zing!!!

Burned as Kelso would say.

Saturday, I got burned before the race even started: On the start when line, everyone was rolling up to the line when my insanely competitive buddy Mark was introduced as "THE OHIO STATE TIME TRIAL CHAMPION" even though I've beat him at every TT this year by multiple minutes (but apparently I missed the Indiana- I mean Ohio TT). I shed a little tear when Brent said that over the loud speaker to the five people who heard it. ZING #1 Either way, Saturday every cat 4 got burned when some dude solo'd away with about 3/4 of the race to go. Achewood Criterium.

He had his three Fuji teammates sit on the front and slow everything down. Me and Spence (along with one or two Snakebiters) gave it some gas a few times but they were so on top of everything. It sucked. They were pretty negative about it, too. I guess I would have done the same thing but when me, Spencer, and one of their sprinter teammates had a good gap, he still should rolled through and we would have had a very good chance at staying away. But, what do I know.

Either way, I resided myself to field sprint duties with about 5 to go, also known as just sitting in. I felt bad doing it, but I was already getting close to minute gaps from reliable sources to the lone leader. Ouch.

Then I screwed up the bunch gallop. I wanted to go into the last turn 3rd wheel (long 300 or 400m drag to the line) but I went in second. Then I kicked too far out in my 11t and hit the wind where I died a slow death. Seated sprints suck bad. I still managed to hold out for 3rd in the sprint, and 4th in the race. Ouch. ZING #2.

Monday I sent in my revised cat 3 upgrade proposal. I added in lots of Westlake starts and finishes, 3rd overall at TOTV (3,5,6), and my 4th at Lakewood (along with my prior stuff which wasn't too impressive). I gave my sch-peel about how I tried helping my teammate early in the year and didn't get too many results for me...sad story I know. But the response I got Tuesday was pretty harsh including: "not even halfway to your 20 upgrade points" and a big phat DENIED written all over my USAC account. Officially Catfour4life. ZING #3.

I was pretty mad about this: why would someone want to race a higher category be denied I questioned? Especially at the cat 4-3 level?! Either way, this fueled me up to ride to Westlake and do Westlake, hard.

34 miles there. 4 more miles warmup. 38 mile race. 4 mile cooldown. Legs are ZING #4.

80 miles on the day including about 12 in a good break with Stiener and Cruikshank (there was also a Snakebite there but he doesn't have a blog so no name drop) Our break was the set-up for a huge counter and I was on it, but nothing solidified. For the next few laps few attacks were laid down until Chris "hot-streak" Riccarrdi dragged out four more going through one to go. Johnny had made it across and led out the promoter for the WIN! Lake Effect goes 1,3 at Worlds!!

All Zings are now withdrawn.