Double Days

Just because you think about it doesn't mean you get it. The inherent flaw in positive thinking was highlighted this weekend as I came home both days without landing in the right break.

Tour de Dung 1: On Saturday, Elizabeth and I headed out to Sequim. Elizabeth took the roles of Buckley's substitute aunt, team photographer, and corner seven motivator.

All of the heavy hitters showed up including McKissick and Hegyvary. I rolled up with Olivier, Lyle, Aaron, and Kauper. As a second year team, I was excited to field five guys in the Pro/1/2 field. Progress. I was ready to a fault - despite 72 miles to look forward to, I was on the trainer warming up 70 minutes before the start of the race.

After an early break in last week's Mason Lake, the pack was conscious in not letting anything get away and marking Hegyvary and McKissick from the beginning. I was up front for the first lap covering any big moves that had potential to get away. With so many strong riders in the field it seemed like anything could go. Luck favors the prepared but not the overzealous. After a lap of this I needed a breather, drifted back, and Kauper rotated to the front and fortunately landed in the winning break.

It must have been hell up there as Kauper wasn't able to keep up with the pace and found himself back in the peloton. Elizabeth caught his expression rounding corner seven and it clearly wasn't his day. I had that same fate last weekend.

Kauper

When I saw Kauper drifting back to the peloton I went off the front hoping others would come with me. They didn't. So it was nothing more than that solo flyer where you question the very move you just made. Futile.

Lyle

For the remainder of the race, teams unrepresented in the break continued to rotate to the front and by the finish the break was down to a couple hundred meters. They measured their effort perfectly.

Mason Lake 2: I am beginning to notice a pattern. Riders are attacking from the gun this year and in this case during the rollout so the pack was neutralized after a spirited jump by HB. It is, after all, the Mason Lake World Championships.

In the pack Olivier, Aaron, Lyle, and I represented IJM.org on a course with conditions similar to Sequim. Mild rollers, wind, and a 12 mile loop six times over.

Shaw

My legs felt spirited despite suffering from cramps the day before. I took to the front and covered every attack during the first lap or two. As I drifted back Olivier rolled up and made it into the eventual winning break with two HBs, Wes of Lenovo, Nate of First Rate, and Richter of HSP - at least those are made it to the line. Olivier would make it to the line and take sixth in his second P/1/2 race ever. Excellent work.

Olivier

In the pack Cucina brought six guys to the front to rotate and attempt to bring back the break. Garage, especially Hitchcock, also put in big dips but the gap remained at one minute for the remainder of the race. It was nice just sitting in. Plenty of time for food, water, and massage.

With a half lap to go Hone of Lenovo and Lang of HB attacked and gapped the field. I wanted to go with them but I also wanted to save something for the sprint and thought they would be a carrot for the rest of the pack. They stayed away.

At the final turn the world turned against me and I had a flat tire that put me on the rim if I turned on the gas. I coasted in behind Aaron and Lyle in the pack.

Next week: repeat with a different result.

Ouch

The twenty ten road race season began today at Mason Lake.  Some call it the world championships and others call it little more than a training ride. For me, this was vindication. After a tough 2009 season where I had my ass handed to me in the pro/1/2 field I wanted to reset the expectation for myself with a solid placing today.

The course is 72 miles aggregated by six 12 mile loops on good pavement and chip seal. On the backside there is a nasty headwind where breaks will typical set up.  The remainder of the course rolls and winds through tall timber allowing for even a 30 second gap to disappear.

Typically the weather at Mason consists of cold pissing rain and with a new system moving in overnight we expected a repeat today. Fortunately, the rains held off until after our race and temperatures stayed around 50 degrees for most of the afternoon.

At 1pm we started our neutral rollout up until we took a right turn and began to ease into the throttle. I was near the back of the pack and wanted to work my way up so I didn't get caught with my shorts down on the opening move. Moving up after only a few miles into the race some would consider premature since we still had seventy miles to go. But if there is one thing I have learned in bike racing it is this: expect the unexpected.

At mile five of seventy two I was full throttle and driving a break alongside Fleischhauer and Richter of HSP, and Hitchcock of Garage.  Soon we were joined by McKissick of Lenovo and Stangeland of Keller Rohrback. We had a large gap that increased to two minutes after one lap. We were flying and I was wondering when this onslaught was going to ease up. I was on the rivet. After two laps I was asking myself the same question. By the third lap we had a three minute lead on the pack and it appeared that we were going to stay away. My legs were beginning to sieze up and I increased the cadence to lessen the load but it was two laps too late - I was fried and any attacks out of this group would likely put my tail between my legs.

Suffering in the break.

It was only after the fourth lap that we eased up on the pace, which in hindsight is where we went wrong. On the backstretch McKissick attacked the break while I was on the back and a gap formed putting me back into the wind and I couldn't find a wheel. So I transitioned from the winning break to a dark desolate place. Stuck between the break and the pack it has the feel of Siberia without the threat of polar bears. It only took the pack a half lap to catch me and I was ashen, beaten, and silent.

I finished in the pack today after 50+ miles in what would be the winning albeit fractured break (Ian soloed in for the win after dropping Stangeland and Richter took third). While I didn't podium today I did learn a couple things today that were well worth the effort:

1. Luck favors the prepared.
2. I can finally swing the axe.

Twenty Ten

This year is different.

I begin this season stronger and lighter than where I ended in 2009. Work keeps me from training long hours, but the miles I do put in are now quality. I have suffered in my basement since November and now it is time to take it to the road. Last year I went into the season as a Cat 2 just begging to hold on. This year I start the season expecting to win. And why shouldn't I? I have been busting my ass just as much as the next guy.