Racing Rapides - Alexandria, LA

I went over to the Racing Rapides with the Woodlands Cycling Club Team - Shawn Harris, Eric Pendland, Craig Fitzgerald, and Travis Burandt. I have to say first, the WCC Team is a great group of guys! The whole weekend was a blast! I want to thank the Master Racers, Shawn, Eric, and Craig for putting themselves out there to help out Travis and I in this race. "Have you called your mother?" haha joke of the weekend

Day 1 - Time Trial and Road Race

We started off the day thinking our hotel had continental breakfast, only to find out it was $8 and the buffet was crap...So we decided to hit up IHOP.

We arrived at the race sight around 8:35 and our start time was 9:25...We still needed to unload the trailer full of bikes, get dressed, get pinned, etc...Panic mode!!

I was able to get about a 10 min warm up for the 3 mile time trial, which went pretty good considering the warm up.

Results:
1st - Matt Davis 6:02
2nd - Travis Burandt 6:09
3rd - Ronnie Strange 6:15

Road Race:

Travis and I planned to both get a breakaway and take 1/2, but it never works out that way. Russ "Big Daddy" Walker went off the front on the first lap and built up a 1-2 min gap on the pack. On the 2nd lap, I attacked to start a break, then Travis attacked...I followed others, but a gap was formed at the hill climb. I was cursing myself because I should have made the break...

I tried to bridge across after the hills, but only to pull others with me, so I shut it down. I waited and the pace slowed to a 18mph pace...the gap got bigger and bigger...We approached the feed zone and I grabbed my feed and accelerated to 30mph to try and bridge across.

I noticed a LASport guy and S3 guy were on my wheel, the LASport guy wouldn't work, so I dropped the hammer and dropped both of those guys. I ended up solo for 3 laps trying to bridge up to the breakaway...No dice...I was 2 minutes behind the break, and 2 minutes in front of the pack...What do you do?

I kept on trucking and finished 7th overall by myself. Travis was 2nd.

Omnium Standing after Day 1:
Matt Davis
Travis Burandt
Tracy Martin
Ronnie Strange
Kris French

Tomorrow is the Criterium