Evanston Update

The last race I did in Super week was the Evanston Criterium. As mentioned in my previous blog, the goal was to sit in and relax. I was able to do that pretty well. Went the whole race only having to cover 3 moves. Nothing too difficult though. As we were coming through the line at 2 to go, I was sitting 10th wheel and a chase group had just been caught. Noticing a sudden decrease in pack speed and seeing a clear line out of the pack, my instincts kicked in and I went for a suicide manuver. Looking back around corner 2 I had about a 5 second gap. Then going around the finish line at 1 to go I still had a gap, not sure what the time was, but the announcer was pretty excited to see the solo move and the crowd was loud enough to get the adrenalen surging through my veins. At this point, I knew it was do or die... don't look back till it's over.... tuck the head and ROLL!!!

The feeling was great. Either I would win the race or I would walk away knowing that I took a risk, had some fun, and entertained the fans for at least 1 lap. In the end, I got caught as I was lining up for corner 6 (of 7). Falling through the pack in the final sprint was not how I was hoping it to end, but no regrets.

Superweek Update

Life is continuing to go well. It seems like every race I am learning more and more and getting more comfortable at the shoulder to shoulder combat that is Superweek. I have been fairly consistent, placing 24th at Arlington Heigths, 26th at Bensonville, and 23rd at Schlitz park. My confidence is high going into today. Yesterday was a crusher with many break away bridges / attempts. But everything is seeming to come together at the end. So today, I think I'll be a little more chill. Wish me luck!

Update - Dave Babcook Road Race & MORE!!!

Dave Babcook RR

This race is one of my favorites. Not because it has huge crowds or a spectacular view of the ocean, but because the start is just a couple miles from my childhood home in Elkhorn, Nebraska. It is also a race that I have won, and helped teammates win. Learning from the criterium the night before, I knew the game about to be played with me. Fortunately, the tables got turned....

Just after the neutral roll out, two of my great friends and former team mates (Chris Spence, Cat 1 & Chet Henry, Cat 3) attacked the field (note that is was a 1, 2, 3 race with the 3's picked separately). I just kept on rolling in the pack and made no effort to chase. Mile after mile went by and I could not help but smile knowing that the pack expected me to do the chasing (Sorry dudes, I don't chase friends even if we wear different jerseys). After a couple laps of lollygaging at the front, one of the non-Nebraska riders came up to me quite frustrated and asked me why I wasn't chasing. Holding back laughter, I simply told him I don't chase friends. Within seconds, several riders bolted from the pack and the chase was on. Over the next couple laps the gap came down from several minutes to just a couple. Then Trek shattered the field up the hill on lap 5 of 10 and now there was my buddies up the road, two Trek guys (Kansas), Jay Thomas (fellow Nebraskan), Other guy from Kansas, and Ckark Preeby (Iowa) with me, and the rest of the pack chasing us but down. The next lap, we worked pretty hard to establish a gap. Jay Thomas flatted after a lap or so in the break :-( Then on the next lap, a small micro-storm came through. It may have lasted all of 2 minutes before it was sunny again. So we just kept rolling through.

Then a funny thing happend on lap 9.... an official came up to us and told us that the race had been "called." None of us know what that ment or what we were supposed to do. But the offficial made it clear that the rac was over. So the group rolled back to the finish line to learn that during the micro storm, they shortened the race. However, the officials didn't even know we were on the course. So long story short, we told the officials what had happened and they made it a four-way-tie for 2nd place.

Monday in Chicago

Google Maps = 32 minutes
Google Maps "with traffic" = 60 minutes
10 MPH on the Freeway = >120 minutes = missed the race

Tuesday in Arlington Heights

Pretty good race all things considered. Got in 3 break attemts that lasted quite a bit. Crashed again, but no damage to me or the bike. at 1 lap to go sitting 5th wheel, then got squeezed. I will figure this out eventually though. Each race I feel better and better. Oh well, I was in the money! 24th

-Timmo

2 wins today!!!!

OK, not quite the wins I was going for, but it sounds a lot better then 6th and 7th.

This weekend I am racing in the Omaha Cycling Classic. It is a race that I won 2 years ago when I was still on Team Kaos. So I was pretty excited to get the opportunity to come back to my old stomping grounds and do something that I love... which is race my bike!

The morning started with a short time trial. Not having a TT bike I entered myself in the Eddy Merckx category, no aero equipment. Fortunately, I won that and got a Flanders Jersey. Pretty nice (thanks Doug).

This evening was a criterium in Papilion. Much to my frustration, the race was dominated by 2 teams that kept me in check. But oh well, my constant chasing and attacking won me the Kim West Radio Show Most Aggressive Rider Award!!!!

So, after winning the two most prestegious awards of the day, I will now go to bed and prepare for tomorrows road race.

-Timmo

WNWCWC

The saga continues tonight at 5:00PM. Corner of Fulton and Guerneville. You know the drill!

-Timmo

WNWCWC and update

Update

Sorry for the lack of posts about the Tour of America's Dairyand. The long and short of it is that after the crash I came down with a pretty bad head cold. It is a lot better now and I look forward to racing again next month. The good news is that Sheldon kicked some butt and ended up 5th place in the overall standings. GO SHELDON!!!

WNWCWC

Tonight... 5PM... I'm back!

See you then... ;-)