Hard Racing

Well this past weekend was the last race of the Collegiate season besides Nationals. We were down in Salt Lake City, UT. We had our first TTT which was interesting and add some rain to that. We did ok for it being our first TTT all together. Then we had the crit. that night at the DMV course. It was a hard one, because with our small team we had the bigger teams working us. We were doing a lot of work. Then with a crash on the last lap splitting it up sucked.But I ended up 8th. Sunday was our RR/Circuit. 7 mile laps 8 times on a flat race track. 6 riders on the first lap were off with every major school represented. So that left DU and us to work our asses off. I soloed up to the break, but when I got up there I was spent and could not hold on. So went back to the pack and worked real hard to pull it pack. Never happen. Ended up toward the end.

I ended up 2nd in the Conference again this year. Now im just packing for the Tour of the Gila. We leaving bright and early tomorrow to head down there. Im really looking forward to it, minus how hard it going to be. Then we get back on Sunday and leave Thursday for Collegiate Nats. down in Fort Collins. Then its rest time/summer and Las Vegas.

3 Weeks/11 races left

Well the first part of the season is almost over. I got Conference Finals this weekend in Salt Lake City. Then I come back and leave for the Tour o the Gila in Silver City New Mexico on Tuesday. This is a 5 day brutal stage race. Then after that I have Collegiate Nationals down in Fort Collins. So I got a lot of big and hard races coming up here soon. Then after those races I will take about 2 weeks off the bike before I start riding again for the summer season. I'm going to Las Vegas with a few buddies for all of our 21st which will be a good time.

As far as the races this weekend, I sucked. Well we had to spend the night in Vail Friday night because they closed I-70 due to snow. Then I-70 was still closed in the morning so we had to drive threw Leadville and Buena Vista. So we got up early to make it to the springs in time but when we got into town we found out the races were cancelled for the day. So instead we took a tour of the Olympic training center which was cool. Also hung out with our family that came up.

But the race was hard. It was 5 laps about 12miles each lap and a good climb on the back side. It was about 64miles total which is not too long but it was a hard course. I was feeling good until the 4^th time up the climb. I got dropped and worked with another rider and caught back up to the lead group at the start/finish about 15min later. So I just sat in and waited till the climb. Same story this lap. I got dropped about half way up the climb this time and just road in with a small group. Not too happy with the performance, especially with these big races coming up and I cant even finish in the pack…….not good.

Hard weekend

This past weekend was some collegiate racing down in Durango. This was going to be our first race since our home race 3 weeks ago. The weather for the weekend was calling for about 50degrees and rain. But FLC had a good weekend set up. Had the TTT 12mile course with a good climb at the end, the sweet crit with a nice little hill in it and the killer RR with the climb at the end of every lap.

So we wake up Saturday morning and head to the contenential breakfast with some nice cool weather. Then we head back to the room to get ready for the TTT and it was raining and snowing like crazy. So they ened up cancelling the TTT which sucked, because we still have not done a TTT as a team yet this year and Nationals is soon. So now we just had to wait to see if the crit was still on for later that day. The weather started to clear up as well as the roads were drying. The crit is on and so was the rain. At the start line it started to rain, with some snow. And about half way threw it was hailing which hurt so bad on the downhill section. We all got a bad start on the back, and with the pack spliting in half after the first lap because people were scared to corner in the rain. So we used a good 5 laps all out just trying to get to the back of the pack. Got on and was usless the rest of the race. I ended up 10th which is not too bad.Then the RR was Saturday. It was 6mile laps with a good climb at the end of each lap. We were doing 9laps so we had to go up this climb 9 times which sucked. I was feeling ok and just trying to survive all day. I got droped a couple times up the climb but was able to catch back on during the flats. Though there were about 50 starters and only about 15 of use were in the main group the last time up the climb. I ended up 10th overall again which im happy with, considering I cant climb.
I also got my new Giant TCR Advanced frame this weekend and it awesome. Though its got a Shimano intergrated BB and I have Sram stuff. So I have to bring it back and get a Sram BB this weekend. Will be at Air Force this weekend for another good RR.