je ne sais quoi

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Vindicated......at Long Last

My first bike race was on January 19, 2002, 8am. Cold. It was the first running of the (now annual) MLK Day Race. Unsanctioned, and with only one category: "Open". Not a big field (8am in January!)...perhaps 50 people...but huge for me! The club I'd started with prepped me well for this day, but looking back, I can't recall any instruction with regards to sprinting. I'd ridden a mountain bike prior to getting on the road, so I felt more comfortable in the tops/hoods area. As I understood it at the time, the drops were for descending, so that you can brake more efficiently.

The race was an odd one. My teammates and I had been talking for weeks about this race, and about what to expect, what to do, etc....but the race found a way to surprise me despite the ample discourse and preparation. I don't remember much else. However, one memory that'll cling to me for a good long while is this: I attacked a couple times, and when I realized it was go time, I put in a sprint -both while in the hoods. "...in the hoods?!! Are you INSANE?" is the first thing one of my teammates told me after the race. I was confused, and a bit irritated when my nickname (nick-phrase) amongst the team for the rest of the season became "the guy who sprints in the hoods." Swell. Still, I didn't understand what was wrong with it. It felt comfortable to me, and at the time, it was faster as well.

Fast forward to yesterday: Le Tour. Big sprint. Look at the above photo. One guy stands out: Fabian Cancellara. Crushing every sprint superstar out there, in the hoods. Thank you Fabian for freeing me of my supposed wrongdoing.

I do, however, sprint in the drops now...

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