2008 World Training Series opener

Saturday was cool. The big course was wet, so they raced us on the inside oval track. I started with a breakaway that lasted 15+ minutes in the start of the race. My team keeping the field from organizing. Then my team mates covered everything while I recovered after we where caught. In the last 3rd of the race I launched a solo attack and waited for the first 2 strong men to make it up to me. We worked together while the our teams tried to hold back the field. 2 more racers where bridging across and we needed them because we where slowing down and the field was closing in. So we waited and began to organize as a group of 5. Most of the riders where hurting accept one who would go the the front and hurt us all. We would hardly recover and he would pull through again and string us out. I couldn't hold his wheel and I ask him to slow up several times as did the others. He ignored us and road away. We filtered back into the field as he soloed for a few more minutes and was swallowed to the back of the field. I got ready for the finish and moved up to a fast team mates wheel. With a half a lap I was in second, I wound up and and went up above the leader and down across his front and beat the field by 20-40 yards. I was happy to win the season opener for the trainig series.

The local world championships criterium training series started Saturday. New bikes,new people, new training all debuting at RMR ( Rocky Mountain Raceway ). I was happy to see the turn out. We raced the oval race car track because of standing water on the long course. Having a team for the first time was a relief and it was good to play the spoiler to let a team mate get away. Testing the bike, testing the field, testing myself I took the season opener win in the B-field. The team worked perfectly and I can't wait to see it's consistency through the season.

Dessert Rampage 2008

With the fasted 30+ moving up to 40+expert the field didn't get any easier. Upper 70s lower 80s made for a world not seen since last summer. Some riding better now than they will all season. Others getting on the bike for there first weekend this year. The pace started brisk and tight as the open flat start left many looking for shelter in the strong headwind. Finishing somewhere in the top 10 was good for me as I did not bonk, wreck or go the wrong way. My biker tan returning after a long grey winter. Flying the all black neutral jersey as I have not got my new race kit from my new perspective team. The dark colors aiding in the recharging of my spiritual solar panels.