The Good News? Ok! The GOOD news is that I won a race! Yes, it's true -- a tiny, first year stage race in beautiful Ontario, Oregon. The field may have been small (like really really small), but I was racing without teammates against some strong competition. I took two stages (the TT and the crit), and the overall. The race? The Tour of Ontario. Highlights include:
- My race packet had a old-timey wooden glider in it! Check it:
- Krogg smashed the TT! GO KROGG!
- The circuit race was effing windy. At one point, we were riding maybe 15 miles per hour straight into a 20-25 mph headwind. Tumblewinds would dislodge themselves, and fly towards us at an effective speed of ~40 mph! Several times I had to dodge these bullet-weeds with all my reflexes. Tumbleweeds: the number one hazard of the day.
- Flatting my front in the circuit race: not a highlight. Flatting my rear a few laps later: not a highlight. Getting offered first a Campy wheel, then a junior cassette: not a highlight. Chasing back on twice: highlight.
- The suspense of not knowing whether I was still in the lead for Sunday's crit lasted for roughly twenty hours. I love suspense.
- Sunday's crit was effing windy. I was riding a deep-dish front wheel, and wow, coming around a few of those corners that thing would catch the breeze like a hang-glider catches a thermal. I won the race solo, so had several laps to consider the question: is posting up a good idea? What if a gust of wind catches my front wheel and I dump it, right as I cross the line? I'll look like an idiot! Well...I rolled the dice, and thankfully someone captured my risky post-up. Check it:
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| Thanks to Randolph Wright for the photo. |
- I won a pint glass! And a jersey! Check it:
- Congrats to Jeremy Ward of the Sandals Resorts team (who really made me earn it this weekend with some very cohesive, aggressive racing), and Dan Bechtold of Hagens Berman (who helped me stitch the race back together on more than one occasion). It was a pleasure doing business with ya.
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| Thanks to Team Sandals for the photo. |
Thanks Tour of Ontario. It was great to have a stage race right outside my back door. Can't wait to see you back in Ontario next year.
1 comment:
Nice work! Way to 'do business' with that race.
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