Glendale GP

Every year, the world's worst city for cyclists hosts a bike race -for cyclists. Odd. It's actually in the outskirts of town, but borders another town terrible for bikes: Burbank, so no love lost. I can blog for miles about my experiences in these two cities, but it's nothing you haven't heard before. Just be really careful when riding through these areas...

The crit. Yet another really short 75 minute crit-smash. I folded up my numbers, and got caught. Eh. Didn't throw a fit. All you have to do when you get caught is tell the rider next to you to pretend that he's "fixing" your number, then start. The USCF officiating algorithm is pretty easy to circumvent...just keep it subtle.

KennyBZ.com

We start. Meager field again. High gas prices + $35 entries + small purse= the fields we've been having. I blast off after turn one with one other guy. Felt swell, and wanted to hurt the guys who had already done 2-3 races. Maybe it worked...we stayed up for 3 laps or so, then it came back. Legs felt fine, wanted to really dig off the front, but nothing stuck. Teammates, however, were stellar. Found myself controlling the front more than being off the front of it. Swell job, fellas. Eventually it was altogether, and not before too long (as is the case with these really short ones), 5 to go sounded. Thurlow + 1 got a nice gap. I was envious. 4, 3, 2 to go. I was 5th or 6th wheel, ideal position for the ensuing bunch gallop. Bell lap, i'm good. Did a quick rundown of my legs, and for some reason, my mind wanted to go for it. 1/2 lap to go, I attacked on the outside as the pack slowed a tiny bit...attacked hard...1300 for 10 seconds....and SDBC was right there....gah. Hubris, in large doses. In hindsight, I should have attacked inside...or attacked harder. But, I became the guy keeping the group safely strung out 'till the sprint. Teammate was in the mix, however, and finished 6th. Better result than saturday, we'll take it.

I'm going to win one of these really soon...