Season wrap-up

The 2009 cycling season is in the books, and it was a fantastic year by all accounts. After racing for over 25 years it used to be the races that blended together, now it’s the entire season. Taking time to reflect is something I’m always telling my students to do but not something I do myself. This year was different and I am compelled.  At 41 I have a sense that my competitive years are slowly drawing to a close. I love racing masters but when the legs are good I love to race with the guys who do this for a living too. This year’s Nature Valley Grand Prix and several stages of the International Cycling Classic/Superweek Pro Tour in WI where two occasions where I got to do just that. There’s something about being in the field with some of the world’s best that is a total rush. I have no illusion about actually competing but being a part of a world class field is still pretty cool. On several occasions during the NVGP and ICC I was in awe of the tempo set by riders from the pro teams. On more than one occasion, I said aloud, “Who is up there driving this train?” as if anyone can hear me from 80 places back.  I don’t actually know any of these guys but the experience to ride at the top level in the most difficult of sports is something I feel very lucky to have done.

Yesterday, I finished my season racing cyclocross in Iowa City, IA. I raced five races in three days. I raced my single speed for the first time, actually placing third yesterday behind former teammate Daniel Casper and Brian Eppen. The rest of the weekend I raced as hard a I could, placing 10th, 11th, & 12th. Unremarkable results but a fine cap to the year, nonetheless. One thing about cyclocross is that there is so much room for improvement. After every race there are dozens of improvements that come to mind: Mistakes and bobbles, slips and bad lines. Of course, anyone who race cross knows about crashes always an instant away to remind you what you’re doing. More than any other cycling discipline cyclocross required one to be completely present. Like most of us, I am still learning.

More later…

old school

My sister & I sometime in the early 80s’s. Menasha, WI, I think.

Jackson Meadows Report

Another great day for a cyclocross race. The course was set up around a unique collection of homes near Marine on St. Croix. Apparently, the homes were all designed by an architect with the idea of helping families live off the grid. I noticed no power lines and all the homes were simple, elegant structures w/large windows, solar panels and efficient yet attractive design.  Garages were small and functional and NOT the focal point, nothing like the oversized eyesores we all see in the suburbs. Jackson Meadows is an example of a sustainable community that I hope becomes the norm some day. 

The course was laid out like this: The S/F was midway through a 500 meters stretch of smooth asphalt that circled the homes before it dropped into the grassy trail and the first barrier. After this barrier we hit a a short descent with a sharp right, then a steep but rideable climb. About a K of scenic and very fast rolling single track followed.  The pines would be awesome any day but the compliment of the fall colors made this stretch even more splendid. Midway through the forest came a high speed barrier then a sharp left that led us out of the trees & into the open meadow. Here we climbed a steady grade along railroad tracks and dropped back down a very bumpy descent into a particularly rough right hand sweeper then down again to the last barrier at the base of the toughest climb. The barrier forced a runup but with the option to shoulder or roll your bike.  After the runup there was more single track and some tight sections before we exited the woods onto the asphalt toward the finish.

So, I still haven’t managed to get a decent start in a cross race. I’m juxt not uxed to the start of a race having a significant impact on the race.  I’m also a little tired of the callups and the holeshot primes that typically go to the same guys every weekend. I wish they’d mix it up and give the 35+ guys a run at the first lap primes and holeshot once in a while. I’m not good enough to contend these but it would be sweet to see CJ, Casper, Roy, &  Smithers get a chance to go for these once ina while.  Most of the time it’s the winner of the race that gets these anyway….  Anyway, the first lap was pretty fun and I felt smoother more quickly than ever. Most of the races I haven’t felt comfortable until the last lap or two. Today was different: For the first time, I was riding inside the top 10. I was able to easily make up any time lost in the technical sections on the straights, especially on the asphalt through S/F.  I think I moved up as far as 8th with about 4 to go and I felt that maybe, just maybe I could reach the next group that contained Smithers and some others. Unfortunately, with four to go my rear tire was losing air.  I finished the lap (by then it was completely flat) and stopped for a wheel change at 3 to go. I lost over a minute and about 5 positions but bridged back in the group w/Hollywood and three or four others. By the final lap H-Wood and I were the only two left from the small group and I tried to hold him off but he was perfect in the turns. Truly impressive bike handling!  I thought I could get another shot to catch him in the finale but he took the bike throw by a foot or two. The highlight was matching Jay on the last few runups and trying to stay w/him through the technical sections to the finish. We were both racing full on for whatever place but it was awesome. I’m already looking forward to next Saturday.

HED Carbon aero bars for sale

Want the best? Here they are:  $500 (retail $700) Brand new, never mounted.

Cross Season continues w/Baker Orchard

I’ve raced more cross this year than I have in all years previous and I’m showing some signs of improvement. The improvements are small and not as rapid as I would have hoped, but progress nonetheless. Last weekend I raced in the snow and mud in Corcoran and faired well enough for 2nd in the 35plus. However, I but fell pretty hard into a fence midrace and tweaked my shoulder which has been sore since. The following day was the Theo Wirth course which was really hard for me, especially the staircase climb and fast descents.  I fell once or twice but kept it together and stayed w/Smithers but he eventually rode away from me. It’s awesome to see him riding well. He’s been working hard and it’s paying off.  CJ too has worked hard and is rocking the masters rider of the year competition thus far.  I am super stoked for him.

After yesterday’s race I came to realize that I can’t race full on from April through November w/o some sort of break. The road season was awesome but has drained my legs and, more importantly my mind.  DUring the race yesterday I felt terrible for the first 50 minutes of the hour long race. I just couldn’t get myself to race hard. Small gaps between groups seemed insurmountable and I just couldn’t seem to get myself to bridge anything.  Perhaps the long week caught up with me. I’ve been surrounded by people who are sick and I think my body is fighting. I also got my flu shot this week and that may be contributing to my feeling less than normal. Despite all this, the Baker Orchard race was fun. It was good to see John Baker again. We raced in the mid 90’s together and he was one of the best all around riders at the time. He still could be but he’s onto new things like maintaining the beautiful orchard and farm as well as his company.  Anyway, CJ won again after getting out early with Dewey and making big time on the rest of us. He later face planted between the barriers but got up and kept racing. I rode w/a group of four or five that was just behind Smither’s group but, unlike the group ahead, we had no real organization. The long straights at this course actually called for some pacelining but our group couldn’t get it together. I’d get to the front but ended up just slowing everyone down when we hit the barriers or technical sections.  At one to go, Hackworthy lapped us right on the line and instantly half our group was done racing.  Luckily Matt Allen and I were able to race the final lap together.  He turned on the gas and I hung onto his wheel and I started to feel like I was floating. This was the fastest and most fun lap of the day. We were the last two to finish the entire distance so that was pretty cool.  I think it was his birthday too.

Patty loved the course and raced great, finishing fourth in the women’s 4 race. She’s hungry for a podium spot, I think.  I’m super lucky that she’s totally into the racing scene. I’ve been to a few of her running races and the scene has much more comraderie but she likes this too.  We’ll both be at Marine on St. Croix Saturday.  Until then I think I’m going to rest and try to be back on form for the November races in Crystal, MN and Iowa City.

Hudson Cyclocross Review

Good times again at Hudson cross but, once again, proof that I suck in the technical sections.  The race started on a bridge and we only had about 100 meters before we hit a narrow left turn, the barrier set, & the grassy section before dropping into the woods. There was so much congestion early on that the race for the top spots was pretty much over within a minute.  I’ve never really thought much of the holeshot but looking at laps times I see that I lost over 40 seconds in one lap, most of this very early on in the race. I also see that my fastest lap was my final lap. By this time, there was no traffic (and I was getting more comfortable with the course). This has made me realize that putting some effort into getting out quicker might be a good idea.

I fell about 5 or 6 times during the race, including a great over the bars launch in the downhill sandy section just after dropping into the woods. Actually, I was handling the sandy section quiet well. It was the invisible root buried in the sand that gave me trouble. My front wheel stopped and I was airborne like the flu virus. I remounted only to fall again on the next short uphill. I was stuck in a 21 and was pedaling so slowly that I pulled my foot straight up and out and whacked my knee. It hurt so bad that I thought I should stop.  A few minutes later Smithers crashed so hard it scared me and I completely forgot about my knee. He hit the sand at mach5 and lost it. He hit his knee pretty good too. It was spectacular! I think I made it through this sand on every lap. By the end I was feeling pretty awesome about my ability to ride through sand.

The course was not all sand though… I fell several times in stupid places. Mostly dorky little uphills, greasy turns, over tree roots, etc..  For some reason the really deep mud was easy for me. I actually passed people here. Both Guy and Jared Roy were in my group and was Mikey P on his poretty blue bike. Jared got hit from behind, broke a wheel, and had to go to the pits, Guy broke cable housing on his brand new Cannondale and by the end of the race I was 4th in the 35plus, even though I didn’t deserve it. CJ totally rocked the day. He got a great start w/Adam Bergman and, despite crashing several times, held off Casper for the win.

With one to go Adam was just about to lap me as we neared the finish (for him). He asked me if I wanted to do another lap and I thought we was saying,”on your left.” It was nice of him to not lap me so I could race the whole distance. I think I even passed another rider or two that final lap. Thanks, Adam.

13:40:09.8	1	1	5:40.892	11.828
13:45:40.9	2	2	5:31.067	12.179
13:51:16.4	3	3	5:35.491	12.018
13:57:06.3	4	4	5:49.967	11.521
14:02:40.7	5	5	5:34.385	12.058
14:08:15.3	6	6	5:34.576	12.051
14:13:50.5	7	7	5:35.225	12.028
14:19:22.5	8	8	5:31.939	12.147
14:24:52.0	9	9	5:29.533	12.235
14:30:25.7	10	10	5:33.696	12.083
14:35:54.9	11	11	5:29.220	12.247

Cyclocross

Last weekend was the season opener in Sun Prairie, WI.  We stayed in the host motel, McGovern’s. This place was pretty sketchy but when you’re racing cross you get dirty and stop caring about clean sheets and the like. I race masters both days and finished in the middle of the pack. I can make some small gains in fitness yet but it’s the huge gains in my technical riding that need to happen if I’m ever to truly compete. In other words, I got schooled in the corners, over the barriers, and anything else that wasn’t flat and smooth.  Sunday went a little better and I was even gaining on CJ’s group midrace until I hit a tree.

Highlights: Friday night beers and # presentation at Williamson’s shop. Patula’s first cross race ever on Saturday. Meeting Vervecken as he rode back to the hotel w/us. A gentleman three-time world champion gracing us w/his Belgian awesomeness. Dinner at Pizza Bruta on Monroe St. then down to the U of WI terrace along the lake for Peet’s coffee and sweets w/McKinney, Scott Robb, CG, Cleary. Before Sunday’s race the SRAM crew set me up with a new Gore fabric cable for my rear shifter. Amazing what a small change can do fo rone’s bike performance. The race itself was pretty fun and I didn’t overdress like I did Saturday and made the top 20, I think. The Market Street cafe’ a block from the course has awesome coffee, and the best multi-grain pancakes that I’ve had in a while too.  I’m already looking forward to going back next year.

Sibley Road Race Recap

Decided last minute to race the masters 55 miler as soon as I realized that I could make it back in time to be w/the kids. It was a good thing I didn’t try to race w/the 1/2’s because I had terrible legs. I just returned from a trip up north where it rained every day and I felt really, really tired. So, an early break got away and most everyone sat and watched them go. Hollywood was there along with a Brone rider so it had a real chance of surviving. I went to the front to keep things in check but honestly I didn’t have the gas to fully bring it back. Luckily, GIS, GrandStay and one LSC rider were game so the break never really got out of sight.  The Brones guys made the race really fun by launching attacks and counter-attacks every time a group came back. It great textbook stuff but there were still some big motors in the group so I chanced it that the race would come back together. On the last lap it did and I figured Ray Coyle or Scott Flanders would be the guys to watch up the final climb. B2b killed it all the way across the bottom of the course until the base of the climb but we started groupo compacto up the 2K climb to the finish. I raced 1/2’s here in the spring and finished 3rd behind Jens and Lance Niles. I think I could have done better if I had sprinted in the big ring. It’s one of those climbs that you can do either way but, especially for a sprint, the big ring is better. With about 300 meter to go were were still packed really tight. I knew I didn’t have much of an acceleration on the climb so I planned to go earlier than last time. I was just to the left of Ray when he went down. Apparently, when Scott stood up his seat tapped Ray’s bars knocking him sideways. Ray’s wheels dropped off the pavement edge and into the gravel and he went down right in front of me. I slid sideways into the gravel and rode over Ray’s rear wheel but did not fall. Up ahead Mark Mlinar, Chuck Jacobs and Scott had already started the sprint. I got back on the road and passed Scott but not the others. 3rd for the day and happy to have not crashed going up hill.

Avon Road Race

Saturday was the 85 mile Avon Road Race. I feel like I haven’t races in a while but so I was looking forward to a long hard road race again.  I couldn’t find anyone to car pool with so I drove up the morning of the race alone. The course is rather nondescript except the final climb to the finish. It’s the typ of climb that you can either big ring or small but hard enough to thin out the bunch. We started very slowly and everyone rolled along chatting. I think a break got away but I’m not sure when because most of us were sleeping. The first time up the climb Doug Swanson attacked and everyone countered. I think the break consisted of seven riders: Pat LeMeuix, Hollywood, Scott Hebel, Mark Skarphol, Jim Cullen, and Mark Byrnes, the guy who started it all. Doug rode tempo at the for for about 20K.  Everyone sat on and he got frustrated with the boring, negative racing and, as I expected, Doug dropped out.

Adam Bergman attacked a few times too and, of course, everyone (over)reacted immediately. It was actually pretty funny. Adam would roll up to the front and riders would follow, then he would roll back the other side. I think he was getting a little bored too and was just having a laugh. Dewey,  and I formed a chase group but we really couldn’ establish much of a lasting gap. One the last lap my front tire started to lose pressure. I thought getting a change would take too long so I kept on as the tire got softer and softer. With about 5K to go the front tire was nearly completely flat. I gingerly made it around the final two corners and started the climb to the finish. My legs were fine but I couldn’t really sprint. It’s always a bummer to get a flat so close to the finish but that’s how it goes. Adam Bergmann must have sat up and let the others race for 2nd because he finished near me ( I was 20th). Tony rode well for 3rd and Andy “Annual Surprise” Kruse was 2nd. There were a lot of guys in the top ten that never hit front the entire race. It was a beautiful day but not the most beautiful race. I’m not the only one who suffered mild sunstroke, nor the only one who may have fallen asleep during the race. Ugh. I doubt I can make it to Sibley County Road Race next Sunday so I think my road season is complete.

Bring on Cross!

Race the Lake Report

Actually, I’ll report on the Neenah Criterium first since that was Saturday. My dad decided to join me for the short drive to Neenah for the Wheel & Sprocket criterium. Since this was my team’s race we were put to work as corner marshalls right away. My dad had corner two which had virtually no shade. I had a side street with a nice patch of lawn and plenty of shade just after turn one. TK and Pete Coons were both looking good in the 30plus race w/Pete making the winning move of four. I think he won a prime or two but didn’t really contest the sprint. I think Chris Halvorson won. TK Rode support and I took a few pictures with my iPhone which turned out surprisingly well.

Ok. Sunday was the big one.  The Race the Lake is one of the few times I line up for a big dollar race w/an actual chance of making the top 3. W&S had a full squad and we started quickly at 5:50am (a complete overkill early start time in my opinion).  Crater got everyone to the front and we rolled over 50kph all the way to Oshkosh. I led the field into my hometown and saw a few familiar faces out early to cheer us through town. At one piont the course went thourhg my old neighborhood. My dad, unfortunately missed us go by as we were ahead of schedule (we had a tailwind). He decided last minute to hop in a friend’s car & join the caravan. It was the first time my dad followed an entire race from a vehicle and he had a great time. As we came into Menasha I flatted just as we climbed the bridge. I raised my hand but there were several hundred (yes, hundred) cyclists that had to pass me before the wheel car could reach me. After a very long wait for a wheel I thought my race was essentially over.  Luckily, the wheel car driver knew what he was doing and after a very sketchy tear through Menasha at 60K I eventually made it back to the back of wave one. With nearly 200 riders to pass before I could reach the front group I still had some work to do. Crater and Jens Brabbit were away at this point and I was worried that the group would split while trying to bring them back. I was gassed from working my way back but Crater and Jens were absorbed and the group eased up just in time. At this point everyone starting to think about the very hard High Cliff State Park climb and the $500 prime for the first rider to reach the top. My job was to keep it together so Andy could launch an attack and take the prime. However, with about 2 or 3K to go before the base of the climb Ryan Baumann (Trek/Livestrong) launch a ridiculous attack that no one could match. I chased as hard as I could for about a K and he simply rode away from everyone, including Ian who also tried to do the same. Ridiculous.  Halfway up the climb it was damage control as usual. I was passed by about 30 riders but managed to stay in contact. After the summit I made the front group again w/o too much trouble (Ryan sat up after taking the prime). A lot of riders were dropped on the climb and, in some ways, the racing was just getting started.

As we turned south the wind was now in our faces. The group was ansty but we weren’t going too fast. There were a few weird crashes and some hot tempers but I just focused on staying out of trouble. At more than one point the group split behind me. I didn’t realize it at the time and we probably should have kept the pressure on (some of the guys that were coming off ended up in the top ten).  Just as I predicted, at mile 75 the race blew apart. The crosswinds coming off the lake and the rollers made for hard going. Andy attacked a dozen times and Ryan simply went to the front and set an impossible tempo. Riding behind him I noticed something disconcerting: Every few minutes he reached into his jersey and took out an inhaler.  He usually did this while at the front. He’d huff and discreetly put in back in his pocket. For the next few minutes he would absolutely kill it at 30 mph into a headwind. Wtf? Is that dude asthmatic? If not, then fuck the inhaler!

I chased everything I could and attacked and got away once but it was futile.  I knew a break was about to go so I stayed at the front and tried to match each attack. Andy came up to me after an attack and said, “That’s it?” (I wasn’t going hard enough, apparently),  I still felt good but Andy attacked after my next hard effort and I could not react. So, the break of four was away. Andy, Ryan Baumann, Frank Dierking, and Tim Pachowski made the split. Several riders tried to get across in ones and twos and I covered all of these alone.  At one p0int I thought of getting across myself (the break only had about a 5 second gap) but Dan Ajer yelled at me because Andy (my teammate) was up there.  I really wanted to get in the break and I think I could have made it but I didn’t want to drag anyone with me. Dan told me after the race he wanted me to stop attacking because he was starting to crack. So, back to the field I went. The final ten miles were pretty easy and the break soon disappeared.  We were racing for 5th (or so I thought).

Ian and Jens were both still in the bunch but Jens was hurting and Ian had a broken wheel from an earlier crash. Is Corp had a few riders left in the group but I still felt good. The field sprint was led out by the two IS Corp riders, then me. I jumped a tad early but Pete Crow came around me in the last 10 meters. I crosses the line in 6th and immediately went to Andy to see if he won. Sadly, Ryan took the sprint from Andy, also in the last ten meters. Andy was impatient all day and was in the finale too. He started his sprint early and Ryan snatched the win.  First place was $2000, plus another $2000 bonus for breaking last year’s record (which we did easily) and he also won the High Cliff State Park hill prime for another $500! I hate it when promoters stack all the money for the winners. I get $500 for 6th and the winner gets $4500? I wish the cash was more evenly distributed…

After the race the results were posted and I was bumped into 7th because Tom Remo (a good cat 2) actually started in wave two. When I checked in they told me to start in wave two as well. I insisted that I should be in wave one and that’s where I started. Remo started one minute behind us and easily jumped across into our wave when we slowly rolled out of Fon du Lac at the start. This is so easy to do with the huge number of riders, the follow caravan, etc.. It’s something the promoters should really try to avoid next year.

So, it was 2nd for Andy, 7th for me and teammate Greg Cullen was 8th. Brian Matter was 9th and the rest below….

	Baumann, Ryan	,	03:26:29.5	90 Mile Bike Race
20	2	2	n/a	Crater, Andy	Milwaukee, WI	03:26:29.8	90 Mile Bike Race
149	3	3	n/a	Dierking, Frankie	,	03:26:30.8	90 Mile Bike Race
100	4	4	n/a	Pachoski, Tim	New Berlin, WI	03:26:33.2	90 Mile Bike Race
155	5	5	n/a	Remo, Thomason	,	03:26:42.1	90 Mile Bike Race
21	6	6	n/a	Crowe, Pete	Appleton, WI	03:27:46.9	90 Mile Bike Race
195	7	7	n/a	Koeneman, Brian	Saint Peter, MN	03:27:47.0	90 Mile Bike Race
23	8	8	n/a	Cullen, Greg	Sherwood, WI	03:27:47.4	90 Mile Bike Race
65	9	9	n/a	Matter, Brian	,	03:27:47.5	90 Mile Bike Race
52	10	10	n/a	HOLSEN, DANIEL