Giro Di San Francisco

Well the Giro has come and gone once again. This is an event I try to be ready for and this year was no exception. Things started out well enough in the Masters 1/2/3 until about lap 3 when in a tight pace line, I hit the pothole exiting turn 3. Like many others with carbon wheels I cringed at the loud crack it made and knew I done something bad. I continued on for a few laps but herd a tick-tick-tick and thought I would make it to the finish.

A few laps later the rear tubular went flat and I ended up running/ riding back to get a neutral wheel and then back into the race with 6-7 laps to go. The pace was furiously high and I couldn't move up to much. It was over before I knew it and managed 27th place some how.

I had brought spare wheels with me so I swapped the wheels and then ate a small sangu and coke also taking a few sec's to gather myself before the start of the E3 race. The E3 race ended up starting much later than planned and I sat in the sun more than I should have. Midway thu the race I polished off my bottle of water and could have used more.

The 3's was a complete mess. I decided early to work the front and try to keep things strung out and got some help from Marc and Raymond and a few other guys on different teams but it didn't last to long, I made the mistake of slipping back farther in the group than I should have while drinking the rest of my water and catching my breath before trying to return to the front. I never could get back up, with out kicking guys out of the way. (Which I really wanted to do!) the field was bunching up ever time I tried to get around on either the front or back straight, left or right side. Coasting 7-8 wide? ya it was ugly.

In the end I was frustrated and just wanted to get to the front and pull, then w/ 2 laps to go we got a crash just as I was making some progress towards the bubble. Josh and Hendrik both got taken down and there was some field separation which Nate and I chasing to get back on. Manged to do so before the finish line but again guys were fanned out across the road looking at each other and letting the solo break get away and no one chasing....

At this point I just wanted the race to be over and rolled across the line for 38th place with a lot left in the tank.

Not the best of weekends for sure but nobody got hurt badly and at least I finished both races. I figured I would go to the Wed Track Fights with some steam to blow. I won last week and this week I had teammates Channing and Gabe come out and we swept the top 3 with some solid teamwork and it was really fun. I won the both double points sprints including the final and was feeling pretty good.

Cross is here, cross is here!

Next up this weekend is my first CX race of the season (just got the new kits!) in Livermore Sat and then Sun out to Benicia for some more crit action.

Giddy-up!!