We just finished the first stage of the Tour de Georgia.  It as pretty fast and a bit dicey at times.  I tried my hardest to go with some moves and get into “the one”. Didn’t happen.  A few moves looked pretty good, and then they were just to big or not going anywhere.  Stayed out of trouble and tried to help out the teammates at the end. 

The Tour is awesome.  The Georgia fans are so into it and big supporters of the team.  I love this race and am very stoked to be here mixing it up with the big boys.  It is nice to have one Tour de Georgia under my belt and know what to expect.

We have been hanging out on Tybee Island, the furthest Eastern Point of Georgia right on the ocean. Our Hotel is right on the beach, I can see the waves crashing and watched the full moon out on the water.  Pretty nice for a bike race. 

Anyway, lots has happened since the last update.  I will sum it up in a few short sentences.  Went to El Paso and did the Tour de El Paso and got 2nd in everything. Good weekend of racing and dipping sauces.  El Paso has a dipping sauce that they serve with every meal. Weird!  Always trying to force the dipping sauce on you.  Outside of Las Cruces going through border patrol there was a drug bust that looked like it was out of the movies.   The Cops had an F-150 completely torn apart with all the dooor panels off.  Inside the door panels were bricks of drugs.  It was crazy! They had a few shopping carts full of drugs that they pulled out of the car.  Someone is doing some time in the pen for that and will probably get hand-shanked. Bummer!  That’s it.  Will try to get some photos up here at Tour de GA!

While the rest of my teammates were out doing battle on the last stage of the Redland’s Classic, I decided to pin the numbers on for the USAC Crit that takes place in downtown Redland’s during the Sunset Loop road race.  It is known as “the crit of shame” among the pros.  All the racers who either got shelled during the stage race or didn’t make the cut for the stage race squads get to have a crack at some good prize money and glory in front of the crowd that gathers to see the finale of the past four days of racing. 

Although it may not be the highlighted race of the weekend, it isn’t easy and there are some guns out there every year that show up to steal the show.  All of the major teams were represented and most of the guys that live in California and race crits showed up.  I decided to pin the numbers on since that is why I had gone to Redland’s for in the first place and there was nothing to lose except maybe my pride and my hide if things went badly. 

It has been awhile since racing a crit without a team and it is definitely a little different looking after yourself. I raced aggressive and made sure that I was in all the moves threatening moves.  I followed the bigger names in the group hoping to get into a break with them and stay out of the crashes that always occur when you mix amateurs with the pros. 

At about 30 minutes into the 80 minute crit a break with one Rock Racing guy and a Waste Management rider (Ron) went up the road.  I chased across and quickly found myself  with the leaders with two more of the better pro’s coming across,Johnny Sundt (Kelly Benefits) and Hilton Clarke (Toyota United). This was the move to be in and I was pretty happy to be in it with the riders that would ride and work to stay away.  Well, we stayed away and lapped the rest of the field with about 10 minutes to go.  My breakaway companions all had teammates in the group to work with to help lead them out in the final sprint.  Luckily, Adam Myserson (Time) and I had agreed to look after one another since neither of us had teammates in the race.  It couldn’t have worked out better as he led me around the last two laps of the crit as if we were on the same team.  Even with Rock Racing’s entire team on the front Hilton Clarke’s Toyota teammates took him over the top of them in the last two corners and Myerson escorted me right behind them.  It sounds easy now, but it was so dicey with the swarm at the front.  Hilton got the jump on me and hit out early just before Adam swung of to let me around.  I gave it all that I had before the last corner and to the line surprised to finish second! I was extremely happy to finish just in the break but to come in 2nd out of the field sprint was a bit of a shocker.  I had so much fun which is just what I needed.  A small bit of redemption to my weekend was great.  Thanks to Adam Myerson for helping me out, I was stoked to be in the mix at the end.

I will upload a video of the crash in the last lap of the Redland’s Crit, I am not sure how Shawn Milne crashed, but he goes straight over.  I will try to post it later today when my internet is better.  In the meantime I am up for some rest here at home in Durango before continuing my final preparations for the Tour de Georgia.  I feel like I am coming around just in time. 

Been feeling a bit average to say the least. The legs just are slowly coming around.  My prologe was pretty week and today capped it off nicely.  I flatted after doing some rotations on the front with the teammates chasing the break. Was in the box a bit, then chased to hard in the cars and raced myself out right out the back.  I just couldn’t get on before the climb.  Then flatted out of the groupetto, 10 miles from the finish with no more support vehicles.  Pulled over for a bit, looked around, cursed myself and the roads of Redlands. i never flat in races and twice was just the icing on the cake.  I waited a bit longer and tried to round up a wheel.  The official just said “sorry and good luck”. Yea, thanks man.  I had to throw in the towel. 

 The team is riding very well which is awesome. Neil killed the time trial and is right there with the guns in the front of the race.  That’s it for now, I am over this tour! Ready for the next one. Going ot have to do some self training the next few days here in Redlands while the rest of the bunch is racing. That’s racing I guess.