, however, that flats and mechanicals can end your race in a hurry, so a little luck always helps. The other thing that I have always dealt with is the length of the race. At 106 miles it is about an hour longer than I am really capable of being strong. I tend to lose about 20% of my power after three hours, or 75 miles of racing. From that point on, it is just survival, but every year I am always secretly hoping "maybe this year will be different"!
     The first 3 or 4 miles are neutral through the middle of town and then the lead vehicle pulls ahead signaling that it is time to race. The first dirt section came at 17 miles and things were relatively calm until about two miles before the turn. Just like Paris Roubaix, there is a race to be among the first onto the non paved sections of the race. I made my way towards the front and was fortunate to hit the greater than 90 degree turn sitting second wheel. The gravel was thick and very loose going into that turn and I watched as several guys had to unclip with one or two actually falling over. My teammate, Paul Bonds is 40 years old and lean as a rail. He is a nationally and internationally ranked cyclocross racer and his skills are tailor made for the dirt sections on the course. Immediately after the turn onto the dirt he went to the front and set an absolutely brutal tempo. Not only were we flying down this gravel road rarely going less than 25 MPH, but we were also doing it in loose, sandy soil that sapped the strength out of the legs much faster than normal. In all of the editions of this race I have ever done (7), the condition of the dirt roads was the worst ever! Just navigating the road in a straight line was difficult, and going around even the slightest curve in the road could cause the back end of the bike to come around if not ridden perfectly. After only one mile Paul and one other rider had a large gap back to an already small group. I suggested we wait on the small group knowing we would need the horsepower once we came back out on the black top. I had no desire to ride the next 80 miles with only three guys. Once the small group got up to us we put the hammer back down again. Paul and I traded pulls at the front and we were quickly back down to only a handful of riders. Coming off the first dirt section there were probably ten guys, and we had three OKC Velo riders in the group, including JD!
     I was so happy JD had made the split that I slapped him on the ass maybe a little to enthusiastically. He grinned knowing I was congratulating him on making the, extremely difficult, first selection of the day. The next dirt section was only a few miles down the road and was one of the longest at close to seven miles (with a few very short paved sections included). Once on that section, Paul and I put the hammer down again. I must admit that I was having more fun than is typical in such a hard race. The combination of being able to put down enough watts to cause pain to so many, and also having the bike handling skills to negotiate the many hazards at speed, was so much more fun than being on the receiving end of the pain while barely able to stay in control, a condition I have also experienced many times!
     When we exited the second dirt section at mile 33, we were down to only six or eight guys. I was sick JD had not made the selection. He had gotten behind a crash and never could close the gap to get back in our group. The next 30 miles would be on pavement and the only goal was to go fast enough to stay ahead of any small groups chasing. It was around this point that I saw Evan riding along with Zack Smith. He had gotten a flat, and a very slow wheel change, as the wheel truck was over ten minutes behind him when he flatted. Evan hopped on the back of our group and actually made every selection with us over the next 75 miles to actually finish slightly ahead of my group. As our group rolled along, everyone did their share of the work, but it was apparent that the loose sandy conditions had taken its toll on all of us. There were no attacks at all, as everyone just wanted to get to the next dirt section at mile 65 with the group, knowing that the one mile long dirt climb at that point would explode the group anyway.
     About two miles before the turn, a guy finally attacked the group. I jumped to get across to him and only one other rider came with me leaving the others in the small group looking at one another to see who was going to tow them all up to the newly forming breakaway. The three of us had a nice gap as we turned onto the dirt section at mile 65 with the one mile climb just around the corner. At this point we were riding through the remnants of the Cat 3 race. I had no desire to be behind any of them on the climb as many of them would be forced to unclip after losing momentum in the sandy conditions. We successfully passed all of the Cat 3's and hit the base of the climb where I figured the race would be won or lost. As we began the climb, one of my breakaway companions, Peter Beland from Little Rock, was able to stay with me, but the other guy, Mike brown from Dallas, came off the back. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Evan had managed to stay with us to the top of the climb, but that none of the other Cat 3's we had ridden through were even in sight.
     Once we came over the top of the climb, I was amazed to see my teammate, Paul Bonds, ride up to Peter and me. He had bridged across the gap on the climb leaving all the other guys in the original small break in his wake. The next obstacle was one in which we were all familiar from having ridden the section the day before. It was a 60 yard long "sand trap" for lack of a better description. The sand was so loose that your tires sunk as much as 5 inches while trying to ride across. As a result, it took massive wattage just to stay upright. Paul and I made it across (as did Evan), but Peter and Mike both had to come off their bikes and walk. Paul and I then began to open a sizable gap on the other two riders. By the time we came on onto the paved road we had around a one minute gap on the chasing duo. We decided to put our heads down and ride. It was apparent very quickly that the first 75 miles of the race had taken their toll on my legs. I felt like I had lost about 20% of my normal power (my secret hopes were dashed) and was simply not able to maintain the pace that would have been required for us to stay away. It was not long until Peter and Mike came into view and it was apparent they were committed to an all out chase. Paul and I decided to slow and let them catch in order to spread the work for the next 30 miles.
     Once together, the four of us (Evan still with us!), began to roll through and worked together to stay away until the next dirt section which would come at mile 83. At this point we had a major headwind of between 17-23 MPH! The wind was brutal after what we had all been through, but the fact that the four of us were sharing the load meant we were probably making out better than the many guys riding by themselves or in smaller groups. As we turned onto the last dirt section we all knew what lay ahead. There is a steep climb at the beginning of the section that is difficult to climb in perfect conditions. On this day it was made virtually impossible due to the loose, sandy gravel and Mike and Peter came off their bikes about half way to the top. I made it just a little further, and Paul made it about three quarters of the way up. Peter and I would never see Paul again until the finish! Once at the top, I hooked up with Mike but Peter was now behind us. I stayed with Mike for about two more miles in spite of experiencing some major cramping. I finally came off his wheel up one of the last steep rollers on this last dirt section. Not long after that, Peter rode back up to me and we began to ride together hoping to bring back Mike. Once onto the paved road Peter and I just rode a steady pace, both realizing we were not going to catch Mike. At this point, I was absolutely cooked. I was giving Peter the occasional break, but he was doing the lion's share of the work. That last 10 miles seemed like 50! About four miles from the finish I pulled up alongside Peter and we rode side by side to the finish not wanting either one of us to have the advantage of the draft before the finish. Peter is a one hell of a bike racer and I have always respected his abilities, and as important, his sporting ethics. He jokingly asked if I was going to sprint him and I, of course said, "yes". I fully expected to lock completely up in the sprint to watch Peter ride ahead for 3rd place, but was surprised that the opposite occurred. It could have gone either way and I was just lucky to have gotten the last place on the podium.
     Ahead of us, Mike had actually bridged up to Paul and the two of them rode to the finish with Paul winning out in the sprint. I was super impressed with both Paul and Mike that day. Mike has amazing endurance and does not seem to lose much power over such a long distance. Paul was definitely the strong man on the day and deserved the win.

Five of seven Pirates celebrating our 1st and 3rd Place!

     Evan was able to finish 17th in spite of his flat tire early in the race, an impressive feat considering how many guys he passed over the 80 miles after he punctured. Dave Grundfest had a similar experiencing flatting early, but then riding super strong through most of his field to claw his way back to a top 20 placing. JD, unfortunately, experienced "full body cramps" where even his lips got stiff! He was forced to abandon around the 70 mile mark. Wes Wolfenburger provided support and a special thanks goes out to Wes for everything he did for all of us. He worked his tail off and just made the whole experience better for not only the four of us on the bus, but also all of my teammates on OKC Velo. In spite of multiple flats, we still had several Pirates finish in the top 20 of the Masters race. Having two of us on the podium, however, was really surprising and especially satisfying given the unusual difficulty of the 2013 edition of  "The Hell of the South"! Thanks for reading.

2013 "Calm Winds" (Crosswinds) Classic

     This will be a very short race report as there just isn't much to talk about. As indicated by the title of this post, the wind was relatively calm on the morning of February 23rd, which allowed most every category to stay together for a mass sprint finish. A great day for the sprinters, but a very frustrating day for someone like Evan who needs to separate himself from the masses to avoid the mass sprint scenario. Evan raced the Cat 3 race and attacked no less than 25 times, trying in vain to establish a small breakaway. His last attack was with about two miles to the finish and he was caught with only 1 kilometer to go, thus nailing his coffin shut for a decent placing. I have told Evan that saving himself for the sprint so he can get a top ten placing is not how he should think! I have encouraged him to risk it all with late attacks where he will either win, or get last place. Go "all in" and take all the chips or lose it all! He has embraced that philosophy enthusiastically and is learning how to exploit his strengths better in every race.

 A beautiful but chilly Arkansas morning!

     In the Pro 1,2 race, there was the typical flurry of attacks very early, all of which were marked and brought back. Finally, Zack Lavernge put in a very well timed attack that saw everyone just sit, waiting on someone else to cover the move. Zack got a nice gap and put his head down and it was apparent he was totally committed to his escape. I have to admit that I was marking the guy I thought was one of the strongest in the race and that was Trevor Johnson. Trevor seemed to be just following wheels and never really tried to bridge to the developing move. Finally a Marx and Bensdorf rider (the eventual winner) accelerated away and eventually bridged across to Zack. There were several attempts by multiple riders during the next lap to separate from the field but everything was marked and brought back, which was ensuring the success of the lead break. Without any organization in the field, Zack and the Memphis rider built a lead of three minutes as the field was racing very negatively, which can be expected in such a small group (only 15 in our race).
     Finally, in the cross/headwind on the south end of the course, I was able to get some separation from the field and built a 30 second lead very quickly. I knew I would have no chance of bridging across the gap solo so I just tried to maintain the 30 second gap waiting on another rider to break the elastic and get up to me. Eventually, three other riders made it up to me and we began working together to further distance ourselves from the now desperate and panicked field. Unfortunately, one of the four riders in our group was Zack's teammate and the other was the teammate of the Memphis rider. Those two guys did their share of the work to keep us away from the chase, but they were not interested in putting in the kind of chase that would have been necessary to bring back the leaders, thus insuring the success of the early morning move! Zack made a great move early in the race, then had the legs to back it up by staying away for 65 miles with only one other guy for a much deserved 2nd place finish. I ended up sprinting against my three other breakaway companions for 3rd place which was a one place improvement over my 4th place in last year's edition. At this rate, maybe I'll win it when I'm 52! Ha! Thanks for reading.

2013 Iris Stagner Stage Race, Mineral Wells , Texas

     Friday, February 15th started out similar to most race weekends with a mad scramble to get everything packed in the RV, and then get in some "leg openers" before departure so that the legs are not "blocked" the next day when the race starts. Inevitably there are also work related issues that need to be addressed, along with other "must do" chores that have to be completed before we get out of town. With everything on the "to do" list, it is a wonder we ever make it to the race with everything we intended to bring... oh yeah, we NEVER  make it to a race with everything we intended to bring! On this particular trip, I may have set the bar for "most critical gear forgotten" in my rather long history of bike racing. I think the only way it could have been worse would have been if I forgot my bike! I pack two bags when I head out for a race weekend, one for my regular cloths and a large back pack with all of my cycling gear, cloths, helmet, shoes, etc... Two hours out of town as we were rolling through Texarkana on our way to Mineral Wells, it dawned on me.... I had left my back pack in my closet with freakin everything I needed to race a bicycle. After I stopped cursing, we began to frantically call everyone we knew from Little Rock that was coming down for the race. We got lucky and the Lavergnes had not yet left town. They graciously agreed to go by my house and grab my stuff. Disaster averted!

Major crosswinds in the road race Sunday!

     JD and Evan were both along for the trip and we all took our familiar places on the RV for the trip to Texas. Amazing how comfortable we have gotten with our respective responsibilities on these trips. Everyone knows their job and with very few words exchanged we can load and unload, fill water tanks and gas tanks, put away groceries, and perform the myriad of task necessary to roll a 40' RV down the road. The road trips themselves are as memorable as the races, and all of them have their "memorable" moments, although some we would just as soon forget!
     The Iris Stagner Stage Race in Mineral Wells is a race that was on the official race calendar for the Slipstream Craddock Junior Development Team for the Cat 2 members of that team. Since Evan is still a Cat 3, he would be racing with no other teammates in the Cat 3 event, but he would be receiving support from his Team Director, Christian Williams. JD and I both registered for the Masters 40+ race, as did 8 of our teammates! I ended up deciding to switch categories and race the Pro 1 event in order to reduce our already overwhelming numbers in the Masters race as well as to test my fitness against the best in this early part of the season.
     The race had a crit and Time Trial on Saturday and a road race on Sunday. When we woke up Saturday morning for the crits, it was 26 degrees! Evan's crit was first at 7:30 and mine would start at 8:30. While we were crit racing JD would be racing the Masters Time Trial about 4 miles away from where we were parked at the crit course in downtown Mineral Wells. The crit course was very rough with one particularly bad corner coming into the finish straight. There were a few crashes in Evan's race, and a lot more as the day progressed. I would speculate that there were more crashes per racing lap that day than in any other crit in the state the entire year previous, and that is saying a lot given that the course was dry. Evan ended up flatting, but he was able to get a free lap, and get back into the group and finish a respectable 12th place in a field of over 50 guys. He is becoming more aware of his need to attack before the last lap in crits in order to have a shot at the podium. He has a big motor, but at this young age, he still does not have the kind of sprint he will develop later. I on the other hand have the exact opposite physiology, a relatively small motor where I have to follow stronger riders, but a decent burst of power towards the end of a race that can sometimes produce a result if I make a string of good decisions in the race by following the right wheels. This particular crit ended up having a lead break of six guys that resulted more from attrition than from attacks. The course was just hard enough, and sketchy enough, to reduce the numbers throughout the race. I ended up winning a small field sprint for 2nd Place which was a very good result for me at this stage of my racing career. When one of the guys asked me how old I was at the end of the race, he was rather disgusted to have been beat by a 50 year old! I have to admit I took great pleasure in his reaction.
     After the crit, it was time to get ready for the TT. The course was about 7.5 miles long with some rolling hills with the last hill being about a one mile long climb. The course suited Evan very well and he was confident he would do well. I, on the other hand, with my smaller motor, was nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs, knowing I would lose my 2nd place spot in the overall or GC (General Classification). JD had ridden a very good TT earlier that morning for 8th place in the Masters 40+ . He has trained very hard this year and deserved the result. Evan's start time was about 30 minutes before mine so he hopped on his TT bike to ride the 4 miles to the start of the TT. He had not gone 500 yards before slamming into the back of a van while he was looking at the crit going on parellel to the road on which he was riding. He hit very hard and went down. Amazingly, he was relatively unhurt other than a scrape and a bruise, and his bike also escaped with no damage. He was lucky, but very emabarrassed!
     I later rode to my start and had no such mishap, however, about three minutes before my start my skinsuit zipper blew out like the hulk when he turns green. I was able to quickly borrow some safety pins to close the front of the skin suit just in time to roll up to the start. I felt decent during the effort but my time was only good for 12th place in the TT, a result in which I was not terribly disappointed considering the competition.
     When the Cat 3 times were posted Evan had gotten 1st Place and had beaten 2nd place by 30 seconds, a huge margin in a relatively short TT. His time would have placed him 3rd in the Pro 1 TT, which made it that much more impressive. While he was confident of his chances before the race, I don't think he knew he would crush it the way he did. The Time Trial is often referred to the race of truth, as more often than not, the winner is the strongest man in the race. I was so happy for Evan because he has worked so hard this winter training, and this result was his just reward. Needless to say, he got quite a bit of attention as his result was impressive, especially for a 16 year old racing against grown men. Dad was extremely proud, in spite of having been beat by son by an entire minute over the 7.5 mile course!
      That afternoon, JD would race his crit and be a victim of the carnage that defined the day. He crashed twice, yet still managed a decent result in the race by placing just outside the top 10. His wounds were relatively minor but the impact took its toll on him the next day in the road race. He made the lead break but ran out of steam coming off the lead break, but still managing a 7th place. Evan flatted in the road race and never got back in the field, so his GC result was not great. He was happy with his TT, however, so all was not lost. I also made the lead break in my road race and held on for a 4th place result which propelled me back up into 4th place GC. A result that frankly far exceeded my expectations for the weekend.
     The trip home was uneventful with all of us reflecting upon what could have been. Probably the exact same conversation being had by virtually every participant in the race, other than all the winners. It's probably what keeps us all coming back, the hopes and dreams of improving one's lot. If I can just get a little faster! Ha, I love it. Thanks for reading!

Another Year, Another Race... 2013 Tour of New Braunfels

Pre Race Meal in New Braunfels, Texas

     On Friday, February 1, 2013, Evan and I loaded up our bikes in our travel cases for the trip to San Antonio, Tx. Southwest airlines is the only way to fly when you have bikes in tow as they only charge $50 for the travel case verses $150 on every other airline. Traveling on commercial airlines works great when the flights are on time and there aren't any mechanical issues or other inconvenient delays. We got lucky and arrived in San Antonio on time. We threw our gear in the rental car and headed to dinner, then the hotel for a good night's sleep.

     The next morning was bright and sunny and would eventually warm up to nearly 80 degrees! Awesome weather for the first race of the season. This would be Evan's first race with his new team, Slipstream Craddock Junior Development. He would be racing in the Category 3 race against men twice his age and everything in between. As his race started at 11:30 I would have the luxury of getting to watch him compete in the hour long circuit race around a 2.5 circuit. The Cat 3 race was full as they had reached the 75 rider limit imposed by the race organizer. That means the racing would be hard and fast from the gun. It was so fun watching Evan and his teammates race super aggressively, always at the pointy end of affairs. Evan got in a couple of break aways but the field was not letting anything go on a course that really was not technical at all, and therefore not conducive to any small groups slipping off the front. When the bell lap arrived, Evan must have been cleaning his ears because he did not hear the bell and had no clue it was last lap! Imagine his confusion when the pace quickened and guys start throwing their hands in the air. Needless to say, he was not happy. I told him I had made the same mistake one year at Joe Martin.... and I never have made the same mistake again, and my guess is that neither will he!

The start of the Men's Cat 3 Circuit Race

     My race was at 1:30 that afternoon and I lined up with just over 50 (40+) guys. It was a little strange racing with so many guys and not knowing who any of them were, so I really did not know who to watch. I ended up going with almost every break, all of which got brought back. Can you say colossal waste of energy? I paid for the wasted efforts by getting passed 30 meters before the line by two guys for a 3rd place finish in a race I really thought I could win. Another lesson learned about the need to race somewhat conservatively, even when you feel really good in the race. Another slice of humble pie!

     The next day was the road race which was two laps around a 30 mile course. Evan's race started about 10 minutes before mine so I would not be able to watch his finish but watching road races as a spectator leaves a lot to be desired unless you have TV coverage and have Phil and Paul commenting on the dynamics of the race. Evan put in an all out attack with only 6 miles left in his race and if not for an all out organized chase by several of his competitors he would have stayed away. Unfortunately, he was caught only one mile from the finish. He made an incredibly brave move very close to the finish and was almost rewarded for his bold effort. He came away from the race with a good feel for where he is fitness wise, as well as how he stacks up against his competitors. I think he left the race with some added self confidence that he will be vey competitive this year. He also had the awesome experience of racing with teammates that are loyal to one another and prepared to sacrifice their own chances for the good of the team. All very valuable lessons learned.

     Ironically, I attacked late in my race also. There were close to 60 guys that started my race that day and there was a flurry of attacks on a windy section of the course about 15 miles from the finish. After every attack was almost immediately neutralized, I went with all I had at a time I thought everyone would be gassed. I was glad to see one other guy on my wheel as we accelerated away from the field. About 5 miles later our lead had been whittled back down to only a couple hundred meters. Toward the top of a small rise we sat up as if we were giving up, but once over the top and out of sight of the peloton I accelerated again down the back side and very quickly had another nice gap back to the chasing field. With about one mile left to race it was still debatable as to whether we would be caught. As we came around the last curve to the base of a half mile climb to the finish, I felt we would make it. As we began the climb, my breakaway companion slipped off my wheel. I put my head down intent to make it to the line without getting swarmed by the now charging peloton. I won by 300 meters and felt really good knowing I won the race in a manner in which I am not to familiar... solo and off the front. There is a certain satisfaction when a big risk, like attacking with 15 miles to go, is rewarded with a win. Unfortunately, my breakaway companion got swarmed just before the finish.

     After the race Evan and I had to quickly get our bikes packed up and go straight to the airport to catch the last flight back home. Fortunately we made the flight and got home as scheduled. It was a great way to start off the year made extra special by the shared experience with Evan and by seeing him gel with his new team. Thanks for reading!

End of a Season at the Rocky Mount Road Race and Criterium

     Well, the racing season is winding down, actually I think it's over for me. I have been racing since February and have had my best season of what has turned into a rather long racing career. It was the best season for many reasons... namely, racing with a new team with close friends, spending some awesome quality time with Evan, racing in several different states as well as in several races I have never done before, and finally, some descent results to boot! I worked really hard this year for the results I achieved. I focused on every aspect of what the sport requires, all the way from nutrition and weight training, to the long hours spent on the bike. JD McCay and I motivated one another to excel and held one another accountable on those cold, rainy winter days when we really didn't want to ride. I have found that as I have gotten older, I can still get fit... its just a hell of a lot harder to get there so having a good friend to help provide that little extra something really helps!

     I think the highlight of the whole year had to be Evan's selection to ride for the GARMIN junior development team. Christian Williams, the Team Director, had evaluated Evan at a USAC Junior Development Camp in Austin earlier this summer and he saw some potential. It will be up to Evan what he makes of this incredible opportunity, but he will have the best resources available to help him realize upon his potential. He also had some great results this year as a 15 year old racing against grown men. He won the CAT 3 race at Tour De Hills where he was able to stay with Peter Beland, arguably one of the best climbers in Arkansas. He also got third place in the Arkansas State Criterium championship in a field chalked full of some really strong guys. While I am so proud of his results, I am most proud of how he has handled his success on the bike. I really believe cycling teaches some good life lessons, and I think Evan has benefitted from his time spent involved in the sport.

     Unfortunately, Evan was sick this weekend and opted to stay home when JD and headed down to Shreveport, Louisiana for the Rocky Mount Road Race and Criterium on August 18th and 19th. I had never been there but JD had raced it last year so we decided to roll down in the RV and giv'em a run. I decided to race the Masters race as the 1,2,3 race was 81 miles which is a little long for my current fitness level. JD and I were up and adam at 6:00 A.M. for the 8:00 A.M. start. The field was comprised of around 40 riders and we started the race on time with a "KOM" prime of $50.00 only three miles into the race! While not excited about that kind of effort so early into the race, I decided to go for the prime. About half way up the hill it was down to just two of us and I thought I would be able to get the cash at the top. WRONG!!! I could not get by the guy and he beat me to the line and took my 50 bones. My excuse is that I was not warmed up... yeah, that's it... not warmed up. The truth is that the guy was 39.14 years old (he really was under 40) and he was just faster...up that particular hill. After the KOM the race settled in and a two man break finally got off the front. They probably got about two minutes on the field when Donnie Davis went to the front and started the chase. I took over after him, then JD, and then two other riders. The five of us traded pulls at 30 MPH and the break came back just like that! It's amazing what can happen when there is cooperation among just four or five guys. After that there was a flurry of attacks but nothing could get established. When we came to the KOM hill for the third and final trip up, everyone knew the attacks would come. About half way up the climb a guy swerved hard left clipping my wheel. I barely avoided crashing by swerving hard to the left also. When I did, I felt pressure on my rear wheel and then heard a big crash behind. It was JD, and then four guys piled over the top of him. The guys on the front upon hearing the carnage put the hammer down hard hoping to blow the race apart. I made it up to the wheels as four or five guys kept the pressure on and whittled the remaining guys down to only seven or eight. The finish was only about eight miles from that point and after a few attacks, the group resigned themselves to the inevitable uphill sprint to the finish. I was really worried about the guy who had beat me for the KOM prime so I was watching him closely. He finally jumped hard at 200 meters but I was able to get his wheel and jump around much easier than I had anticipated given the butt whooping he had given me earlier. JD was actually able to remount and after getting a double wheel change from the wheel truck, and man handling a bent deraileur and front brake, he rolled in not long after our group and well ahead of others.

The Finish of the Rocky Mount Road Race

     The next morning we awoke for the 8:15 start of the criterium around a really fast, wide open course at the local community college. I am much more at home crit racing where the speeds are high and the corners are tight. This crit would be somewhat uneventful as the course simply was not selective enough to allow a break to establish. As we came around the last corner with about 300 meters to go I felt good enough to lead out the sprint with the confidence that no one would be able to come around. Certainly, I don't always have that feeling and most of the time have to play the sprint a little safer by coming off a fast wheel closer to the line. I just think the course was so open that following the wheels allowed for almost total recovery prior to the sprint, thus giving me the confidence to take it from a long way out. In any event, it felt good to get the "double" for the weekend!

     Here ends my last race report for 2012! I am glad that I took the time to do these little write-ups as they are fun for me to look back on and re-live some of the great experiences of the past year. I hope at least a few of you have enjoyed my post also. Thanks for reading!
   

   

The Star Spangled Crit / Arkansas State Championship

I am really late posting this race report for several reasons. Mainly, it was just not a particularly exciting race as the July 1st heat caused significant attrition in the 1,2 race in which I was participating. That, combined with a relatively small field, created a somewhat confusing race for spectators as riders ended up spread out all over the course. Within two laps of the race, however, I had figured out the tactic I needed to employ to win the State Championship crit. Trevor Johnson had shown up with two out of state teammates, and it became apparent early on that they were going to sacrifice their chances for Trevor to get the jersey. Once that became apparent, all I had to do was to mark Trevor, not giving a hoot about what went up the road without him, knowing that his two very strong teammates would bring anything back that did not have Trevor in it. There were several hard attacks early in the race, most of which contained either JD McCay or my other teammate, Wes Wolfenburger. I was able to sit in while this flurry was taking place, unless Trevor tried to slip into the break. Both JD and Wes ended up in doomed breaks as Trevor's teammates would not work with them to stay off the front. Trevor would usually counter attack the breaks that came back and he and I eventually got off the front together.

One of Trevor's teammates was off the front in a solo move and we eventually bridged up to him. The three of us then set about opening up the gap to the dwindling field. By then, the heat had really taken a toll in spite of a group of spectators led by our own Kris French throwing cold water on us every lap. Those regular dousings, combined with JD's miniature air-conditioning system (pantie hose filled with ice stuffed down the back of our jersey) that he and I were both using, kept me out of the danger zone with regard to overheating. Once we caught Andy, Trevor's teammate, he sat on the front and just towed us around the course trying to keep Trevor fresh for the sprint. What I guess Andy did not know is that while Trevor is arguably the strongest time trialist in Arkansas, he does not posses the fastest sprint in Arkansas. In my opinion, that honor would go to Nick Rogers whom we had thankfully dropped earlier in the race. The race had set up perfectly for me and short of crashing, I had it in the bag.

With about three and a half laps to go Trevor put in one last ditch attack to try and get rid of me. I never even came more than 12 inches off his wheel so he sat up not to far past the start/finish line. When Trevor sat up I subtly moved over to the right about 6 to 8 inches rather than jam on the brakes. As I was gliding slowly up Trevor's right side, Andy countered the move from behind me and to my right, but as he came by he clipped my handle bars and put me on the ground at 30 MPH. I got lucky in that he hit my bars with such force that I went down on my right side and was able to get over on my back for the 40' slide across the 125 degree pavement. Other than a bloodied right elbow and hip, I was ok. I tried to remount but my chain was jammed between the Chainring and the frame. Amazingly, Trevor's other teammate, Russ Walker, who was solo behind us, stopped to help me! I have never in my entire racing career had a competitor stop in the middle of a race to offer me assistance. Russ is the strongest 45 + bike racer in the entire southern region and is always a threat on a National level. His demonstration of sportsmanship will not be soon forgotten. In spite of his help it took me two to three minutes to remount and get going again.

I rode to the wheel pit hoping to get a free lap but it was to late as there are no free laps after three laps to go. My race was over so I went to our shade tree where my friends and family were watching to vent a little. After Trevor won the race, he and Andy came over to express their apologies and assure me that it was purely accidental, which I already knew. They are both great guys and I could tell they were sincerely sorry that the race had ended the way it did. Funny how I had just returned from Tour of Americas Dairyland where I did five races with no less than 75 people in each race without ever crashing, then I crash in a three man pace line going straight! That's racing I guess.

The Cat 3 race started right after the 1,2 race and I was excited to watch Evan. After the Ambulance technician cleaned me up a little, I settled in under the shade tree to watch his race. Other than a brave solo move by Ben Stone the 3 race pretty much stayed together. Mike Mattox and Chuck Emmons almost bridged to Ben but they crashed each other out in the 180 degree corner and both remounted and were able to get back in with the field. As the race wound down to the finish it was all back together and with three corners to go, an old sprinter named Eugene Kirsch jumped hard. He got an immediate gap and only Evan went after him. Mike Mattox got Evan's wheel and they came out of the last corner well ahead of the field, but well behind Eugene. Mike came around Evan for 2nd Place but Evan held on for the bronze medal in the State Championship criterium race. I was super happy for him and proud of the move he made to get the result.

Evan's 3rd Place against two fast Sprinters!

It was a great event but really almost to hot for bike racing. I hope the promoters will consider moving the race up on the calendar as it is a fun venue but the July 4th date just does not cooperate weather wise. The State Championship criterium was pretty much the last "A" race on my calendar. I may hop in a race or two in August and September but my "training" is over for the year as I just have no fun training in 100+ degree temperatures. I had one of the best, if not the best, season of racing ever. I think it was such a special year not only because of some good results, but also because of the people I was able to share it with. Travelling and racing with Evan was an experience that very few fathers will ever have the pleasure of having with their son. I feel blessed and fortunate to have been able to spend that kind of quality time with my teenaged son knowing that these years are fleeting. Hopefully, he will also  treasure the memories and be able to look back some day and know these times together were unique and special. Thanks for reading.

TOAD: Tour of Americas Dairy Land

Unlike some of my recent post where I have purposely edited my comments down to just the bare facts, this particular post may bit be a bit more verbose as I want attempt to capture some of the details that might allow me to look back at a later date and remember what was the toughest week of bike racing I have ever had. The week was made difficult not only by the fact that I raced five days in a row, but also because the fields were chalked full of talent as the race attracts the best riders from all over the country. I would venture to say that not even Nationals would be quite as fast, as my category at Nationals is now 45-49, and these races were 35+. The size of the fields made for fast racing as we always had around 80-100 guys lined up at the start. So, relatively young competition, ex pros, several National Champions, and over half the guys being Cat 1 and Cat 2 riders, equals fast racing!

Well, I am already a little ahead of myself as I need to back up and explain how I even came to the decision to fly halfway across the country to Milwaukee, WI to race bikes. It all started at Tour De Grove when I met Pablo Santa Cruz, a Cat 1 out of Clearwater, Fl that I competed against in Saint Louis for three days of criteriums. I wrote about those races in a previous blog. Pablo mentioned to me there that he was taking a "composite team" to TOAD in June to compete against the incredibly strong fields there. He mentioned the names of a couple of the guys that he had spoken to already and I was familiar with their names as I knew them to be some of the strongest Masters riders in the country. At the time, I was luke warm to the whole idea but later decided to leave straight from Junior Nationals where Evan competed in all three events, and fly up to Milwaukee from Augusta on Saturday, June 23rd. Upon my arrival I was greeted by Pablo Santa Cruz, Curtis Tolsen, Tony Scott, Steve Carrel, and Andy Mapple. Pablo is 48 and is a very quick sprinter. He wins most of the Masters crits in Florida and is also ranked very high on the road as well. Curtis is also 48 and a multi time National Champion on the track and has podiumed at Nationals on the road as well. Tony, 41, has gotten a silver medal at the World Championships on the track and has won Nationals. Steve, 47, has won the World Championship on the track! Andy Mapple, 50, is a multi time World Champion Slalom Water skier and is a world class athlete at 6' 4". He just started racing bikes four years ago and is already a Cat 2 and winning local races with his incredible ability to produce huge power. This group would prove formidable over the course of the week.

The first race was a criterium in downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin. It was a typical downtown crit course and had a huge crowd there to watch the races. The 35+ Cat 1,2,3 Race would start just prior to the men's Pro race and thus the crowds were arriving en masse. Seeing these crowds was exciting and made even more so by the fact that my good friends, John and Cindy Amato, from Milwaukee, were there to watch the race. Our field would have 80+ guys on the starting line, the majority of which were Cat 1 and Cat 2 riders. The start of these races can be hectic and getting a front row start is preferable when so many are on the starting line. Once we were allowed onto the course, I took a quick warmup lap, but had to stop on the back side of the course to take a nature break. By the time I came back around to the starting line I was in the very back of the group! After instructions from the chief official we were off. Once the group started moving to the left to take the first right hand turn, I sprinted up the right side gaining about 30 spots. After the first corner there was a gradual rise up to turn two so I punched it again and gained another 30 spots! Almost up in the front now I slotted into the pack and waited until the start /finish straight before moving up into the first eight or ten riders. I felt very fortunate to have moved from the very back to the very front in just one lap.

The first 15 minutes of the 70 minute race were very hard. The strong men were in the front going full gas on the gradual rise after turn one and up the start/finish straight which was also slightly up hill. At around the 20 minute mark a group of eight had torn itself off the front of the field and I happened to be in that group. Shortly after that a chase group of six joined the break and then we began to put serious time into the field. The gap went up to 45 seconds fairly quickly and ultimately we would come close to lapping the field. Our team, "World Masters", had three in the break of 14 and were thus the best represented. Tony Scott, my teammate from Atlanta, would prove to be one of the stronger guys in the field over the week of racing. He is 41 years old and at 6' feet tall is a very powerful rider. The other teammate in the break, Greg, was only racing for us in one race as he had to go home the next day. He was a pro racer that raced for the old "Saturn" team back in the day. With ten laps to go Greg attacked our break and got a nice gap. Amazingly he began to put real time into our group and with six laps remaining it appeared he might hang on for the win. There were five or six guys working to bring Greg back and they finally succeeded in doing so with only three laps to go.

Once Greg was back in the break he went straight to the front with Tony second wheel and me third. We looked like a pro team setting up a leadout as Greg kept the pace high enough to discourage any attacks. I, unfortunately, was beginning to feel the twinges of cramping at the critical moments of the race. I rarely ever cramp in crits and was shocked to be feeling the all to familiar electrical currents start coursing through my legs. I did not feel I would have my typical explosive sprint in my legs that day and began to question whether I could win a 200 meter drag race against some of these younger sprinters. I ultimately decided I would need to try to do something a little different and after Tony took over with one lap to go I decided I would jump early. As Tony was about to go into the third to last corner I jumped as hard as I could barely squeezing between him and the curb on the inside and leaving no room for another rider behind me. Tony yelled "No G#@ D%&%*t". I hit the 2nd to last corner with a 15 meter gap on a guy from Boulder, Co. that had won the previous two races. When we hit the last corner he had closed the gap and came around me with 200 meters to go. Perfect! I jumped on his wheel for 100 meters and came around him for the win, all the while cramping in both hamstrings and quads! I was ecstatic as the win was probably my best ever given the competition and the size of the field. Tony thought I had gone way to early and that is why he had yelled at me. I think knowing he would have kicked my butt if I lost is what provided me with that extra little bit to come around Carlos Casali at the finish.

After the race the official on the motorcycle following our break found us and told us that our tactics in the race were perfect and that it was the best race he had seen the entire week. As a team, we were pleased with the effort and knew we had accomplished something special in such a large field of talented riders. John and Cindy had watched the whole race and Cindy had taken several photos. She took the photo of the podium ceremony included here. We then all loaded up and drove to John and Cindy's house on the lake and had an incredible home cooked meal of steak and Salmon in their beautiful back yard. A perfect way to cap off a perfect race!

The Podium in my Cow Jersey!

The next day was a 60 mile road race on a 10 mile circuit with two nasty five minute climbs. Attrition took its toll and by the end of the race only Curtis and I were left in the field as our teammates had all dropped out saving their legs for better days ahead. I ended up 15th which was the last paying placing. That race would be our worst team performance the whole week. The third day was the Schlitz Park crit with a very steep climb every lap followed by a screaming descent back down to the start/finish straight. I felt incredible on the climb which required a short, but explosive effort followed by a nice recovery on the descent. I was able to win two out of the three primes offered by attacking up the climb. My teammate, Tony won the only other prime. Attrition began to take its toll and soon there were only 20 guys left in the front group. I liked my chances given the ease with which I was climbing the hill relative to the others but I missed the winning move and ended up in 6th place. I was extremely disappointed with that placing as I thought I could win that particular race because of how well the course suited my strengths. It just goes to show how the strongest guy does not always win and good tactics can prevail on any given day. The next day was another 60 mile road race around yet another 10 mile circuit. It was very hot and although there were no big climbs attrition quickly whittled down the field. I ended up in a 4 man chase group trying to bridge to two leaders. We were unable to catch the leaders but I lead out out Tony for 3rd place and I was able to hang on for 4th. Another good day for the World Masters team. The last race was another crit in Sheboygan. It was a fast four corner course that would prove to be dangerous as the weaker riders were able to stay in the group causing us to go into every corner with as many as five riders wide. A break did not look likely so I just rode wheels toward the front of the field, although, staying in front proved to be much more difficult than in the other crits with more selective courses. With 5 laps to go the pace increased dramatically with riders constantly swarming the front. With 3 to go two teams were on the front keeping the pace over 30 MPH so I went forced my way into about 4th wheel and got a perfect single file leadout from another team. As we came into the 2nd to last corner some guy dove into the inside forcing everyone to the outside whereupon a guy next to me hit the curb and crashed. The chaos caused me to lose a couple of spots and I came out of the last corner in 6th place to start the sprint. I past 3 riders and ended up with 3rd place for my second podium finish.

I came away from TOAD with an appreciation for the Masters field there and just how fast the racing can be when you have that many strong guys in the group. There was a competition within a competition for the highest placed 45+ rider each day and I ended up in 1st Place after our last crit in spite of missing the first two races. I remained in 1st until the last race since we also missed the last three races. I ended up 3rd in that competition, although, I really had no aspirations. Pablo, who had organized our team and provided the jerseys etc... was very pleased with our performances overall and announced his intention to sponsor us again next year. We were also proud to have donated money for Pediatric Cancer Research for each race in which we participated. Pablo deserves special credit for having pulled our team together and organizing our contributions to charity. I had an incredible time racing at TOAD and hope to return should I ever have the form to do so again. Thanks for reading!