Racing in June and getting a promotion!

June

Second Ascent Ballard Criterium
I enjoy this race. It is known for being somewhat of a crash fest and 2012 didn't disappoint. I missed it last year but did come down and watch (I was still suffering from MONO) and was very similar with several crashes. With all the bars in the area it makes it great for spectators and there is always a good crowd.
Course description; four corners, 1km on bumpy city streets with a very slight side hill coming into the finish. The last corner before you arrive on the start/finish straight is bricks. No matter the weather hot or wet, they are slick. Then for some reason turn 2 always has crashes in it as well. We had a full field and I was hoping to do well in this race. The finish sprint was not really my forte, as its slightly uphill and a ways away from the last corner but I wanted to try for the win. Who doesn't? About half way through the race the first major crash happened just in front of me in turn 2. Very similar to how it happened last year and the year before. A "super-fast guy" takes the corner to tight and his trajectory takes him to the edge of the course that has yellow tape up and "A" boards to keep the pedestrians out and the racers in. Then all the others who are taking the corner properly are pushed out wide because "super-fast guy" has blocked their path as he aims to go through the yellow tape and visit the, part pavement, part gravel section that is not the racing course but for pedestrians. As he goes flying across my front wheel I am able to avoid him as I watch out of the corner of my eye as he helps take down at least 5 guys. We came around for another lap and I see my teammate Greg picking himself up. Damn't "super-fast guy", look what you have done! I continue to keep my eyes out for another "super-fast guy" and with 3 laps to go I don't see one but I hear one behind me. It sounded like a pretty knarly crash as I just came off the bricks and could hear bikes and bodies hitting the floor. (I think that is a song?) It was really close because it was pretty loud as I heard several airs of breathe being punched out of someone’s lunges as they hit the pavement. As well as Carbon snapping. With 3 to go a UW guy got off the front but the pack kept him within reaching distance but as we came around for the last lap nobody wanted to pull him back. I came into the last corner to far back and finished in 7th place. The UW guy held everyone else off for the win.
7th place

Capital Stage Race 3 days 4 stages
Everyone I spoke to who did this race last year really enjoyed it. This would be my first time racing for 3 days straight or 4 stages instead of the normal 3 stages. It would be Gabe and I racing in Cat 4 and Travis D racing in Masters 4's. Gabe and I also had Tim Farrell who races for Farestart/Cycle U so I looked at is we had 3 instead of 2. Both Gabe and Tim would be General Classification guys while my plan was to focus on the criterium.

Stage 1 Road Race 41 miles
We were doing 4 laps of a 10 mile loop that had 300 feet of climbing per lap. The weather was great and I stayed down in Centralia at my Aunt and Uncles place so the drive to the course was only 30 mins. Takes a little stress out of the game and adds a few extra zzz's. The start/finish was flat and on good pavement. Once we got down the road a bit it turned to your standard chip seal and no shoulder. Everything stayed together as nobody could get away. I went with a guy on the decent and we had a nice gap but once on flat roads again everyone caught back on. The climbs were short and punchy and I was able to maintain my position in the pack. The corner coming into the start/finish line was at the bottom of a small hill and back onto nice pavement with a 2 foot shoulder. Last lap and we are all together coming out of the last corner. I wasn't in the best position and was probably 20 wheels back from the front but we had a mile or so to go before the finish so I stayed patient. The plan was for Gabe to be on my wheel coming into the finish so I could lead him out for the sprint but when we came out of the corner he was ahead of me on the left side of the road. I saw a gap open up on my right that would get me to the shoulder of the road. I couldn't believe there was so much room for me to move and that nobody was racing up the shoulder to get to the front. I went right to the front of the pack with about 1k to go. That put Gabe on the left side so our plan was toast. It started to go bad when we lost each other’s wheel coming out of the last corner but now it was going to be difficult. I stayed on Mark's wheel who I suspected would do well in the sprint (he later won the whole stage race). His friend started his sprint, I waited and waited, and then Mark started his. I still stayed tucked in and probably did so for too long as it probably cost me the win but I started my sprint and was able to stretch out over the line to take 2nd place from Mark who got 3rd. Gabe was able to finish with the pack in 16th place.
2nd Place

Stage 2 Time Trial 3.5 miles
I was actually looking forward to this TT. Its short and the times should be fairly close. Long story short I didn't warm up long enough. Then I had a flat on the rear disc wheel so I had to change that and it was bad from then on. I finished 22nd 39 seconds behind the winner Mark Fry. My legs hurt from the word go.
22nd place

Stage 3 Criterium 30 minutes
This was a very, very technical course. I don't say that often. Several one line corners and some shady pavement added to the one line corners made it interesting. The finish was on a nice little hill. Around the course it was fantastic. Racing around the Capital and the grounds and buildings in the area were very scenic. It was really surreal. I hoped to do well in the criterium but when I saw the hill my hopes were diminished a bit. The race started and my goal was to see if I could get Gabe the time bonus prime. We got really close to getting it but we came in a few bike lengths short. Then I tried to get the next prime which was some sort of product but I missed that one by a wheel. Well I had just burned up two of my matches so after that I sat in. With 3 laps to go we came around the left hander where the pavement was not good and the fast line was on the inside. Gabe was just in front of me when someone put on their brakes and caused someone to swerve over to the right taking Gabes front wheel out. Then I saw Sam Park (former teammate) fly over the sidewalk and slide into this little boy and his bike. I made sure to ride up to the person who swerved and gave him an ear full. This wasn't the first time this person had caused a crash. Although this time it wasn't his fault but still. I was pretty pissed off. I was hoping to take that to the finish line. I got stuck behind someone who consistently in the race would move up and squeeze himself in line only to slow down and make me close the gap. He was able to do that again on the last lap to someone in front of me so we had a bit of a gap to close and that was just to much. After the race I rode over to see how the guys were. Thankfully Gabe was just fine and Sam was really sore and I believe he is ok.
6th place

Stage 4 Queen Stage 47.5 miles
This was mostly Independence Valley RR backwards. That had me extremely worried as I got dropped from that race back in March. It has a few hills and going backwards I didn't know how they were going to be. The goal again was to get Gabe (6th place GC) and or Tim (3rd place GC) on the podium. I stayed near the front putting in some work. The first lap was pretty dang fast and we immediately started shedding guys off the back. We went over the first climb and I did ok but was at the back when we crested. Then everyone hit the gas and we were single file almost all the way to the next hill. That brought our group down to about 20-25 guys. I was again at the back going over the second hill but I was pretty happy to be with the lead group. Someone yelled while we were going up the hill to go faster. I immediately yelled back at him to shut the hell up. I liked this pace. Any faster and I would have popped off the back. I was beginning to feel confident for the finish which was flat but I had to hang on for another lap. I was pretty sure the second lap things were going to explode but going over the first hill we all stayed together. Gabe was on the front going over the climbs so he appearred to be feeling really good. Especially after he realized his rear brake was rubbing for most of the first lap. HA! We came over the second climb and nobody attacked. This was a big surprise but I was extremely happy to have made it. Now it was going to come down to a pack sprint. I spoke to Gabe and Tim and told them to be on my wheel with 500 meters to go and I would lead them out. I was stuck on the left side of the road behind a few guys and I couldn't start my sprint early. As usual the last few miles leading into the finish is always sketchy and you really have to be focused and alert. Just as we got to the 200 meters sign I moved to the left side of the road and started my sprint. I went to the front and nobody was coming around me until we were about 50 meters from the finish. Allen from Second Ascent came around to take the lead and I stopped pedaling as I was gassed. What the hell are you doing I thought. Keep going. I started sprinting again and one more came by but I was able to hang onto 3rd place. Tim held on to 3rd place in the General Classification and Gabe finished in 6th Overall.

Capital Stage race complete, I finished 15th overall. Oh how things could have been different if my TT didn't suck. Oh well. Its good to have something to work on. A wonderful race and I look forwad to racing it again next year.

I have received my upgrade to a CATEGORY 3 just in time for CRIT season!