Pancake Stage Race

Two days, three races.

Saturday was the 57 mile Road Race through the pancake flat corn feilds. Sunday morning was a 20k Time Trial and Sunday afternoon was the 50 minute Criterium.

The Road Race was windy. 7 miles out wind at our back, one sharp 100 degree right turn, one shicane. 7 miles back in with a strong headwind, another shicane. Then a right turn and about 1.4k to the line with a cross wind.

Domnick was the only other SLC rider in the 3/4 feild with me and was very active untill he flatted on the 3rd lap. He had been in a breakaway with 3 other riders. Three of them were pulled back in the the peloton and another rider took off up to the lone rider and the two stayed away for a while. But the rider that bridged up to the lone rider was not strong enough to stay in the break and was pulled back. There was now a single rider up the road. We never brought him back. I spent a LOT of time at the front along with Kroske and we never pulled that rider back.

Coming into the sprint, we were racing for second. I made my move about 350m from the line. I was going to TT off the front. It worked. I got my gap and had the power to sustain in the the line for 2nd. But my legs cramped up. It wasn't like the twitched a little, they completely locked up, I was yelling in pain. I had to coast the last 75-100m and ended up 7th. (?)Moore was 1st, Kroske 2nd, Brent DelRosario 3rd.

My goal was to get my body recovered and have a much better second day of the race. It worked. I showed up the following morning tired, but ready to ride the TT. Much to my disapointment I opened the trailer to find my TT bike broken so I had to ride my Look. I managed a 5th place finish. Moore and Kroske went 1st and 2nd again. Good news for me though, the guys who finished 3rd and 4th in the TT finished behind me in the road race, so I now sat 3rd overall behind the other two.

The criterium was an important race. Moore told me he couldn't sprint, so we knew he was going to try and get away before the finish. I wanted to win to confirm my 3rd place overall. I told that to Scott (who came down for the crit) and Dominick, and they said that was fine. We came up with a plan. I was to stay in the feild protected from the wind, either on a teamates wheel, or marking Moore in case he moved. Scott and Dominick also agreed to pull any breakaway back. None of us knew it would go so well.

Scott was at the front for most of the race, setting a high pace that kept attacks low. Dominick sat on Moores wheel and I sat protected behind Dominick. Whenever Scott needed to rest, Dominick moved to the front and I sat behind Moore. Every breakaway was pulled in, and every move Moore made was countered by one of the SLC riders.

With 2 laps to go, both Scott and Dominick were at the back resting and I was following Moore. He attacked. I looked back and the only rider to go with us was Kroske. The top three in the race were off the front. With one lap to go, I pulled through and the three of us still had a gap. I pulled off and Moore pulled through and I jumped on Kroske's wheel. This was the technical section of the course. In about a 1/3 mile, we had 6 turns. There was no room to move around each other, so Moore had to keep pulling. The peloton caught us just before the final corner. Moore Kroske and I went around the corner in that order. Kroske went left of Moore and I went right. It was about 125m from the corner to the line. A perfect distance for me. I gunned it and as I came to the line I looked both left and right and the closest person was about 8 feet behind me. I WON!

Everyone from Michigan went crazy. All the SLC riders my whole group, even Kroske (who ended up 3rd) was cheering. I almost cried I was so happy. This was my first ever win. I kept shouting "Yeah!" down the road and I looked right and Scott was yelling "Thats how you do it!" to me. It was awesome!

That win secured my 3rd place overall, and Kroske edged out Moore by a SINGLE POINT for 1st overall.

It was an amazing race. But I owe it all to Dominick and Scott. There is no way I could have won on my own. They rode FLAWLESSLY! They kept me at the front, rested and out of trouble. That win was for them. After all the work they did for me, as selfless as they rode, I could not let them down. They did well too. Dominick managed a 4th place finish and Scott in 5th. They also won 3 primes between the two of them. It was a good day for our team

'Thank You' time:
SCOTT AND DOMINICK! You two were amazing!
Mom, thanks for putting up with me, driving and support.
Nick, thanks for being my mechanic and soigner.
Elisa, thanks for taking video.
Camille, thanks for pictures, comedy and support.
Cat, thanks for encouragment.
Darrell, thanks for my training plan.
James Knight, thanks for the bike I rode to victory.
Eric, thanks for the wheels I rode to victory.
South Lyon Cycle, thanks for giving me a team to ride for.
Race Organizers, thanks for a great and fun race!

As soon as I get pictures from Kroske, Alex and Camille I will post some.