You know, you guys don't actually HAVE to read these updates. I have to write them for the team's sponsors and press releases, so I figure it's easier to also post them here then to just come up with something else to tell.
The "inside story" is that Bailey sends me dirty text messages every night trying to get me to come home, which is effective, half the time I can't sleep after the races and but am too tired to even wank myself to sleep, and my crotch looks like a volcano.
![](https://dz3ixmv6nok8z.cloudfront.net/static/img/ph-508.604ed20cffa9.gif)
Ok, now the "official" report, if you haven't been scared off:
Superweek Update, Stages 6-7
Stage 6 of Superweek saw Dan and myself in action at the Saturn Whitnall Park Road Race in Hales Corners, WI. Dan was coming back after his recovery day, and I had spent the last 20 miles of a 100 mile road race the day before off the front, so we both agreed to sit back a little bit early in the race, risk missing the early move, and try to be aggressive at the end once we knew how we felt. There were a lot of new riders showing up for the NRC events that started the next day, so we expected an aggressive race.
The course was a 2-mile, narrow, twisting, rolling, and extremely fast slot-car style race through a botanical garden. The high speed meant that it was going to be extremely difficult to get away early, and that any move would have to have at least 6-10 riders all working to escape the field. Dan and I both felt good and moved up after the first few laps to start rolling with moves and sprinting for primes.
The only real corners on the course were at the beginning and end of the start/finish stretch, which as a 2-step hill about 1k long. A small group got away just after the first prime, but with none of the Europeans represented and a lot of local riders in the split, it seemed like the wrong combo. Most of the break came back, minus 4 riders who jumped again just as the move got caught. Interestingly, Steve Tilford won the race in front of 3 pros, and the break itself managed to ride at 30 MPH for half the race while group after group tried unsuccessfully to bridge from the field.
Dan and I both were aggressive all the way to the finish trying to get away, and then rode conservative final sprints up the first half of the hill to the finish. We were a little too far back around the last corner, but I managed to come around a small handful of riders to get 21st, while Dan was 31st, both of us in the money and in the points.
http://www.internationalcycling.com/raceresults.php?year=2006&race=832
Stage 7 was the first of 4 NRC events in a row, the Tim Hart DDS/Rainbow Jersey Shorewood Criterium. With NRC points on the line, and Dan and I both feeling like we were coming around and needing to be more aggressive, we planned to come out swinging. Normally the break goes in the first 30 minutes of any Superweek race, and we did not want to miss it.
Well, naturally, tonight turned out to be the first night there was actually a field sprint, and the group stayed together. After almost 30 minutes of going with and counter-attacking moves, Dan and I sat back for the middle part of the race, realizing nothing was going to get away until very late, if at all.
I was able to surf the Sierra Nevada and Jelly Belly leadout trains fairly well in the last 10 laps or so, but go a bit swarmed with 1/2 lap to go. Just before the last turn, I got an open lane and hit out, making up about 10 spots, and coming through the final corner somewhere around 10th. I immediately hit out again, but only managed to hold my spot and not get passed, finishing in 11th place. It was a good result, and scored the team some more NRC points, but still a little frustrating as I feel like I'm lacking some confidence in the final 1/2 lap. It's been a while since I've had the form to sprint the way I seem to be able to again now. Dan bonked a bit at the finish and felt like all the riding and racing was catching up to him calorie-wise, and that he hadn't eaten enough before the race. It's easy to do when you ride an hour every morning, and then a 100K criterium every night! Most of the races have been about 2000 kilojoules of work, so that's 2000 extra calories you've got to eat back if you want to fully recover.
http://www.internationalcycling.com/raceresults?year=2006&race=838
I'm in 17th place overall now, and we have the Brewer's Hill criterium tonight at Schlitz Park, as the 2nd of 4 NRC events this week. Todd rejoins us today, so hopefully his fresh legs will be a good reinforcement.
The "inside story" is that Bailey sends me dirty text messages every night trying to get me to come home, which is effective, half the time I can't sleep after the races and but am too tired to even wank myself to sleep, and my crotch looks like a volcano.
![](https://dz3ixmv6nok8z.cloudfront.net/static/img/ph-508.604ed20cffa9.gif)
Ok, now the "official" report, if you haven't been scared off:
Superweek Update, Stages 6-7
Stage 6 of Superweek saw Dan and myself in action at the Saturn Whitnall Park Road Race in Hales Corners, WI. Dan was coming back after his recovery day, and I had spent the last 20 miles of a 100 mile road race the day before off the front, so we both agreed to sit back a little bit early in the race, risk missing the early move, and try to be aggressive at the end once we knew how we felt. There were a lot of new riders showing up for the NRC events that started the next day, so we expected an aggressive race.
The course was a 2-mile, narrow, twisting, rolling, and extremely fast slot-car style race through a botanical garden. The high speed meant that it was going to be extremely difficult to get away early, and that any move would have to have at least 6-10 riders all working to escape the field. Dan and I both felt good and moved up after the first few laps to start rolling with moves and sprinting for primes.
The only real corners on the course were at the beginning and end of the start/finish stretch, which as a 2-step hill about 1k long. A small group got away just after the first prime, but with none of the Europeans represented and a lot of local riders in the split, it seemed like the wrong combo. Most of the break came back, minus 4 riders who jumped again just as the move got caught. Interestingly, Steve Tilford won the race in front of 3 pros, and the break itself managed to ride at 30 MPH for half the race while group after group tried unsuccessfully to bridge from the field.
Dan and I both were aggressive all the way to the finish trying to get away, and then rode conservative final sprints up the first half of the hill to the finish. We were a little too far back around the last corner, but I managed to come around a small handful of riders to get 21st, while Dan was 31st, both of us in the money and in the points.
http://www.internationalcycling.com/raceresults.php?year=2006&race=832
Stage 7 was the first of 4 NRC events in a row, the Tim Hart DDS/Rainbow Jersey Shorewood Criterium. With NRC points on the line, and Dan and I both feeling like we were coming around and needing to be more aggressive, we planned to come out swinging. Normally the break goes in the first 30 minutes of any Superweek race, and we did not want to miss it.
Well, naturally, tonight turned out to be the first night there was actually a field sprint, and the group stayed together. After almost 30 minutes of going with and counter-attacking moves, Dan and I sat back for the middle part of the race, realizing nothing was going to get away until very late, if at all.
I was able to surf the Sierra Nevada and Jelly Belly leadout trains fairly well in the last 10 laps or so, but go a bit swarmed with 1/2 lap to go. Just before the last turn, I got an open lane and hit out, making up about 10 spots, and coming through the final corner somewhere around 10th. I immediately hit out again, but only managed to hold my spot and not get passed, finishing in 11th place. It was a good result, and scored the team some more NRC points, but still a little frustrating as I feel like I'm lacking some confidence in the final 1/2 lap. It's been a while since I've had the form to sprint the way I seem to be able to again now. Dan bonked a bit at the finish and felt like all the riding and racing was catching up to him calorie-wise, and that he hadn't eaten enough before the race. It's easy to do when you ride an hour every morning, and then a 100K criterium every night! Most of the races have been about 2000 kilojoules of work, so that's 2000 extra calories you've got to eat back if you want to fully recover.
http://www.internationalcycling.com/raceresults?year=2006&race=838
I'm in 17th place overall now, and we have the Brewer's Hill criterium tonight at Schlitz Park, as the 2nd of 4 NRC events this week. Todd rejoins us today, so hopefully his fresh legs will be a good reinforcement.
VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
synnove:
hey mr. taint...i gave your girlfriend a makeover!
![](https://dz3ixmv6nok8z.cloudfront.net/static/img/ph-508.604ed20cffa9.gif)
![](https://dz3ixmv6nok8z.cloudfront.net/static/img/ph-508.604ed20cffa9.gif)
pip:
actually the update was pretty interesting. The stragey of bike racing is something that I was not aware of. I was aware but not of how intricate it is. I don't follow too many racing style sports to fully understand it all, but it is interesting despite trying to gross us out before it. Good luck!