Kick off

The first race of the season has already came and gone and it was a good one. After training camp in Ventura, CA we headed up to Merced, CA for the Mero Classic Stage race. It was a 4 day race with two road races, TT and crit. The races went very well and the team worked awesome together. The last road race was a long 120mile stage. I was able to get in a 4 man break for 80miles and was caught with one lap to go. Though this worked out very well talking the pressure of the team all day and in the end Logan took the stage win. Logan also finished 2nd overall with Sergh finishing 4th overall.

4 man break

Crit

Next up was the team presentation in Boise that just happen this past Monday. This was great to show the team to the public and to have a community like Boise to come out and support the team. I could not believe how many people showed up to show there support. Thank you Boise you guys rock.

The team

Now I am in Boise until tonight where I will fly back to Denver for a while to do some training and do some local races. As of now I will not be racing again until April 14th.

 BIG NEWS: The team has been invited to race in this year Tour of California against the best teams in the world. Look out for Team Exergy 

Game on

The 2012 season is now upon us with training camp done and the first race less then a week away. Training camp was last week in Ventura, CA where the first time this year the whole team was in once place at the same time. This is pretty rare because come race season I may not see some of my other teammates until the end of the year due to the split schedule. Training camp was a great time to get in some good long hard rides, meet and catch up with all my teammates whiling having a good time.

New helmet

Now that training camp is over all my focus is on the first race of the year that starts next Thursday March, 1. It's a four day stage race in Merced, CA the Merco Cycling Classic. Really looking forward to getting this show on the road. The motivation  is high along with the fitness and can't wait to put it all together again.

The team is looking super strong this year and can't wait to see what we can do. There are some big plans in the works for Team Exergy this year and I can't wait to share it with all of you.

Tucson-Boise-Denver

  A lot has been going on since I posted last. I was in Denver for the Holidays then back to Tucson for another block of training then it was off to Boise for sponsor camp and now back in Denver for a couple of days.

   While I was back home for the Holidays I caught the flu real bad and was out for a week. This was the sickest I think I have ever been and didn't even think about touching the bike. Though getting sick then was probably the best time to do so rather then getting that sick mid-way through the season. After a week off it was back to Tucson for some nice warm miles.

    Getting back to Tucson was awesome because when I was back in Denver and not sick I was stuck in the basement on the trainer grinding it out. The weather this time around in AZ was perfect, was able to wear just shorts and short sleeves most of the time because the weather was in the mid 70's. Was able to get in another 2.5 weeks of some big miles and good climbing. I also had a few more teammates down in Tucson during this time so it was nice to be able to ride with the team and meet the new riders and catch up with the old ones. 

  Then it was back to Denver for a night to celebrate my Nephews 1st birthday and see family. Though bright and early the next morning it was off to Boise for the team sponsor camp. This was the first time that the whole team was able to gather in one place and catch up, meet new riders, meet sponsors, learn all about the season ahead and have a fun time.

 The first day in Boise we had our own little race, though it was not on the bikes it was on the go-kart track. This was a lot of fun to be able to race one another  and get the first results of the season. Ben Chaddock had the fastest time but I think I was somewhere in the top 5. The rest of the week was a lot of meetings with all the sponsors learning all about the companies and there products which was very interesting. The last day in town we all heading up to Bogus Basin to do some tubing. We were able to do some aero testing on the hill to prepare for the up coming season.

 Now I am back in Denver for about 10 days before heading to Ventura, CA for our team training camp. There we will be putting in some big miles and preparing for the first race of the season that will be here before we know it. 

  

All Aboard

It's already 2012 and that only means that the season is right around the corner. This is why I am back in Tucson, AZ for some more good training and warm weather. I went back to Denver over the Holidays and took it pretty easy, did all my rides on the trainer. Though the last week I was there I came down with the flu real bad, probably the sickest I have ever been. I am now just getting over it and slowly getting back into my routine. I'm here until the 24th and then I head to Boise for Sponsor Camp.

Talking about Sponsors, the team is fortunate enough to be working with some great new company's in 2012 and I can't wait.  The new Sponsors for 2012 include: CLIF Bar(Nutrition), Spider Tech (Kinesilogy Tape), Fi'zi:k (Saddles), Feeback Sports (Work Stands, Accessories, Storage &more). I want to thank all these great companies for there support and allowing me to live my dream. Check out the rest of the great sponsors at Team Exergy.

Tucson training

  Its been about 2weeks since I arrived in Tucson, AZ for some warm training. Even though I think I have had to deal more with cold weather or rain then there has been warm sunny days. So far the riding as been good none the less. Finished off a big week with close to a 30hr week on the bike with another in the works.

  Also was able to make it to the Shootout this past Saturday for the largest group ride I have ever done. We meet at the Starbucks by the University of Arizona and take a easy stroll though town before the attacks start. We left the Starbucks with about 40 people and by the time the ride actually started there was close to 100 riders, it was crazy. It started off real fast and stayed this way for the remainder of the ride.  Halfway through the ride a group of 15 of us or so broke off to go climb Madera canyon. The first 10miles was pretty steady false flat with the last 3miles kicking up becoming pretty dang steep. All in all this was a hard  but fun ride.

  I also was able to climb up to the top of Mt. Lemmon last week. This was one fabulous ride with around 25miles of climbing and some great views.  The climb itself never got too steep which I liked and also had a big cookie on top which was a nice treat after climbing that much. The descent was awesome because there are no tight turns which requires minimal breaking. Though I have been unable to climb back up because of the weather that they have been receiving. I think this is the most snow they have ever seen up there.

   I head back to Denver this coming Monday December 19th and will be staying there for the holidays. Then will return to Tucson on January 5-24 to get in some more good training. Then its off to Sponsor Camp in Boise, ID on January 25.

Here are a few pictures from the training in Tucson so far. 

Riding with Bruce and the Uno boys

Kevin and Adam on the Garmin development team

Big cookie on top of Mt. Lemmom

River crossings on road, lots of rain

Whos who?

Its about the size of my head

Far from ideal

So I came down to Tucson, AZ for some warm weather and good riding, so far it hasn't been that. I left  Thursday from Denver with a couple inches of snow and arrived here with temperatures in the 40's and real windy. Then Friday it was cold and raining all day so we used the day to build up the bikes. Got a lot of help from Bruce who use to live Colorado and owns Uno Bicycle Studio in Tucson, AZ. Really great and knowledgeable guy check him out Uno Bicycle Studio.

Getting de-iced at DIA

 Today was suppose to be in the 50's and raining again. It also happen to be Saturday and here in Tucson that only means the famous Shootout ride is going down. This is a 60mile ride which pretty much turns into a race with about 150 other riders. Here is a quick YouTube video of the shootout.  So Kevin and I left the house today around 6:20am to ride out there because it is a good hour from where were staying. Though it was still pitch dark out so we could not see much with our frog lights. Getting out of the neighborhood I must of hit a big rock and double flatted instantly. Kevin sprinted back to the house to get more tubes while I fixed my two flats. After all that we got on our way and had to ride pretty hard now so that we would not be late. About 10min away I flat AGAIN this time I had a thorn in the tire. I finally get the 3rd flat fixed and make it to the Starbucks where the ride starts but we were 6min late and had no idea which way the ride went so we could not catch up. So we decide to go on our own ride which happen to turn out to be a pretty good 5hr ride. Though before the end I flatted once again making it 4 flats on the day. 

Fixing my forth flat of the day

 Now Im hoping my luck turns around before heading back to Denver on December 19th. The plan for the rest of the time here is to get some base miles in while riding in some warm weather.

2012 Race Schedule

The 2012 season is fast approaching and so is winter. This is why Kevin and I are heading down to Tucson, AZ tomorrow for about 3 weeks to get in some good solid training in the warmth. Couldn't of planned it any better because its going to be in the 20's here tomorrow and snowing.  We also officially moved everything out of Grand Junction and can no longer consider it home. Defiantly going to miss it and all the people(not the rednecks/ diesel trucks) but am looking forward to living in the Broomfield/Boulder area from now on.

Also here is a look at my 2012 race schedule. Not all of it is set in stone but is a good rough draft

January 26-29 - Sponsor Education Camp - Boise, ID  

February 11-19 - Winter Training Camp - Ventura, CA 

March 31 - Cigar City Classic - Tampa, FL   

April 14 - Presbyterian Hospital Invitational - Charlotte, NC 

April 15 - Hanes Park Classic - Charlotte, NC  

April 21 - Sunny King Criterium - Anniston, AL 

Apr 28 - May 6 - Speedweek - Southeast United States  

May 12 - Tour de Grove - St. Louis, MO  

May 19-20 - Wilmington Grand Prix - Wilmington, DE  

May 26-28 - US Pro Road Championships - Greenville, SC 

June 1-3 - Glencoe Grand Prix - Glencoe, IL  

June 8-10 - Saint France Tulsa Tough - Tulsa, OK 

June 12-17 - Tour de Beauce - Ontario, Canada 

June 21-July 1 - Tour of America’s Dairyland - Wisconsin 

July 6-8 - Tour de Delta - Ladner, British Columbia, Canada  

July 10 - UBC Grand Prix - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada  

July 28 - US Pro Criterium Championships - Grand Rapids, MI 

August 7-12 - Tour of Utah - Utah  

August 25 - Chris Thater Memorial - Binghampton, NY  

September 18-22 - Interbike Exposition - Las Vegas, NV