Nature Valley Grand Prix – A Grand Finale
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Racing, Team Events
Today’s stage unfolded in spectacular fashion. Straight out of the blocks, and all 140+ starters were sprinting up Chilkoot Hill, trying to make up positions, after being stuck on the starting grid for what seemed to be an eternity. I think that the first trip up the hill, was also the last time we were all together. While the group seems to usually maintain a fairly low rate of attrition for the first half of a criterium, today was an exception.
No where was the magnitude of the day’s extreme demand more obvious than in the race officials generous time-cut; requiring that riders only complete 25% of the 20 lap race. Yes, after only 5 laps of racing, riders were eligible for a pro-rated time. What a deal! Although I had no intention of using such a generous time cut, it turns out that I benefited from such generosity.
Before the race started, I knew that I would be facing up to one of the hardest criteriums in the country. The Stillwater crit is something of a legend in the domestic peleton, as everyone knows of and about, the Chilkoot Hill. At 250 meters with an average gradient of 18%, and ramps as steep as 20%, each lap would be a brutal test of mental and physical strength. With my warm-up completed, and the legs feeling ready for one last fight, I picked up a fresh ice cold bottle of Hammer Heed before making my way onto the starting grid. Seems the entire field, except for a few of us, believed that a good start position would be worth more than a good warm-up. Huh. Interesting idea, and I am not sure which ended up prevailing, as the truth is that we always end up sitting around for a good number of minutes before the race gets started.
I was going to be in the last row no matter what. With everyone else ahead of me, I had to accept this. My teammate Jim Camut, also found himself in a similar situation. We decided that if we were going to be last, we might as well keep the legs moving. Rather than sitting on the line with one foot down, Jim and I rode our bikes in slow and lazy circles behind the nervous peleton. A few others joined, making for an almost comical looking side show. Inside of 10 seconds to go, and Jim and I were executing track-stands right behind the field; ready to explode into the race, with both of our feel already clipped into the pedals.
The first time racing up the hill was brutal. Imagine sitting in your car, simply idling at a stop sign, and in one instant, you stomp on the accelerator, and drop the clutch. Yeah, a real shock to the system. From a comfortable track-stand with my heart-rate hovering around 80-90 beats per minute, I exploded into the race. Over the top of the hill, and I couldn’t pump enough blood through my body.
Over the next few laps, I began to feel settled in the race. The rhythm of each lap was starting to flow, and I knew what points on the course were my strongest and weakest. As I began to work my way forward through the field, I was feeling better with each passing lap. Those first few laps, as I got into the race, I was ready for a battle right up to the end. Ready to fight hard, and to suffer. Coming over the top of the course on my second or third lap, (I don’t remember the exact one) I came across a group of riders who had gone down. Ordinarily, I would have ridden straight passed. In this situation, I found my teammate, and potential U23, winner Bobby Sweeting picking himself up with his bike.
Before I even came up to them, I had already gone into “autopilot.” I had shifted my bike all the way to the hardest gear, 53×11, to ease the changing of wheels should that become necessary. A quick exchange of words with Bobby, and I knew he was good. As he wheeled off to the pits for his free-lap while sorting out any un-noticed mechanicals, I was being harassed by an official. All he seemed to see was that I had stopped despite not crashing. After listing to repeated yells along the lines of, “Number 113, you did not crash! You will not receive a free lap. You must contine…” I rolled off. Of course I knew I didn’t crash, and I wasn’t looking for a free lap. I was looking after my teammate who stood to win, or lose, more than I did.
A few more laps of riding, and the hard charging field was coming up behind me. After just 5 laps, I was pulled from the course. Although it was the least of my worries, it turns out that the unusually low time-cut worked in my favor today. Of course, I wasn’t really worried about how I finished, but it is nice to at least know what I made it, technically. If I had ridden all the way, who knows how things would have turned out.
In the end, my teammate Bobby Sweeting won the U23 competition, and Mike Northey followed yesterday’s strong ride with another big performance today. By limiting his losses, Mike finishes the week 3rd on the U23 race. This last week has been a fantastic week of racing and experiencing Minnesota. For many of us, this year was our first time racing in the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The racing has proven to be some of the best, and I will look forward to coming back for more racing in the years to come.
Thanks for reading and thanks for following along with me this week.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Nature Valley Rocks Mankato
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Racing, Team Events
Another stage down, and things are getting better. The last four days of racing have been filled with aggression, tactics, and battles fought down to the final meters of each stage, and today was no different.
Following a gross mis-calculation of the time it would take to drive into Mankato, we pulled into the venue parking lot with no more than 25 minutes before the race was scheduled to start. What followed was mostly-organized chaos that bordered on madness. Somehow, we all managed to get our bikes ready, dressed, and pockets filled with food, all before racing over to the sign-in table via the porta-johns. As the type of person who much prefers to meticulously measure, place, and prepare everything, this test of rapid preparation was perhaps the most stressful part of my whole day.
The race started with a short neutral section as we worked our way out of town, and onto the rolling farm roads that surround Mankato. Those few minutes of easy pedaling were a blessing, as they afforded me the opportunity to get the legs moving, and some blood flow going, all before the racing got up to speed.
Rolling up onto the plateau that surrounds Mankato, and the racing was full throttle. For fifty minutes, the racing was aggressive as riders worked to establish the day’s main breakaway, which was almost certain to go. Along with my teammates, we all took turns covering breaks, initiating moves, and hoping that today would be “our day.” In the end, it was my team-mate Mike Northey’s day. Mike made the key selection with thirteen other riders who would hammer themselves over the course of the next two-and-a-half hours before finishing their efforts on the closing circuits around the streets of Mankato.
For the rest of us in the field, things slowed down. Way down. With no riders or teams taking up the chase, the break quickly built up and almost astronomical advantage of 8 minutes. Finally, the Ciclismo Racing Team took up the pace making, sensing that they had “missed out,” and that no other teams were in a position of needing to chase. Coming back into town, the peleton began to gain some impotence, as teams worked to get themselves sorted out for the four finishing circuits around downtown Mankato.
The first time we came through, and the 3 riders who remained from the original group of 14 held just over a three minute advantage on the peleton. As the top GC riders and contenders began taking turns attacking each other, the 3 leaders quickly saw their advantage disintegrate with each climb up the Main St Hill. With 3.5 kilometers remaining, they held just a slim margin of 34 seconds over a select chase group of riders who were being driven by the Bissell Pro Cycling Team, as they worked to protect Tom Zirbel’s race lead. At the line, and that advantage had been cut in half.
After a terrific and sensible day of racing off the front, Mike put in some stellar efforts on those closing laps to take 3rd place on the stage, while also taking over the lead in the APC Best Young Rider competition. For all my wanting, trying, and hoping that I would make it into today’s break, I am even happier for my teammate Mike and the success that he found on the roads today. Clearly his legs were better than most, and I will look forward to working with my team tomorrow as we work to protect his lead in the APC Best Young Rider competition during th challenging 20 lap race in downtown Stillwater, MN.
With the laundry started, and my eyes drooping, I think we will have to shut down Guitar Hero as I get ready to rest up for one final day of racing here in Minnesota.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to seeing you all in Stillwater tomorrow afternoon.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Flying Through Nature Valley
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Racing, Team Events
Another pleasant and relaxing day here in Minnesota culminated in a blur. With the Nature Valley having been comprised of late afternoon and evening races until now, the riders and teams have begun to settle into a daily routine.
After sleeping in, probably later than normal for most, we awake to our coffee pots which have been pre-programmed to turn on. The coffee is complimented by breakfast and time spent in front of the TV and computer. Some riders check the news, others update their Twitter pages, and the rest of us fill our time with e-mails and phone conversations back to our homes and family.
With breakfast and the first cup of coffee consumed, some riders will head out for an easy one or two hour spin, and the rest of us choose to keep our reclined position on the couch until the last possible moment; only leaving the couch for a massage or to refill the bottle from which we have been drinking out of. As the riders return from their morning rides, they get their turn on the massage table before returning to the couch.
Lunch and a brief nap come next, before we depart for the day’s race. Many riders climb into the team vehicle with some snacks and a steaming hot cup of coffee for the drive. Upon arriving at the race, it is go time. With the vehicles staged for the race, riders begin their pre-race routine. Different riders will have a different way of preparing for each day’s race, depending on their job for the day, and their style of riding.
This week I have been focusing on trying to find my way to the front end of the race, making and following moves that look to have promise. When I am not covering moves, I have done my best to look after our protected riders, ensuring that they have plenty of food and drinks to get them through the day’s stage.
Tonight’s criterium was run around downtown Minneapolis on a very fast and fun challenging circuit. With fans lining the entire length of the course, and the battle for the overall General Classification becoming tighter, it was sure to be fast – from the gun. And it was. After spending what seemed like an eternity on the start line, I could feel my heart rate slow, and my legs bristled with goose-bumps. Not exactly what I want to feel. Sitting there with my heart beating only 60 times per minute, I knew that my world was about to be rocked. Out of the blocks, and I was summoning every ounce of strength I had, trying to push the pedals faster and more forcefully.
Twenty minutes passed before I was finally feeling comfortable on my bike, and on the course. The remainder of the evening was a blur as the peleton raced around the course. Near the 1-hour mark, and with 10 laps remaining in the race, several crashes took place. With some riders starting to feel fatigue, while other teams were setting up lead-out trains, the tight corners became chaotic, and I found myself caught out on two separate occasions.
Initially I gave chase, hoping that I would be able to regain contact with the peleton, but realized my efforts were in vain after several laps of riding flat out, only to maintain the same gap between myself and the field. With the writing on the wall, I sat up and rolled across the line. My day ended a little bit early, but I knew that there was no point in wasting energy that will be valuable over the final 2 stages.
With tonight’s race behind us, we have returned to our host house for showers and dinner. Tomorrow’s stage will be a change of pace as we again hit the open roads of Mankato, MN for nearly 150 kilometers of racing in the middle of the day. Between now and then, I have some serious resting and recovery. Hopefully I can find some freshness in the legs tomorrow, and with that, I might find my way back to the sharp end of the racing.
Thanks for reading. See you all in Mankato tomorrow afternoon.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Sharp End
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Racing, Team Events
The Nature Valley Grand Prix hit out for the open roads today. The racing was aggressive right from the start. Only 5.6 kilometers into the stage, and we crested the first of several KOM sprints on the day. I have noticed that Minnesota, at least this area, has no mountains. In fact, to highlight my point, the officials here have changed the KOM (King Of The Mountains) competition to a KOH (King Of The Hills) competition. As a rider who prefers extended climbing to the short and punchy hills that we are currently facing, my duties today would involve covering and initiating break away attempts, as well as fetching bottles from the car if the need should arise.
As I mentioned yesterday, with the legs starting to come around to the efforts, I am wanting to move towards the front end of the race – the sharp end of the action so to speak. Last night’s one hour race was just what I needed to sharpen up my systems, and I felt like I was firing on all cylinders today. Rolling along after cresting the first hill, and the peleton was getting settled into the rhythm of today’s race. As we wound through the countryside and farmland that surrounds Cannon Falls, MN, I put in several digs trying to escape the stranglehold which the Bissell and Ouch teams had on the field. No luck, just some moments of suffering.
I drifted back into the field taking a few minutes to evaluate the racing, as well as to take the opportunity to get down some food and drinks. Another 20 minutes down the road, and I was starting to feel frisky, again. Looking for the right opportunity for another attack, and I finally found my chance. A rider from the Colavita Sutter Home Cooking Light Team came down the left gutter, and looked to be headed up the road. I was right on his wheel, which initially resulted in disappointment when he arrived at the front of the peleton and stopped going forwards. With one lone rider up the road, and a hill coming quickly, I thought I had a good chance at getting away. Over the top of the hill and I had finally escaped from the peleton. Finally, it has been many days of racing and trying to get away, and today that success came – for a few short and agonizing minutes. I poured on the gas, hoping my gap would grow. When 3 riders from Bissell and 1 from Ouch came across, I thought we had it made. A few attacks and counter attacks from Bissell and I was blown to pieces.
After quickly being reabsorbed by the peleton, I hit the bottles and food again. I focused on staying out of the wind, and trying to get some energy back into the legs for the remainder of the stage. We rolled back into town at a furious pace which only quickened upon starting on the 5 technical finishing circuits. Another 20 minutes of all out effort racing around city blocks and the finish line was within sight.
Rolling across the line, my head hung low, with my tongue nearly scraping the pavement. After finally managing to get up the road, I was feeling a bit of success and joy, which was overshadowed by the pain and suffering of the previous two-and-a-half hours of racing. After a few minutes of spinning the legs, I rolled into our team tent and collapsed into a chair. Changed and ready for the drive home, we loaded our cars and return to our host houses for dinner, massages, and now bed.
Today was a fantastic and challenging day of racing here in Minnesota, and we are just getting things going. My legs are feeling better with each day, and I am finding my way towards the sharp end of the racing here. Three more challenging stages lay ahead of us. Time for another massage, and then it will be lights out for me.
Thanks for reading. I will see you all in Uptown Minneapolis for tomorrow night’s criterium.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Sharpening Up; Moving Forward
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Racing, Team Events
After the first day of racing here in St. Paul it seems like the legs are starting to come around to the efforts which I am asking of them. With Monday full of travel, and then just trying to get things moving yesterday, I think today was when everything started to finally come around.
This morning after almost one hour of riding, I arrived at the start of the 10-kilometer time trial just like I wanted to; confident, hot, sweaty, and armed with a solid plan for how I would approach each of the following 10-kilometers. I was aiming to finish the first test of the week in 13 minutes and some seconds, even a 13:59 would have been “successful.” In my last time trial, I set a goal which would have placed me in the top 25 finishers from the previous year, and I beat that goal. So today, I was confident for the time trial and my goal. Unfortunately, I was never able to find my rhythm on the course, and ended up finish a long ways down, losing nearly 1:45 to the fastest man, Tom Zirbel.
With my race getting off to a rocky start, I rode from the time trial back to our host house in Mendota Heights. The 20 minute ride was the perfect cool down, allowing me to pedal a light gear with a good cadence as I cleared the lactic acid from my legs.
The middle part of the day was lazy and relaxing. After getting back, I made a quick lunch, before taking a nap. After awaking from my nap, I jumped onto the massage table for a quick rub. Off of the massage table, and I was back to the couch where I remained for the rest of the day. I passed the time by checking in on the news, and then picking up a good book. Off the couch, it was a light pre-race snack, and then back to the couch for a few minutes before kitting up for the evening’s criterium.
Kitted up and ready to go, I rolled out with my roommates for the short 25 minute ride into downtown St. Paul for the criterium. It is no secret, and I make no fantasies about my criterium racing skills. In the world of domestic stage racing, crits are certainly my Achilles Heal. Driven by the morning’s frustration, along with a host of other emotions, I managed to ride one of my strongest crit’s of the season. Although I really accomplished nothing of note in the race, I did manage to stay in what seemed to be the top half of the field, finishing within the main pack.
As the legs start to come around, I am still a long ways down in the general classification, and I am hoping to continue the positive trend, moving farther towards the sharp end of the racing, maybe even off the front in the next few days. We will see what the future holds, but for now, I have a few more minutes on the couch before I crawl into the sheets for some much needed sleep.
Thanks for reading. We are off to Cannon Falls tomorrow afternoon for some autograph signing at the library, which will be followed by an all out throw-down over the course of a challenging 107 kilometer parcours.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Getting Ready For NVGP
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Racing, Team Events, Training
With the team having completed a successful first year induction to the TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship, we were all on the road again. I was flying from our team base in Portland, Oregon to St. Paul, Minnesota, and the rest of the team was flying from Philadelphia to St. Paul, MN where we would all meet up to prepare for the Nature Valley Grand Prix.
After spending nine hours in planes, airports, lines, and public transportation systems, I finally connected with the team which had come into St. Paul on a different flight. With the Rovers loaded up, it was off to find our host families for the week. Despite having a GPS enabled LR3, as well as 2 iPhone’s, and 2 BlackBerry’s, I have learned that we almost routinely make several u-turns. And it is definitely easier to pull u-turns when you are not driving an SUV that is towing a 16-foot trailer. Turns out that our “3 u-turn policy,” was almost fulfilled. After some stumbling around, and 2 u-turns, we finally found our way here.
We got things rolling today with a hospital visit in St. Paul. The team was founded and came about as a way to “pay forward” the generosity of the Lance Armstrong Foundation as well as the cancer community that was so terrific in supporting David and Norrene, our team managers, while Norrene’s mom fought her battle with cancer. Part of that mission, is to visit approximately 1 children’s hospital per NRC event that we race in. During these visits, we get to share the joys of cycling with the children while handing out LiveSTRONG wrist bands and telling how they too can LiveSTRONG.
After returning from the hospital, we made ourselves some lunch and prepared the bikes for an afternoon training session. The team rolled out for a couple hours to get the legs moving again. Our evening was simple and low-key; shower, eat dinner, team meeting, and then some time in front of the TV before bed.
With all of the final preparations made for the coming 5 days of racing here at the Nature Valley Grand Prix, my eyes are getting a bit heavy, and tomorrow will get off to an early 9:45 start as we all take a crack at the challenging 7km TT.
Thanks for reading. As a side note, I am going to be keeping daily updates coming here on MissingSaddle. As part of this week’s racing, I have agreed to keep some daily updates, and you can all find them right here. Until tomorrow…
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Speaking the Universal Language
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life
As was recently noted by the now famous Ted King, weather has become the universal language of cycling. Even after reading this observation, it never really dawned on me, just how true this was. That was, until this evening. While I am sitting here on the porch swing, sipping a lemonade, my brain has been spinning in circles while mentally perusing the happenings of the last week, as I search for something worth writing about. Yet the fact that I have come up with nothing leaves me with the weather. You see, every time I thought I had something worth writing about, I realized that I wanted to use said subject simply to talk about the weather. And in fact, my last post even referenced the weather. So it seems that the only thing currently running through my head is… You guessed it, the weather.
After several weeks of immaculate weather here in Portland, it was inevitable that a day would come where I would awake to clouds and/or precipitation. During the last week, there were several moments where I thought the sun was leaving us behind. Yet each cloud that came over Portland, was gone almost just as quick. And so today, to find cloud-cover lingering in the skies for more than just a few hours, it seemed that the “end was near.”
Upon awaking from my rest-day nap, I found the sun was still hidden behind a large bank of gray clouds. Eight hours after I first observed the clouds while still tucked under my sheets, I decided to consult with the all-knowing weather man. My computer was never far out of reach today, and I figured that I could put the internet to good use by finding out when exactly it was that the sun would be returning. Apparently, I will have to endure three days of “scattered thunder storms,” before enjoying a “partly cloudy” day on Friday. Huh. Seems like a long time without baking beneath the radiating sun.
Wrapping things up here and I figured a quick glance to the skies was in order. As my daily routines have become slightly dictated by the weather (e.g. if the radar shows the current rains will pass in 90 minutes, and the next bout of precipitation is five hours away, it would be wise of me to wait for the rains to lighten before heading out for a three hour ride) I also have come to fancy that I can “read” the skies in order to glean information about what is coming.
My observations reveal that the previously ominous gray cloud bank, has been replaced by white clouds which are punctuated by patches of deep blue. Better yet is the decreasing ratio of clouds to blue sky. I don’t know for sure, but there is a small part of me that thinks the weather-man might have made a mistake. If I am lucky, I will return from tomorrow’s training ride dry, and if the weather man is right, I could find myself wringing out my clothes after several hours in the saddle.
In the end, the weather will come and go; many days “in the office” will be pleasant, and there will still be downright miserable days which bring us back to square one. For now, today’s less-than-perfect weather has subsided, and I find this a perfect time to shut down the computer before the battery dies. And I will remain in my reclined position while working on my newest goal to read more books. Until next time…
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Return Of The “Fred”
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life
With the return of pleasant summer weather, I am making my return to blogging. And if all goes as planned, I will be able to outlast the sun. At the same time, I must caution that the best laid plans of mice and men…
After returning to Portland, the team needed a bit of a break. As professional athletes, you also become professional sitters. And just like those second and third helpings of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, you don’t realize until after you are done, just how uncomfortable you have become. By the end of 3 weeks of traveling and racing, all we could think about was spending many long hours in our own beds.
With our batteries recharged, the training and preparations for our next trip have begun to ramp up. This week will be the second week packed full of hours on the bike. And rounding out these days, we have logistics to plan, interviews to record, and bikes to build.
For me, this will be the final big push before “sharpening the sword.” Next up on the NRC Calendar for me is the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesotta. After that trip, I hope to squeeze in some time at home with the family before things get crazy in the second part of the season. My plans for July and August have yet to be finalized, but I am keeping my fingers crossed for some hard racing which will push and grow me as a rider.
One hour, two shots (of espresso), and three hundred calories later, my return to blogging is officially under way. With any luck, I might be able to keep this up. Only time will tell, but I do hope to outlast the summer weather.
Keep the Rubber Side down,
C-
Big Block Party In Portland
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Team Events
The Land Rover-ORBEA team is gearing up to put on one seriously amazing afternoon block party in Portland, Oregon. Come on out and show your support for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, while enjoying world class riding, beer, food, and live music.
All afternoon, riders, staff, and sponsors will be available for autographs and conversations as we enjoy award winning food and beer provided by the Laurelwood Brewery.
See you there.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Guided By My BlackBerry. Racing Joe Martin Stage Race.
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Racing
Two weeks of traveling and racing has landed me in Fayetteville, Arkansas. As the last 2 weeks have become a bit of a blur in my mind, I am no longer able to recall the day or date without checking my BlackBerry.
This morning my BlackBerry tells me that it is Friday the 8th of May, and that I will be racing 180 kilometers. After a bit of contemplation, I guess that would make sense. I recall doing a prologue yesterday, and I do know that I am in Fayetteville, so all signs point to this being the Joe Martin Stage Race. Ah that is right, now I remember where I am, and what I am doing. When the sun sets on Sunday, I will have completed 12 days of racing over the course of 17 days. That would be a far cry from my hopes of racing in a Grand Tour, but after 3 consecutive weeks of traveling and racing, I am beginning to understand just how demanding a full-blown 3 week Grand Tour would be.
Back to the here and now though, this weekend is the final 3 days of racing in this block of racing. Yesterday was the usual Joe Martin Prologue TT out at Devil’s Den State Park. Going into the race, I had a solid plan for my ride; how I would approach each section of the course, where I would shift, where I would stand, etc. I even had a targeted finishing time of less than 9 minutes, and I knew how fast I would need to cover each kilometer of course, in order to achieve my goal of going inside 9 minutes over the course of 4 kilometers at an average of 6.8%.
This year, I have been working closely with my trainer, Todd Herriott, to develop a routine for my time-trialing. As I fancy myself a stage racer, and as I hope to make my way onto the European racing scene soon enough, I would be the first to admit to my time trial weakness. Which is not really to say that I am bad at racing against the clock, but more to admit to the fact that I have plenty of room to improve. Either way, I have begun to see my Time Trials improve, and I know that as I continue to train and work on this detail oriented discipline, my prowess in the discipline will continue to improve as well.
Moments after I crossed the line yesterday, I punched in the lap timer on my cyclo-computer. 08:58! For the first time that I can recall, I had achieved my goal in a Time Trial. I said less than 9 minutes, and that is what I did. As I rode back down the hill, I still had tunes from my warm-up blaring in my head; “I can do everything, I can do everything, if I really try hard…” Wow, isn’t that the truth I thought. Confident in my ride, I returned to the car to change my wheels out before heading off for a cool down spin. Still riding high emotions following a “successful” ride, I set off to cool down.
After my cool down, we loaded up the Land Rover and trailer, and drove home. As I came out of the shower, I was drying off and pulling on my Skins. While I lay on my bed, waiting for the others to arrive, I thought to check the results. As I scrolled farther and farther down the results sheet, I was beginning to feel my high emotions drain. Finally, I found myself in 62 position at 54 seconds behind the leader. What the?!? I was dumbfounded. After a near perfect execution of my plan, and after achieving my goal, I had hoped to be sitting a bit higher than mid-pack. My effort of just over 6 watts per kilogram lands me here… I came down from “Cloud 9″ faster than I came down the stairs to dinner.
In all of my anger and frustration, I did realize a positive that comes about from my “failure.” Today, Friday, I will have chance at going in the breaks. You see, with several of my teammates riding a bit higher on GC, I will not be looking to hold a high spot in the classification. This morning we awoke to grey skies, and those quickly gave way to a thunder and lightning storm – just the way I like it. What most guys call a miserable day, is just the way I like it. Aggression and suffering will be the name of the game today, and I am excited to make the most of the opportunity. Coming here, to Fayetteville, I was actually hoping for a chance at going into the early moves, and now I have that chance! That makes me happy.
It looks like breakfast is about to be served, and the French Press needs pressing. Time to prepare myself for an epic 180 kilometer journey around Fayetteville and the surrounding country side, under neath the currently threatening skies.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
