KWMRR

One of these day's I'm going to have to think about sitting in the field a little longer. These breakaways are hard work! I took off with Chris Doig shortly after the first corner. We were going 38 mph for quite a few miles, but H-Woods cycles brought us back. We sort of gave up after we turned into this massive headwind on the back side of the course. Timmer was antsy to get in a move though. He is riding well this year, so we had to make sure he didn't go anywhere without going along for the ride. Grandstay and H-Wood had the most guys and we kept everything in check for a few miles. Then on the next little riser I jumped and got away. Of course, Timmer and Doig jumped on and that was the move. One strong guy from each team meant we wouldn't be chased down too easily. From then on it was TTT mode. I was feeling just effortless for the first three laps. I was taking pretty hard pulls to make sure we stayed away, and to get a tough workout in. Chris and Timmer were definitely taking their pulls as well. Coming through the finish into the last lap I started to come unwound. All of a sudden it was as if my engine ran out of gas. I had to stop working and I kept getting gapped from my breakaway companions. Eventually Timmer tested me and jumped away. I thought that was it. Chris looked at me in disbelief, he thought I had been messing with them. I knew my team was counting on me to win up front. I didn't want to have to tell them I'd been dropped. I took one of my bottles and emptied it on my head, unzipped my jersey and started clawing my way into the wind to chase Timmer back down. I started feeling better. I kept telling myself to get over it and eventually I was convinced I could do it. Once the break was back together we were told we had 10 minutes on the chasers (who, unknown to me, were almost all Grandstay riders). We slowed down a lot at this point but we kept sharing pulls. Finally we reached the final climb and Timmer dug a bit. Chris was dropped and I shadowed Timmer. I figured my best move would be to wait until the sprint so I let Timmer pull me to the line. At about 500 meters to go he pulled along side me and said "Good race" I returned the complement and we rode side by side. At about 200 meters I jumped. My acceleration was about all I had left. My legs started to cramp but I'd gotten enough of a gap to make it across the line for the win.

Grandstay had the chase group all contained. Dan came across 4th beating out Aric, then Andy MeanDawg was 6th, B.K. 7th and Casper rolled in 8th. 5 Grandstay riders in the top 8! Good job team.

Opus 2

Last night at Opus was another headache. Combine rush hour, chess, math class and competition and you'll yearn for some aspirin. I'm trying to keep an eye on everything out there; from the sketchy new riders to the constant sprinting as well as trying to score points and win the race. I got behind some wobbly kid at the start and I knew it was time to move up. Then the racing started and I followed Marcotte over the line for second. I kept it rolling with Timmer and I rode one of the fastest laps I've ever done at Opus. I'd thought this would be enough to get away, but not even close. GP was riding like a pack of wolves. They are by far the most organized and they honed in on me as if I was dinner. Pattycakes has really become a super-domestic for those guys. I think he was on the front more than anyone last night. They also have 2 of the best sprinters in Eric and Pete so it makes things challenging. We kept sprinting and making moves and I wasn't getting in good position at all. Every time I went to sprint I found myself in the wrong place. It was a mess, and I almost got wrecked out one time. As the race continued I thought I was going for a sprint at 6 laps. I came across first only to find out it was 7 to go and I'd done nothing but wear myself out. I was having one of those nights. Into 4 laps left I figured my last chance to win was to nab the final 2 sprints. Either that or at least help Dan get up there for the final. I jumped very early and won the sprint at 3, Chia took second so I closed on Marcotte in points. I was trying to do the math while looking around for Dan in the field. It was getting dark and everyone looked the same. GP started their train. I had to try. We were strung out, a long noodle of racers searching for a hole in the colander, any way to stay out of the wind. Casper was up the road but I didn't think he would hold us off. Marcotte was like a jockey as he kicked Pat with his vocal spurs. "Faster Pat, I can get them!" I was crouched low over my bars, hoping no one would jump before I did. I attacked early, it was my only chance.

There's only room at the front for one leadout train so we had to become the scavengers. Casper can hold 28 mph and rides off the front constantly. Williams would buzz on and off the front hurridly chasing down moves and bringing me to the front. While Dan, Chia and I were trying to snag as many points as we could. I ended up winning even though I tied with Marcotte on 21 points. Chai was third with 8 points so it was a successful night for the team. GP is very organized this year. Pattycakes has morphed into some kind of super-domestic for Eric. Pete and Jeremy are riding well and they have a zillion other random guys that go to the front and drill it on cue. I was talking to Dan about how we are just unable to stay away in breaks this year at Opus. But that's why it's training, so I guess you have to try.

How to win the Tour de France (Using some simple logic)

I was at (insert race) where I finished ahead of (so and so rider) who did the (such and such race) where he beat Lance Armstrong.


Therefore, you essentially beat Lance Armstrong and YOU won the TOUR! Try it! If you can't get it the first time, insert another rider and or race (where he beat Joe who beat Bob who beat Lance). Using this simple system, you can beat anyone!

Lazy Sunday

After the race at Durand I was in need of a recovery ride. I convinced my wife that we could go ride the river trail before the rain hit, so we quick got the bikes ready and busted down there. The trail was in great shape, without so much as a puddle to ride through, hard and dry dirt all the way. I put some big 2.2 tires on Anne's bike so she wouldn't have any problems on the corners and the logs. Her log hopping technique is brute force plowing into the log. I was really proud of her though, she's a better mountain biker than she thinks. It was a nice day until the last few miles when the wind picked up and it began to rain. The trees really started making some menacing noises and I was glad to get back to the car when we did. I keep wishing I had some trails I could ride to from my house. I've been looking for a place to build some, but before you know it those woods are cut down to make room for more houses. That and the fact that building trails takes a lot of time. As we drove home it started raining hard and we were glad to have an excuse to do nothing the rest of the day.

Up next is Opus # 2 tomorrow, then the Ken Woods Road Race on Saturday.

Durand Road Race

From the beginning of the Durand Race, I knew it was going to hurt. The
second we hit the road a whole mess of Grand Performance riders swarmed
the front and started and echelon. It was a great move actually because
it left everyone behind scrambling. I learned my lesson on echelons
long ago when the Flanders boys worked me over at the Ken Woods. I dug
down a bit, which hurt early in the race, and moved up into their
rotation. Then everyone decided that looked like a good idea and I got
swarmed from all sides by people trying to move it. I quickly decided I
didn't feel like fighting for a crappy draft all day long. I also
didn't like the prospect of GP filling up the road and sending someone
away in a break while no one could get past. Therefore, as soon as I
saw theopportunity (a climb) I attacked. Chris Doig came with me and I
was happy to have the help. Yet as is usually the case when I attack, I
could tell they were working hard in the field to bring me back. Chris
and I traded pulls until I gave up because we weren't making up much
ground on. We continued to pedal but at this point I think the pack was
letting us dangle for a few minutes. By the end of the first lap we
were brought back. I attacked again right away but didn't get away.
Again, back to fighting for a wheel. A mile or so later Paul Ellis of
GP attacked on a rise and I went with him. Jordon fromIScorp, Mike from Flanders and Timmer from Hollywood also made the move. We had one guy from every big team
and we quickly built up a big lead. We worked together for the rest of
the race, fighting the wind and the hills. Eventually Mike cracked and
we were down to 4 with about a lap and half to go. I thought about
trying to attack, but the wind was so high I didn't like my chances so
I tried to recover a bit for the sprint. At this point I had been out
front in breaks all day and I was starting to feel it. Timmer broke first and no one reacted. A few years back he won this race over Bergman, Metza
and I using the same move, in the same place. I wasn't going to wait
and started my sprint from way out. With the tailwind I started flying,
up to 43 mph, I over tookTimmer and must have taken Jordan and Paul by enough of a surprise to hold them off for the win. When the peloton
rolled in it was shattered. The wind was doing it's damage out on the
course. No one looking like they were having much fun, but that's bike
racing, some days it feels easy, most days it feels hard.

Johnny D Storms Georgia

My old Trek VW buddy John Devine has become quite the fast roadie. He finished 8th on Brasstown today in Tour D Georgia and is signed to race for Disco in a few months time. My prediction is that he will be racing grand tours in less than 2 years. Midwest yo.

Opus Office Park Crits

It's officailly bike race season. Things went well for the Grandstay Hotels Team and for myself last night at Opus. Our guys had a strong presence in the race from beginning to end. I ended up winning the race, Dan finished 5th and Chia was 6th. The other guys kept the race fast and the field together. For me, it was successful in that I was able to get away with Eric Marcotte on the last 3 laps and hold off the field. I'm excited to ride a TT and push a big gear for a while longer. Anyway, not much else to say, except it's fun to see everyone back out on the racecourse. Skinnyski has some cool pic of Opus and Oxbow, so head over there to check them out.

Hollywood and Paris-Roubaix

Where's H-Wood? Yeah, he's the guy with his shirt off. That is some funny stuff. I was glad to see Stuey O-Grady take the win. He seems like a pretty cool guy.

First Race - Oxbow Win

It was nice to get the first race and first win in the bag on Saturday at the Oxbow. It was a nice day for a bike race and my first Minnesota ride in shorts. The race played out well for our Grandstay team. We had way more guys than anyone else so once Casper launched himself off the front all we had to do was cover Ian who was riding well but was without any teammates to help him chase. On the last lap I was getting kind of bored and I hadn't gotten to put in any real efforts. Casper was several minutes ahead and he had it locked up. My brother attacked and Ian chased him down, then I went and was chased down. So I attacked again and got clear. I went into time trial mode to work my way out of sight of the field. I figured I had second locked up. I thought I saw Casper ahead of me on the last dirt section but I wasn't sure. It wasn't until I hit the big climb at the end that I saw him off his bike walking up the hill, he had been out front all day and had cramped on that last ascent. I rode up next to him and encouraged him to get over the line before me but he insisted that I continue. So I passed him and took the win with Casper coming home second. My brother Dan made his move low on the climb and sprinted up it for third and Ray Coyle outclimbed everyone else for fourth. Grandstay took 1-4! Granted, we had way more riders than anyone else, but it was a great way to kick off the season. Yesterday I rode with Micah and Dan and I bonked several times. The grass on the side of the road looked very appealing for a nap and I kept wishing I had a sandwich. I got home and watch TV the rest of the day. My legs still hurt.

Mtb Dreams

Bishop looks like he likes the bike.

I got out for my second ride on the Fuel 9.9 last night. It's been too long since I've really ridden a mountain bike. I got out and starting looking for any line in the woods that was dry. Soon I was flying down sections of singletrack, jumping over fallen trees and carving turns in the dirt. Wow, I almost forgot how much fun that is. Especially when you're riding a 22 pound full suspension bike.

This is the time of year when everyone writes about how they just got the "best bike they have ever ridden!" When the weather warms up and you get out of your basement, or off of your winter beater bike, your new bike is going to be the best bike you've ever ridden. That being said, I will say with confidence that I believe the new Trek Fuel 9.9 will be the best mountain bike I've ever ridden. Here is why -

1. Weight. This bike is quite a bit lighter than the older Fuels. A nice light bike always feels fast and gives you a mental edge.

2. Rear Suspension Upgrade. Trek did away with the bushing on the chainstays and put in some bearings. They changed the rear triangle design to stiffen it up and make it lighter as well. The result is a much more positive feeling rear suspension. This is the first Dramatic change in the Fuel design in 6 years.

3. 2007 XTR. Lighter, more precise and top of the line. It's nice to know you aren't compromising on anything when you line up for the start of a race. The new rapidfire is slick, you can downshift by pushing or pulling, it's light action and quiet.

I wouldn't be posting about it if I wasn't so happy with it.

Please recycle this blog entry.

Spring Break

Anne had spring break last week and that meant it was time to go on a vacation. She wanted to sit on a beach so we headed down to Florida for a week of the ocean. Now, if you know me, the beach is not really my kind of place. I haven't swam in an ocean in about 15 years. We drove down to Destin (which was actually a pretty easy drive) and ended up in spring break central. Yee Haw. Of course it was 80 and sunny almost every day, I had my road bike and a lot of time on my hands, so I ventured out for some good rides. My buddy Jed called me out of the blue to ask me about a wireless router. It turns out he lived there at one time and suggested some rides for me. The next day I found myself in the middle of the woods in Eglin Air Force Base. I must have taken a wrong turn because I ended up at the end of the road next to a sign that said "Space Command Center". Eventually I found my way out though. The riding was decent, I had low expectations but when I heard how bad the weather in MN was I liked it even more. The beach was ok, but I think I'm actually allergic to the sun because if I stayed out for more than about a half hour I would start breaking out in a rash. It was a nice break though.

Yesterday I broke out the new Fuel 9.9 for a test ride. I couldn't believe how high I had to put the saddle on that thing! Once I got that worked out the bike felt really fast, especially on the climbs. This is truly a different bike than the old Fuel and I think it's going to be for the better. I did manage to crash about 2 miles into my ride though. I guess I'm a little rusty on the old off-road biking.

This weekend is the first race for the year. Oxbow. I'm still debating what bike to ride. That's it.