Allen Park

Sorry Doug that I am not lightning quick to post about the race. Keep in mind that I was working at MIS this weekend. So after the race I went home, unloaded, changed and went to the track and worked all day Sunday, where there is very limited computer usage. (1 computer to 50 medical staff)

Anyways....the race.

I showed up about 6.5 hours before my race. My friend Nick who has been helping the team decided he would try to race. He ended up not finishing and waiting with a rider who crashed and broke his hip. He told me later that this sport was harder than he originaly thought.

After his race a sat around for a bit. Then I asked John as he was getting ready for the 1/2 race if I could have a radio. (The team was using radios to talk to each other) My job was to give out time gaps and encouragement. It also helped me quickly get John a new back wheel after he flatted. That race resulted in a breakaway lapping the peloton, so the peloton got pulled. John Z. was the only SLC rider left in the group so I annoyed the heck out of him by constantly yelling "go! go! go! come on! push it!" in the radio.

After I assited in the kids race that followed the 1/2 race, I kitted up and warmed up for our race. At the line, SLC lined up with 9 guys including Chris, Darrell, DMO, Dominick, Eric, Joe, Scott, Steve and me.

We rode a very aggressive race. Darrell took off the front from the gun. From that point forth, any break that tried to form had at least one SLC rider in it. Dominick made a monster move up to a strong break in the middle of the race. It stayed away for a few laps but was eventually swollowed up by the group. I put in an attack or two of my own, but I am not a strong rider so no one ever chases me. The wind was too much for me, so I sat up and ate a powerbar as I waited for the peloton.

Once I got back in the group, I found Jimi and locked myself to his wheel. If he took a drink, so did I. Anytime he would move up and pass Scott Eric or Darrell, I got their attention and let them sit on his wheel in case he made a move. This ended up working out perfectly, because Minnema took off and when he looked over his shoulder, what did he see? 5 South Lyon guys in a train behind him. He was a marked man. When I wasn't on Minnema's wheel, I was on Martinez's wheel.

With about 15 minutes left in the race, the offical annonced that we had 5 laps left. They cut our race 10 minutes short! Seeing as there was not much time left, I worked my way to the front, and with 3 laps left, I was on the front of the South Lyon Cycle Train that was leading the peloton. Darrell yelled "hold up" so I let up a little. I look over my left soulder and DMO just rocketed up the road. Now we were in a pickle. Do we continue the leadout? or do we let DMO go for the gold?

The leadout failed because we all thought DMO would make it to the line. But at the start of the last lap he was caught. I was sitting mid-peloton and couldn't move up, so I knew I was not going to have a good finish. As we rounded the last corner Martinez, who was the first guy through the corner, came upclipped. He then moved right, in front of the peloton, slowing everyone down. Brinkman got around him before he swerved, and got a nice gap for the win. As I came up by Lupe, I saw his chain was off too. Thats when it happened...Martinez lost controll and was catapulted off his bike, landing on his face. As I turned and looked, Doug from the Wolverines went down too and left in an ambluance. I am pretty sure he is alright.

That crash was very close to me, I am lucky I stayed upright. I am sorry for Doug, I hope he is alright.

Kudos to Christy Keely who won the womans 1/2/3 race and finished with the mens cat 3 feild after getting her front wheel taken out by someone who was not paying attention. She rolled across the road and was back mixing it up with us a few laps later.

Congrats to Joe! This was a fast race, and Joe was there on the front with 3 laps to go and finished with the feild!