Redlands Classic Stage Race:
Once again, over in Redlands, CA. All the Domestic Pro team were here racing and wrecking shop! BMC brought there A game for this race! Even Floyd Landis was here racing in Redlands.
Prologue was the first race, 5K Time Trial: It was rolling hills for about 3.5K and straight uphill for 1.5K Not my cup of tea, but hey, what don't hurt you, makes you stronger!
Stage 1: Circuit Race: This was a 155Km road race. It was a very windy day and on the roll out, we were strolling at a nice 45+mph...that's right, 45+mph!! It was crazy fast! One thing I did love about this race was being able to draft off the team cars following like you see in the Tour De France! haha Not legal, but hey, who cares right?! I got dropped of the first climb, I dont' know what happened, I just went backwards! I did catch back on the second lap, thankfully everyone wanted to take a pee break. On the 3rd lap, I was dropped again on the climb...I tried to bridge back up, but i couldn't do it...the pace was blistering! I managed to make the time cut by 3 minutes!! haha unfortunely, only one other teammate of mine made the cut too and the others were cut or dropped. Josh, my teammate, T'd a car in an intersection...the cop let the cars go...he was ok though, just cut his nose. Felt, cracked in half though.
Stage 2: criterium: BMC controlled this race from the gun and finished 1st and 3rd...Pretty impressive! Avg'd about 29mph for the 90 min crit. I finished 51st.
stage 3: Sunset Loop: this race was UP and down...enough said about that one...Dropped from the group in the first lap...managed to finish 8 laps then lapped by the leaders. only 2 guys made it to the finishing loop of the race...We started with about 160 riders...Tells you anything about the course...
It was a wonderful weekend. I was very happy with the result...I came to Redlands to finish the race and that's what I did. Next year will be another story. i finished 98th GC Overall. I'm pretty stoked about that. Also, I beat Floyd Landis!! Not too many peeps can say that!
I would like to thank our WONDERFUL Host Tammy for putting up with us guys for a week!! She was a VERY wonderful lady and host!! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH for the hospitality!!
Till Next time! Fort Davis aka Hammerfest is next weekend.
Monday, March 30, 2009
So I've been traveling the West Coast a bit and doing some pretty intensive racing, if you've been following me on Twitter, then you already know what's been going on.
San Dimas Stage Race:
The race was stacked with just about every Domestic Pro team in the U.S. San Dimas was my first Pro Stage race. It started off with a 3.8 mile uphill time trial...I'm not much of a Climber and I'm starting to accept that with every hill I climb, but I'm letting it get me down. If I want to be a international Pro, I'll have to learn to make those climb with little effort and learn to make time cuts to make it till the end of a Stage race.
When the Road Race came around the next day, I felt ok, I was still sluggish from the Gila training the week before. I had just met the teammates for Ten Speed Drive also. Our goal was to try and set me up for the Sprint Points...I was lucky to even be at the front of the group. Fly V Australia Pro team got on the front of the group and shredded the field! Off the back, Ten Speed Drive!! Travis was the only guy on the team to make it with the front group. We got to the last lap and the officials cut us. It was quite sad, we had more than 12 guys in our group and about 5 of them wanted to work. All which were from our team.
Travis did really well and made the time cut and raced the Criterium, but had to pull out after 40 mins and didn't realize he should have got pulled from the officials to get a result. Live and you learn.
I think the new Ten Speed Drive team has great potential, we all have different views on things, but that's what makes a good team. There is one thing I think we lack, and it's Leadership. I think the team has a great director and I really like the passion he has to help out his team in trying to become Professional Cyclist. It's a long season and I see some great results in the near future!
San Dimas Stage Race:
The race was stacked with just about every Domestic Pro team in the U.S. San Dimas was my first Pro Stage race. It started off with a 3.8 mile uphill time trial...I'm not much of a Climber and I'm starting to accept that with every hill I climb, but I'm letting it get me down. If I want to be a international Pro, I'll have to learn to make those climb with little effort and learn to make time cuts to make it till the end of a Stage race.
When the Road Race came around the next day, I felt ok, I was still sluggish from the Gila training the week before. I had just met the teammates for Ten Speed Drive also. Our goal was to try and set me up for the Sprint Points...I was lucky to even be at the front of the group. Fly V Australia Pro team got on the front of the group and shredded the field! Off the back, Ten Speed Drive!! Travis was the only guy on the team to make it with the front group. We got to the last lap and the officials cut us. It was quite sad, we had more than 12 guys in our group and about 5 of them wanted to work. All which were from our team.
Travis did really well and made the time cut and raced the Criterium, but had to pull out after 40 mins and didn't realize he should have got pulled from the officials to get a result. Live and you learn.
I think the new Ten Speed Drive team has great potential, we all have different views on things, but that's what makes a good team. There is one thing I think we lack, and it's Leadership. I think the team has a great director and I really like the passion he has to help out his team in trying to become Professional Cyclist. It's a long season and I see some great results in the near future!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Trip to Redlands, CA w/ Travis Burandt
Man what a drive! Travis and I woke up at the crack of Dawn! Made the 11 hour drive to Redlands from El Paso. We knew we made it to Cali when two drivers cut us off in the bus/van. It wasn't just a cut off...The car was within inches!! Then he continued to cut off other drivers.
Great host here in Redlands, Melissa and Dave. Melissa just took me to the Redlands TT course...EPIC!! Looks pretty tough! Definitely a climbers TT course!
More to come...Need rest...Feel like a zombie from the drive.
Great host here in Redlands, Melissa and Dave. Melissa just took me to the Redlands TT course...EPIC!! Looks pretty tough! Definitely a climbers TT course!
More to come...Need rest...Feel like a zombie from the drive.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Gila Training
I flew out to El Paso and drove to Silver City, NM with my coach, Gaye Koenning from RPM Sports. We stayed with a lovely couple, Doug and Judy Fowler and their lovely dog Sam, who retrieves the newspaper EVERY morning! haha It's awesome!!
1st Day - Rode half of Stage 1 - started in Cliff and did the loop around the small town and rode up to Mogollon Climb, which is after a 90 mile road race...it's a 5.5 mile climb....about 2500ft of climbing!! the climb is up a small alpine road.
2nd Day - Stage 2 of the Gila Stage Race - I actually changed it up a bit. started at Fort bayard and rode up Pino Altos, which is 7000ft Elevation and it started sleeting on the way up...Then we came across the 'Gila Monster' and Gaye said we should go up...lol...So at 7500ft...The Desend was freaking awesome!! Barreling down a Mountain side at 50+ mph hitting 180 switchbacks!
I was done after that...I tried descending the Gila Monster, but it started to sleet REAL bad! I had to call it quits.
3rd day - Drove to the top of Pino Altos and descended down it and Gaye drove me to the top and descended down it. Rode through the Valley, which is part of Stage 2 and 5, I believe. Gaye aparrently went on a adventure to the Cliff Dwellings and forgot about me...haha We were running short on time and I was only able to get in 2 hours.
I just want to Thank Doug and Judy, they are a wonderful loving family who took in 2 complete strangers. Doug was a Race director for the Cotton Patch which they used to live in Dallas. Doug even let me borrow his saddle off his bike! haha the rails on my saddle broke at Rough Roubaix. I can't thank you guys enough!
Drove back to El Paso and put Gaye on a flight home. Thank you very much Gaye for coming out and following me around Silver City.
www.rpmsportstx.com
1st Day - Rode half of Stage 1 - started in Cliff and did the loop around the small town and rode up to Mogollon Climb, which is after a 90 mile road race...it's a 5.5 mile climb....about 2500ft of climbing!! the climb is up a small alpine road.
2nd Day - Stage 2 of the Gila Stage Race - I actually changed it up a bit. started at Fort bayard and rode up Pino Altos, which is 7000ft Elevation and it started sleeting on the way up...Then we came across the 'Gila Monster' and Gaye said we should go up...lol...So at 7500ft...The Desend was freaking awesome!! Barreling down a Mountain side at 50+ mph hitting 180 switchbacks!
I was done after that...I tried descending the Gila Monster, but it started to sleet REAL bad! I had to call it quits.
3rd day - Drove to the top of Pino Altos and descended down it and Gaye drove me to the top and descended down it. Rode through the Valley, which is part of Stage 2 and 5, I believe. Gaye aparrently went on a adventure to the Cliff Dwellings and forgot about me...haha We were running short on time and I was only able to get in 2 hours.
I just want to Thank Doug and Judy, they are a wonderful loving family who took in 2 complete strangers. Doug was a Race director for the Cotton Patch which they used to live in Dallas. Doug even let me borrow his saddle off his bike! haha the rails on my saddle broke at Rough Roubaix. I can't thank you guys enough!
Drove back to El Paso and put Gaye on a flight home. Thank you very much Gaye for coming out and following me around Silver City.
www.rpmsportstx.com
walburg and Pace Bend
So I decided not to post anything about Walburg or Pace Bend.
Walburg - finished 6th and my teammate Travis finished 4th. It was windy and it was UGLY!!
Pace Bend - travis dropped out due to cramping I think...and he drop his chain...he needs to fire his mechanic =) I finished somewhere in the pack...Travis and I did ALOT of work trying to bring back the breaks.
Walburg - finished 6th and my teammate Travis finished 4th. It was windy and it was UGLY!!
Pace Bend - travis dropped out due to cramping I think...and he drop his chain...he needs to fire his mechanic =) I finished somewhere in the pack...Travis and I did ALOT of work trying to bring back the breaks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
