A lot has been going on these past few weeks, that's why I haven't posted much.
Fort Davis:
When I got back from Redlands Classic, my body was just about wasted, so I didn't ride much before this race. It was about a 10 hour drive from Houston to a little town called Fort Davis. Thanks again to Kevin Burandt for driving me and Travis.
Race Report:
Stage 1 - Uphill Road Race
It was a chilly start, very windy in the town of Fort Davis. We had a neutral start through town and once we left town, things got rolling! A few attacks went off, but nothing got away. Carlos Vargas attacked with Sol Frost and Ian Dille...I was saw a great opportunity and went with it! The four of us started to hammer it and no one was chasing us down...Big mistake.
We worked up to about a 4 minute lead on the group. on the slight uphills Sol kept gaping me and wearing me down. When approached the first long hill climb, Sol attacked and I was done. It was up to the three amigos to try and stay away. I went in to my "own pace mode".
About the top of the first long climb, Heath Blackgrove, Chris Wherry, and Pat McCarty came flying by me like I was standing still! The main group was to follow a minute later. I jumped in with the main group and tried to hang on.
We finally got to the bottom of the straight up climb to the observatory and I was glad I had my compact crank!! haha I think I ended up finishing 1:30 behind the main group. Tough day.
Stage 2 - Time Trial:
The winds picked up to about 30 mph, gusting at 45+mph!! The course was pretty much an out and back course. Headwind going out and tailwind coming back! Crazy!! I did something before the race that no one should ever do and it's change your position on the TT bike. I put an adjustable stem on and slammed it down to get more aero...During the race, I couldn't even get low, I was cramping in butt the lower I got.
The way out on the TT course, I think I averaged 16mph and on the way back I averaged 45mph...Does that tell you something about the wind?? haha
Stage 3 - 75mile Road Race
We started at the Prude Ranch, which an awesome Ranch by the way. We were neutral all the way in to town. When we made the right turn down to the TT course, the attacks began! It was crazy attacking!! Attack after attack!! Stefan Rothe was one of them instigating all the attacks. Of course nothing got away. The group finally slowed after awhile and at one point we were all just rolling at 10mph!! haha
We approached the first climb...I have to say, when I was a Cat 4 doing this race, that climb felt like the longest climb I've ever done!! Doing this race as a Cat 1, after we crested over the top, I was surprised it was already over! I think they shortened the climb since then...hehe
I actually stayed with the group the whole race, which was a shocker to me. I didn't expect to finish with the main group. Correction, the last climb, I ended up off the back about 30 seconds from the main group.
Race done...then the drama begins...
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Pro Racing: Vol 2
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.
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.
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.
Monday, February 23, 2009
WALBUUURRRGGG!!
I wrote up a nice report and when I finished it, the stupid blogger froze up and I lost my report...I'll post it later.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Alsatian Omnium Day 2 Road Race
It was a nice beautiful WINDY morning...Winds at about 20-35mph, overcast for the rest of the afternoon and chances of some rain...
Going in to the Road Race I was 3rd in the Omnium GC, aka Overall Standing. Travis was somewhere in the top 10.
We had to legally start the race through town as a 'Parade' for the community, so they actually enforced us to wave at the town...We didn't have much of a crowd...lol
We start the race, people start attacking right out of the gate! We had a tailwind and I think everyone had way too much coffee, including me...So we're pushing 35-40 mph the first 5-10 mins of the race...I noticed my rear tire was squishy...IT WAS FLAT! I was aww $hit!
I yelled over to Chacho, 'Chacho, I have a flat!'
He yells back, (his Hispanic Voice) 'I have Campy!' (I laugh)
I yell back, 'Can you wait for me?!'
Chacho, 'Oh! Ok yes!'
Andy, my other teammate waited for me too.
I get the wheel, practically thrown at me...wheel truck doesn't even wait or help me out...So I Time Trial it to make it back on to the pack. Chacho and Andy try to help me out...we weave in and out of cars one by one. We weren't getting any closer...I yell to Andy, we have to get around these cars! Well, I got behind one vehicle and THANK GOD he was there...You know who you are! Got me back up to the pack, too bad for Andy and Chacho, they didn't make it back...Although Andy did make it back on from the same help of the vehicle that helped me. Chacho, wasn't so lucky...I apologized to both...
The race was brutal! Everyone was put in to the gutter, flirting with the centerline/yellow line rule...At one point we were all stretched out for 2 miles long and cars were passing us on the right & left side of the road...VERY DANGEROUS! Some people almost became hood ornaments...Tobin stops the race!! haha Yells at us about the yellowline rule and to start a new line...Race starts up again, but slowly...
Super Squadra pulled back a 3 man break just about 2-3 miles from the finish, thank you guys!
Travis tried to lead me out again for the finish...but this time it was a uphill finish...=( No good for Ronnie...I yelled at Travis to GO! I was cramping like no other! Stefan Rothe was yelling at him too...haha
Travis Finished 3rd, Kevin Kremke won the Road Race and also won the Overall Omnium.
Travis finished 4th overall and I finished 1 point behind for 5th overall. 3rd-5th was this close:
1st Kevin Kremke
2nd Dave Wenger
3rd Jason Short 33
4th Travis Burandt 32
5th Ronnie Strange 31
It was a pretty eventful and sucessful weekend...So far there hasn't been any wrecks in the P/1/2's that I know of, so that's a great start of the season.
Till Next time!
Going in to the Road Race I was 3rd in the Omnium GC, aka Overall Standing. Travis was somewhere in the top 10.
We had to legally start the race through town as a 'Parade' for the community, so they actually enforced us to wave at the town...We didn't have much of a crowd...lol
We start the race, people start attacking right out of the gate! We had a tailwind and I think everyone had way too much coffee, including me...So we're pushing 35-40 mph the first 5-10 mins of the race...I noticed my rear tire was squishy...IT WAS FLAT! I was aww $hit!
I yelled over to Chacho, 'Chacho, I have a flat!'
He yells back, (his Hispanic Voice) 'I have Campy!' (I laugh)
I yell back, 'Can you wait for me?!'
Chacho, 'Oh! Ok yes!'
Andy, my other teammate waited for me too.
I get the wheel, practically thrown at me...wheel truck doesn't even wait or help me out...So I Time Trial it to make it back on to the pack. Chacho and Andy try to help me out...we weave in and out of cars one by one. We weren't getting any closer...I yell to Andy, we have to get around these cars! Well, I got behind one vehicle and THANK GOD he was there...You know who you are! Got me back up to the pack, too bad for Andy and Chacho, they didn't make it back...Although Andy did make it back on from the same help of the vehicle that helped me. Chacho, wasn't so lucky...I apologized to both...
The race was brutal! Everyone was put in to the gutter, flirting with the centerline/yellow line rule...At one point we were all stretched out for 2 miles long and cars were passing us on the right & left side of the road...VERY DANGEROUS! Some people almost became hood ornaments...Tobin stops the race!! haha Yells at us about the yellowline rule and to start a new line...Race starts up again, but slowly...
Super Squadra pulled back a 3 man break just about 2-3 miles from the finish, thank you guys!
Travis tried to lead me out again for the finish...but this time it was a uphill finish...=( No good for Ronnie...I yelled at Travis to GO! I was cramping like no other! Stefan Rothe was yelling at him too...haha
Travis Finished 3rd, Kevin Kremke won the Road Race and also won the Overall Omnium.
Travis finished 4th overall and I finished 1 point behind for 5th overall. 3rd-5th was this close:
1st Kevin Kremke
2nd Dave Wenger
3rd Jason Short 33
4th Travis Burandt 32
5th Ronnie Strange 31
It was a pretty eventful and sucessful weekend...So far there hasn't been any wrecks in the P/1/2's that I know of, so that's a great start of the season.
Till Next time!
Alsatian Omnium Day 1 Criterium
After having a good recovery and lunch after the Time Trial, I was ready to rock out the Criterium that evening.
Criterium:
We started with about 77 racers and the course isn't that wide, so that made for hard moves on the outside of the pack. We had 3 corners total, one of those corners was a long sweeping corner to the finish.
The race started off at a decent pace, Kremke tried to get away with Patrick McCarty, yes, 'the Patrick McCarty from Ouch Maxxis' Pro Domestic Team, the team with Floyd Landis. He wasn't as strong as I thought he would be =P. Attacks went off here and there like usual, but nothing was going to stay away. I played it smart and tried not to do much work. 5 laps to go there were 4 guys off the front, Dave Rendon went off the front with 3 laps to go. The Bell lap....
The Bell Lap:
After the 2nd turn, Travis Burandt, tapped me to get on his wheel...He ramped it up to 35mph going down the back stretch! about 25 metres from the sweeping corner he wanted to pull off, I yelled at him to keep pulling to the corner! We go to the corner and Travis swung wide and swooped in behind me to slow up the riders behind me...
I sprinted out of the corner as hard as I could and rode away to my first victory in the Pro/1/2 race!!! I won by about 5 bike links and even had to time look back and celebrate before the finish line!!
Thanks again Travis! You are the man of ALL LEAD OUTS!!
Rest up, Road Race was the following morning...76 miles of brutal winds.
Criterium:
We started with about 77 racers and the course isn't that wide, so that made for hard moves on the outside of the pack. We had 3 corners total, one of those corners was a long sweeping corner to the finish.
The race started off at a decent pace, Kremke tried to get away with Patrick McCarty, yes, 'the Patrick McCarty from Ouch Maxxis' Pro Domestic Team, the team with Floyd Landis. He wasn't as strong as I thought he would be =P. Attacks went off here and there like usual, but nothing was going to stay away. I played it smart and tried not to do much work. 5 laps to go there were 4 guys off the front, Dave Rendon went off the front with 3 laps to go. The Bell lap....
The Bell Lap:
After the 2nd turn, Travis Burandt, tapped me to get on his wheel...He ramped it up to 35mph going down the back stretch! about 25 metres from the sweeping corner he wanted to pull off, I yelled at him to keep pulling to the corner! We go to the corner and Travis swung wide and swooped in behind me to slow up the riders behind me...
I sprinted out of the corner as hard as I could and rode away to my first victory in the Pro/1/2 race!!! I won by about 5 bike links and even had to time look back and celebrate before the finish line!!
Thanks again Travis! You are the man of ALL LEAD OUTS!!
Rest up, Road Race was the following morning...76 miles of brutal winds.
Alsatian Omnium Day 1 Time Trial
An Omnium is like a Stage Race, but it's based off points, not time. So you could skip out on one event and almost win the whole Omnium.
Time Trial:
The wind was blowing 20-30 mph out of the Southeast on the 10 mile Time Trial Course. So on the way out, I didn't push it too hard, I only averaged about 33mph...I should have went faster going out. I was pretty conservative on the way out.
Coming back, I struggled to get the bike over 20 mph...fighting a cross head wind on the way back was rough! I was able to hold 23-24 after awhile, but it wasn't enough to even place in the top 10. I finished 22nd in the TT, which I wasn't very happy with, but for not riding on the bike all winter break, I can't complain.
I was glad that was over. Dave Wenger won with a time of 20:15 and I rode a 21:50. My Teammate Travis Burandt placed 3rd, which was awesome.
Race 1 over. Crit was later that evening.
Time Trial:
The wind was blowing 20-30 mph out of the Southeast on the 10 mile Time Trial Course. So on the way out, I didn't push it too hard, I only averaged about 33mph...I should have went faster going out. I was pretty conservative on the way out.
Coming back, I struggled to get the bike over 20 mph...fighting a cross head wind on the way back was rough! I was able to hold 23-24 after awhile, but it wasn't enough to even place in the top 10. I finished 22nd in the TT, which I wasn't very happy with, but for not riding on the bike all winter break, I can't complain.
I was glad that was over. Dave Wenger won with a time of 20:15 and I rode a 21:50. My Teammate Travis Burandt placed 3rd, which was awesome.
Race 1 over. Crit was later that evening.
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