Superweek Redux + More

Superweek's done. The break from blogging is done. It was a hell of a trip...for reasons beyond the results. I can't say it was the most fun one, but definitely the most productive and organized. Really, a huge huge shout out and thank you to the LaGrange guys who made the logistical puzzle much much easier for this bike bum. They even brought my bike back...HUGE...since it enabled me to take the metro to the chicago airport, and then the metro from Long Beach (LGB) to hollywood.

Top guys.

The final day...whitefish bay. Don't remember a whole lot. It was one of the smallest fields of the series. Interestingly, Superweek organizers said "if you don't show up and race the last day, you don't get paid." Lots of guys were absent, because of the $ chicago criterium the same day, BUT.....the guys behind the GC riders that didn't show didn't move up a spot. Where does that cash go? Being the last day, It was a free-pass to bury the legs, go for primes, get in moves, etc etc...that it was a smaller and slightly weaker (slower) field was just a bonus. Legs=must be on drugs. So great that they can go this well after EIGHT consecutive days of critting. Anyhow, highlights: About 4-5 laps in, I was riding behind one of the Columbians and said "Ay guey, vamos para isquierda...juntos." Something along the lines of "guy, i'm gonna attack on the left, lets go." So I attack....sure enough, brought only one guy with me. And.........it's the yellow jersey. Everyone was pretty surprised by this, me especially, but he drilled it as well, and we were away for a couple. Other highlights......saw my single highest wattage figure of the series -while losing a $100 prime to Carlos Alzate (COL). 1400 W's for nothing. That's it for highlights. A break of 7 lapped, then a group of 6 slipped off, and I finished 3rd in the bunch for 15th on the day.

Superweek Results:
Stage 1-15th
Stage 2-5th
Stage 3-21st
Stage 4-16th
Stage 5-DNS
Stage 6-10th
Stage 7-23rd
Stage 8-24th
Stage 9-DNS
Stage 10-18th
Stage 11-21st
Stage 12-19th
Stage 13-13th
Stage 14-19th
Stage 15-8th
Stage 16-11th
Stage 17-15th

Amateur Overall-5th
Pro Overall-14th

15 races. 15 placings. Zero crashes. Money: lots.

Swell.

Came back to LA where the races are slower, easier, and I don't do nearly as well. CBR final crit was this afternoon. Impressed with the turnout (60), despite a lack of a purse on the day. Entries were cheap at least. Almost a full bearclaw-reunion as well. Side story...so on the grass before the race, a guy (Tony Cruz's soigneur?) asked the group I was with (myself included) if we were gonna watch the race 'till the end. Um...yeah...i'm in it. The guys said "ah...so you're gonna watch it hanging on the back, eh?" Hmm...even if I am not fast...my legs MOST certainly look it...so I jokingly took offense..."yeah...hanging on the back after I lap the field. hah." Then, matter-of-factly, the guy says "Actually, you're not. There are 2 riders from the Italian National Track Team here," and he left. I was a bit annoyed, but eh. I ride for Bearclaw, damnit. We're kinda a big deal around here. I think. Sure enough, there were a pair of Italian super guys. Small, but with massive doses of Italian style and just plain fast-looking. They even had their own scenesters/translators/soigneurs to cheer them on. I'd later learn that they were madison guys. But anyhow...

Race started, and I didn't attack. I respected the field for this one...and my fitness. Not gonna lie, felt horribly. Rudy N from rock was out. "guy, how are your legs....." "noodles." At least I wasn't the only one. They came around though...I followed the Italian guys pretty close...smooth. Didn't really flex their muscle, but eh. Nothing was allowed more than a few ticks. People shutting everything down...so I didn't bother with attacks...only followed wheels when a teammate was up the road. At the halfway point, there was a points prime...I went for it, got the points and a pretty big gap. As I was coasting and recovering, Tony Cruz found his way up to me, solo. We picked up the guy that tried to sprint me for the points, and started rolling. Nice. Had a full straightaway pretty soon. The SDBC guy with us popped, and Tony and I exchanged some pulls. He clearly wasn't giving it the gas, so I didn't either, but it was steady. A group of 5 came up to us, including an Italian and a vegetable man...and that killed the move. Ah well. It was 20 mins to go at this point, so I just recovered a bit. The pace was really slow. Sub 40, easy. We entered the bell lap going....no joke....33 k's an hour. No attacks, no lifting of the pace. I was near the front here. "Guys, it's the last lap." Nothing. Found teammate Mike, and I told him to follow me with about 1/2 lap to go. Finally, a Vegetable guy attacked. I put my head down and slowly brought it back...no one came around. I went around the last turn in second...with the Veg guy blown up just ahead.

#$@^$#%@#$%$@#.......beautiful crash symphony behind me. It's always beautiful when it's coming from behind. Except...a quick glance...and yeah...it was my teammate who was 2 seconds away from the easiest win of his life. I shifted focus, and smashed on the pedals. Caught the guy who'd attacked, and thought I had the W......but.......the Italian dude blasted through and won cleanly. 2nd. Funny out-of-scale cell phone shot courtesy of Johnny:


Clean set of Italian wheels up ahead. Not pictured: massive carnage behind. And a decent one of Ton and me up the road. Don't the BMC kits looks bush leauge with the cell phone camera?