CROSSROADS CRIT SERIES

Next week is the Crossroads Classic series starting Tuesday night in Mocksville. I am racing every race including Hanes Park on Sunday and hoping to bring home the bacon for the big green! Oh, every race but Friday night's race in Statesville.

Hungover in Paris

At last we have arrived in Paris, where we depart tomorrow morning at 4 am EST. As frustrating and mad as the tour became, we met some wonderful people on it and after we left. Two dudes from TN stayed at our hotel in Le Thor. They have been to Le Grand Boucle 5 of the last 6 years. The UK couple that hiked up Ventoux has already emailed to check back in with us. Amy ran into one of our tour group folks at their hotel in Paris yesterday. Needless to say, its as much about the people you meet along the way as the destination itself. That being said and fully aware that a picture is worth a lot more than I can say about it, here are a few additional photos from the last couple of days. The picture at the bottom may be the most interesting.







This photo of the lead pack coming up Ventoux on a 10% grade.




































This is the first room that we had to find "on our own." Its in Megeve, which would have been a great first town to stay in. We could've ridden the Col de la Columbiere and down to Annency for the TTT.

Check out my newest bike. We bought it because there were no rentals available and for the price we paid for the the tour, we could have purchased bikes. This is a TIME Speeder, carbon fiber with Fulcrum wheels (they make a nice clicking sound when freewheeling). It has a full 105 gruppo and compact cranks. Amy got a LaPierre The bikes are expensive over here because Boygues Telecom and Ag2R are so poplular they drive up the demand.

Spectacle of Ventoux

Probably the most photographed peloton of the day were these individuals walking around flirting with everyone.


Cheering wildly for Big George despite the fiasco ordering the kits last year.






We love french meals, especially the pizza truck!




























What a spectacle atop Mt Ventoux! Huge throngs of people speaking one common language. Some camper vans had been there for 6 days. We rode up from Sault, about 20k to the top and then rode back down to 6k from the top, near Chalet Reynard. The camper vans have satellite dishes and so I watched a lot of the race through the windshield. We were on the mountain before noon and stayed out there all day. I planned to run alongside Vdv or Hincapie but the crowds made only a narrow opening for the riders. We snagged a lot of free swag from the caravan and made friends with other insane fans. It took forever to get down even though we had our bikes, we couldn't make progress because of cars, pedestrians, etc. Here are a few other pictures from the day.

Some other pictures

See if you like any of these photos. If you want to see some better ones, check out Graham Watson's website. That is me at the top of the Col de Croix de Fer, meaning Col of Iron Cross (in background). The next 2 are silly pics of Lance attacking on the big screen and me in an Ag2r kit.

There were 4 of these dudes in homemade t-shirts with mugs of the Schleck bros walking around at the finish of in Le Grand Bornand. These freak-o's were also carrying tall flags with Frank and Andy's faces plastered on there.

There is also a live action shot of Hincapie's group coming into the finish line.

This last photo is of my new Garmin mount. I got it from the team.

Big Day on Big Sandcastle

Good Morning! Today you should see me on Mont Ventoux chasing Lance as he makes his way up. The crowds are HUGE and cycling fans come in all shapes and sizes and usually in campers. They are also usually stinking cause its f-ing hot and they ain't had a shower due to aforementioned camper. I'm reminded that european hot is a whole new level of discomfort. They don't have freon or something so the A/C can cool a 2 cubic foot space from 84 deg to 78 deg but no further. I've slept on top of the sheets for the last 2 nights. At any rate, we're headed over to make a full day of it. Yesterday, Amy checked in our tour group. She was hoping to retrieve my saddle, seatpost, our pedals and a few other random things. Things have gotten worse over there for them. Its better for us. :) We met a couple of dudes from TN who are going to today's stage. There's also a couple from the UK that are hiking to the top of Ventoux. At the base of Alpe d'Huez, we met 3 guys from Alaska. One of them was roommates with Chuck Ambrose (prz of Pfeiffer) who we race against and ride with at Orr Rd.

cole in breakaway

Well, the short story is that the tour director was a complete liar. Delusion was rampant. He was attempting to do all that he said but came nowhere close. So, we abandoned, or broke away as I like to think of it. We were at the finish in Le Grand Bornand. Rode Alpe d' Huez and the Croix de Fer (much prettier and harder in some ways) and the time trial course in Annency (Cat 3 Col de Bluffy not much more than the three pitch climb on Dixie ride). Today I'm off to snag some musettes and get a ride in the countryside of Provence before the big ride and tifosi experience on Ventoux. More updates later.

Blogging on the edge

Here are come really boring photos of us killing time in Newark. Amy's expression gives new dimension to the term "on the edge" as she is clearly stressed at not being able to find the toyota-united cowbell. Alas, we will have to go to the farm and feed store in the Alps and get a real one.

NC Road Race Championships - June 13-14 - Salisbury

Let's go racing!

This is the next race on my calendar; it would be great to get a contingent up there! Sunday's races are the categorized ones, Saturday is age graded. An age graded race would put a few of us in the race with local notables such as Charlie Brown, Chris Harkey, et al... and I don't fancy my chances against those guys.

This is a good race - has some terrain, but both times I've done it this has ended in a sprint. I got out front for about 5 mi during the middle of the race last year, but eventually was caught back... I feel like I've ridden well in this one though, so am looking forward to it.

Be careful out there - last year 3rd place crashed across the finish line, and almost took out Scott Webster; the guy's bike was still tumbling when I came across the line off the side of the road in about 13th or so. Also the finish camera broke last year, so if you feel like you've had a good result, make sure you stay around to confirm it.

The 4 race starts at 8:40am, which is a bit early but we'll probably be thankful to be out of the heat. There has been neutral support in the feed zone, where they hand you up bottled water during the race. Hope they'll do it this year as well but wouldn't count on it. Word to the wise- the water is ICE COLD, and is quite a shock to a heated up system if you dump it over your head...

I will be out of town for most of June, but am returning to NC for the weekend and I DO plan on doing this race. I'll need a ride up there with somebody who can lend me a pump to air up before the race as I'll be taking my day-to-day stuff up to NJ with me (but leaving a bike here...).

See you in Salisbury!

Westwood representin' at the Bicycles East Poker Ride

Photos courtesy of Nicole Hammerton (incidentalcyclist.com) and yours truly.

Ride of Silence on the Booty Loop - Wednesday May 20, 7:00PM

Guys and girls - wondered if we might consider doing this as a team; quite convenient for most of us as far as location goes... Don't skip your workout for this though!

The annual Ride of Silence in Charlotte, NC will be held this year on May 20, 2009, beginning at 7:00 pm. Cyclists are to gather in the Queens University parking lot off of Wellesley Drive, next to the soccer fields. Parking is available on the nearby residential streets as well.The Ride of Silence is a modestly paced, free event, ridden in complete silence to remember and honor cyclists worldwide who have been killed or injured while riding. This ride takes place globally on the same day and same time in approximately 300 cities, all 50 states, 18 countries and all seven continents (including Antarctica). We have had several local cyclists killed in our surrounding area over the past several years (including Todd Weaver, Rachel Giblin, Lee Anne Berry), and this event hopes to bring more awareness to the issue through these rides. This event is open to all cyclists who can safely maintain a 12 mph pace for approximately 9 miles.Please join tens of thousands of other concerned cyclists worldwide who will be participating in this year’s ride. For more information regarding the Charlotte ride, please email either Michael Gibbons at michael@buttonsofhope.com or Mike Stieglitz at Jarr@bellsouth.net .

MORE INFO on Brain Ride

Brain Tumor Fund Ride on May 16
• Brain Ride Pre-registration is available thru Wed, May 13th;
RIDE ON SAT MAY 16TH

The 2nd Annual Brain Ride presented by the Spirited Cyclist team will
be held on Saturday, May 16th in Huntersville, NC (exit 23 Gilead Rd off I-77).
Proceeds benefit the Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas (BTFCNC.ORG)

Pre-registration is now available at
https://new.sportsbaseonline.com/events/index.xhtml?categoryId=5038&conversationId=8920

Register by Wednesday, May 13th for $20 (no service fee) and save $5
off on-site registration. Pre-reg riders will also get a goody bag
from our sponsors.
The ride starts/finishes near the Just Fresh next to the Huntersville
Business Park. Fully supported metric and half metric routes will be
available.

Parking will be available at Presby Hospital's Physician Plaza parking
lot (please follow signs and attendants). Turn onto Reese Blvd at
entrance to the Huntersville Business Park. Hospital lot on left,
registration at Just Fresh to the right.

On site registration ($25) and goody bag pick up (for pre-reg riders)
will be at the Just Fresh in the Torrence Village shops starting at 7:30am.

Join us post ride at Just Fresh for food and refreshments.

Rides start at 9:00am rain or shine!!

Dilworth Crit - May 2, 2009

Just a few photos of the cat 5s - you guys rode really well! 4s... well... not so much. I think I spent $2 of entry fee for every minute I ended up racing... you do the math... Ouch!

Bikes & frames for sale

Specialized S-works aluminum frame '04 - 53cm, red & white w/ black Specialized carbon fork.

Built up with full Ultegra 10sp, including 172.5mm Ultegra cranks, Ultegra pedals, and Ultegra wheelset.

COMPLETE RIDEABLE BIKE with wheels below and including the installed Ultegra pedals and including the weight of a saddle (though saddle is not included in price) weighs in at 17.5 lbs. NICE!

Will wrap bars in buyer's choice of S-wrap bar tape at no charge.

Complete bike with the Ultegra wheelset, new Specialized Mondo training tires (saddle not included) – for $1230, can get a sweet Specialized saddle for probably $75 if you need one.

+ + + + + + + + + ALSO a Cannondale '08 "Six" model - carbon frame & fork w/ included BB30 carbon crank for sale - this is the Liquigas team bike for '08. This is Scott Russ' bike - believe he wants $500 for it. Probably a $1500-2000 frame. Sweet deal! Could also build up with the Ultegra components above...

Both bike can be seen (and the S-works can be ridden) at Bicycles East in Matthews.

LCVW I'On Village Smackdown Crit

Is anyone planning on racing this weekend? There are crit races Saturday and Sunday near Charleston SC, and several categories for possible entry, especially for the old(er) guys. Sunday might be an ideal crit starter race as they say it is"non-technical."

There are some opportunities for staying with host families etc if you are doing 2 days of racing, but these need to be locked and loaded by the 15th (Wednesday) per the borochure.

Sat. races: "A scenic, flat yet technical, 1.3-mile circuit in beautiful I’ON Village (located inMt. Pleasant, just 4 miles from the heart of downtown Charleston). This is the same course as last year, suited for breakaway riders and sprinters alike. "

Sun races:
"This is the same championship course that you loved last year! A perfectly flat, non-technical, safe, fast 1-mile loop with sweeping corners. Perfect for a beginner or a seasoned pro. The course encompasses beautiful Hampton Park, immediately in front of the Citadel (Just 2 miles from historic downtown)."

Quick bike rack

Just run some screws through the slot in the back into a 2x4, and let the front end rest on the floor. Takes about 10 min. I may replace the wood with metal at some point, but it works fine for now. Leave min 22" or so between trays to accommodate handlebars, more for mountain bikes.

Bike racks

Does anybody want a bike tray/rack (or 2) for storing their bikes at home? I have 8 that the shop was tossing out, each holds one bike. They are new, powder-coated steel in a putty color.

It's basically a channel with a triangular piece at the back that supports the rear wheel, and a sliding block that keeps the back whele from rolling out. I am missing 2 of the blocks, but you can easily make one with a piece of wood or something.

I plan to mount 3 or 4 to a board and my bike area is going to look all professional-like.

Picture of what I'm talking about on the link above.

RHBC Road Race @ Brattonsville SC - Cat 4 - Sunday April 5, 2009

I'd been looking forward to this Sunday since I fell off the front and did a lot of work in the 5 race last year.

No teammates in the race; for me that makes a psychological difference as well as a tactical one. I did however see Scott Webster in the warmup; also a guy named Aaron who works at Bicycles East (though on weekends; never with me). Aaron is wicked fast; I thought he was a 3 or maybe a 2...

The race was SMOKIN from the start. Early on I noticed that we were going 24.7mph which was BELOW our average speed! James Good from Spirited Cyclist was throwing the pain cakes at everyone as he's been doing all season. I burned some matches trying to bridge up to him. No dice - the group always caught us and I probably helped that happen without really intending to. I was in the hurt locker for a lot longer than I'd have liked over the first 15 mi, but I was able to sit in a recover as we approached the steeper hills around mile 25, which I had also targeted as an attack point.

At around that point 2 guys jumped out and got a gap of about 100m. I went with James Good and another guy when they broke to chase them down...barely able to pull through on my turns munching heavily on the suffer buffet. When we caught them, I was gassed and then the whole peloton came over the top of me. Kaboom! I was popped and when the wheel truck went by, I knew my day as a contender was pretty much over.

As is my pattern this season, I decided I was just going to ride at my limit and pick off the stragglers. I chased, rode with one guy for a while, then by myself. I managed to keep going pretty hard keeping my heart rate well up in the 80+% range, so was happy with that effort. In the finish stretch I saw Webster attending to a Spirited guy with the ambulance crew - hopefully he's OK. There were several crashes at the front apparently, so I'm thankful to have avoided those. I hear there was also one in the 5 race, including some of our guys - hope they are OK too...

My primary lesson is that early on, when the pace was being pushed with attacks and surges, I need to trust that almost no one is strong enough to make an attack stick. I burned a lot of energy taking personal responsibility for chasing and bringing back anything that went away early on, and as a result I had nothing when it counted.

Spirited did put their guy across first - a guy named Brent, with James Good leading him out and taking 3rd. Webster said he could have gone maybe 5th or so, but got caught up next to the wreck and ran off the road.

Next on the calendar are some crits in Charleston on the 18th -19th and the Tour de Moore, a 70mi circuit race for ages 30+ it looks like, on the 25th, then Dilworth the following weekend May 2 - not sure which of these I'll be doing except Dilworth, which I definitely plan on.

And now since you've read this far, I will reveal the secret of smooth, aero-friendly race number attachment; it is.... DOUBLE SIDED CARPET TAPE. Get the thin plastic light/medium duty kind; 3/4 wide or so. Wider will work fine; you just don't really need it. Crumple your number then flatten it out. Snip lengths of the tape with scissors to match the respective lengths of all sides of the number plate, and stick to the number on all 4 sides. Peel the adhesive-guard away, flatten out the fabric of the jersey where the number is going, and smooth the number onto your jersey in the appropriate place (and oriented so it will read right-side up!) against something hard so you can press it down securely with your fingernail. I usually pin the corners as well, but this is probably really not necessary. Voila! The number will lay flat against your jersey and not catch the wind to slow you down. Make sure you peel the number off before you wash your jersey afterwards...

Route map for Out like a Lion road Race - Saturday March 21

Also, I have created a new electronic version of the USA Cycling Rider Release - you can fill it out in Microsoft Word, (prefill with your personal info) then there are just a few lines for each race - print, sign, and bring to the race instead of scrambling for a pen on race day...

AND as an added bonus I will (if you all are nice to me) let you in on my race-day secret of how to attach your number so it will lay nice and flat against your jersey, and never flap in the wind or act as a parachute to slow you down. Stay tuned!

Race report - River Falls, Marietta SC March 7, 2009

Race Report for River Falls, Marietta SC March 7, 2009

Some folks scared me a bit this week with comments about the River Falls course, mentioning the downhills and in my mind there were images of Tour and Giro descents with switchbacks and gravel in the corners... not so much, but there was a pretty cool hill up to the start/finish.

James and I pulled out around 9am, and I really must say again - Cat 4 start times are awesome so far! You actually get to eat breakfast and finish your coffee before you leave the house!

We got there in good time - maybe 1:20 before 12:05 start time - plenty of time to register (a note here - apparently what they mean by a $5 "line fee" is merely for giving you a number, though I don't recall any information specifically to that effect on the registration site. So, if a race calls itself a "series" - i.e. the "Greenville series" - you should save and bring with you to subsequent races the number you get at the first race. Maybe that should have been obvious to me, but it wasn't and I found it quite irritating that I responsibly pre-registered etc and then got asked for another $5. Irritation is definitely not what I need in the moments before a race; I get worked up enough by myself!)

The races seemed to go off pretty well, and we were right on time to start - the called the 45+ to the line and with them (behind) the cat 4s. I thought we were in the front row or 2 of cat 4s, until they asked everyone to raise hands, and 5-6-7 rows up there were guys with hands up as Cat 4 racers. Suddenly start position not so good.

So we're off. The first lap was pretty flaky and jittery; the course is a good one but quite narrow. 3 wide felt pretty close! As the road wound along the back side (miles 2-4 or so?) there were several times where if you didn't pay attention you'd suddenly run out of road on the right side. This happened to a couple guys on lap 3 or so; they got right back on though.

The poor starting position and narrowness of the course made it very very difficult to do anything interesting in the race. Frustrating when you've got something to give and no real opportunity to let it fly. My takeaway is that to do anything in a race like this you basically have to take a lot more risks (by going up the right side and risking getting run off the road) than I usually am comfortable with. Laps 2-3 kept speeding up, but I had no trouble just staying in, not really working much. Lap 4 (James later told me) was a bit slower, and I felt like I had a lot at the hill (not that long, but up to 10% grade, again per James. Frankly it really didn't FEEL like 10%, but who knows how one's senses get altered in the heat of race day...)

So I went... nowhere.

Boxed in, and nowhere to go, in fact probably lost some position and had to really get on the horse through the start line & down the hill to get back on with the group. Lap 5 was a little more heated up, and at the hill I started to cramp. ACK! Fell off the peloton a bit, but remembering our discussion on the way down I determined to give it my best. Cramps died down and I was able to put some power down... there were a few moments when I had hopes of actually catching the group, but no dice.

On the back stretch, riding by myself I looked back and saw what I thought was a group, and I felt sure I would be swept up shortly, but only a few guys came across to me, one of whom was Webster (Hi Scott!). Eventually 4 of us formed a paceline, and worked together till the bottom of the hill. The other guys mostly took it easy from there, and I rode in by myself by default. Eventually saw James finishing, and a few other guys - he said he watched my whole last lap from about 100M back. So... didn't win, didn't place, but I gave a good effort and found out where I stand - I need more long (40+mi), hard rides (80% + effort). I can climb pretty well comparatively, but as with sprints, you need to be in position to make moves on the climb or it doesn't help.

I'd really love to see somehow an effort to open portions of the course somehow to allow stuff to "happen" in these races. If on a given course like this one the climb is where something is likely to "happen" then I wish they'd make some effort to provide the space for it to happen there by opening up the whole road, just like the do for sprint finishes. It shouldn't be all about the luck of getting into the first 3 rows on the start line, or about choosing between being safe or literally riding through/over people to get to the front. I'm not asking for a risk free race, or for a free ride, just saying that a course as narrow as this becomes anti-competitive if there's no room to make the race interesting. Maybe if it were longer it would be fine, but a 40 mi race (actually it was 34.5 or so - what happened to the extra mile/lap?) is short enough that almost everybody has enough fitness to stay with a group for that long, as long as you don't lose too much on the hill. Thoughts?

So there you have it. Race 2 for 2009 under the tires...

Race Report - Fork Shoals - Pelzer SC Feb 28

"race" being a relative term...but, race, I intended. So I installed new ceramic hub bearings in my Velomax Vista wheels this week, while visions of long breakaways danced in my head, along with the peloton bearing down on me 100M from the finish... the horror! (the fantasy!)

I registered on Thursday despite the forecast for rain "heavy at times" for Pelzer SC on Saturday. Bought a $9.49 clear vinyl rainsuit from Blackhawk and sported my new helmet (with visor, which is apparently now at least relatively acceptable after Lance wore one in the Tour of California) in on Friday... so I'm ready to roll. Saturday AM - Emily's leaving for Virginia for the day, so helped her get squared away, then tried to rush through getting myself ready. Not recommended, though I must say Cat 4 has much more advantageous start times than 5...rain was awful on the way down, and spent 15 min or so crawling around one wreck near Kings Mtn.

Got there 45 min to race time, and checked in, whereupon I learned that the 3s and 4s were going to be racing together - welcome to Cat 4! Basically dispensed with warmup, as it seemed like just another 1/2 hour in the rain. Got my gear on, pulled up to the start about 4-5 rows back, in the middle of the pack. 3 laps of a 15 mi course ahead... but Webster said last year that this was a course that would suit me, so I was hopeful... Fork Shoals is where I rode 5 min of the Cat 5 race in September last year before my derailleur blew up. Bright side - I did get a new bike after that...

At the start, 2 guys go about 500M up the road right away, and the peloton just rides along. I'm staying out of the wind and picking wheels that look good to follow. Then the spasticity starts - at completely random times the peloton would accelerate like mad for about 10-15 sec, then slow down. Maybe 10mi in we had "gruppo compacto" but the weird accelerations continued. Up the 2mi to the start finish I felt OK, though a little stressed at the top...

Through the start line, and into lap 2 - into a headwind, a gap developed - maybe 5 bike lengths - nothing to worry about, right? WRONG! the peloton pulled steadily away, and I flailed away in the back, trying to catch. No dice. Caught and rode with one guy the last 5 mi, then we quickly caught & dropped another, then dropped my companion on the last 1mi till the start finish.

As I went through the start line, the official said "one to go" and I just waved my hand across my neck - I was done. The guy I rode with for the last 5 mi or so rounded the turn and kept going... maybe he's just a better person than I am, but as far as I was concerned there just wasn't any point in continuing - it was raining solidly if not hard the whole time, I was soaked, though not particularly cold (until I stopped) but there was no way I was catching the peloton back. Wasn't even good for a solo workout.

I got in the truck, stowed my wet gear & dried off as best I could, and drove home... and the weather was even worse than the trip down.

Fun day!

Lessons: If you're tired and see ANY gap developing, the only way you're going to stay in the race is to give everything you've got left to close it, or you're done.

Also, I need better conditioning. We'll see if that helps make a difference - planning on next weekend at River Falls...

Group Riding etc.

Men-

Here's a link to a good article about group rides.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6731&status=True&catname=Latest%20News

We've also been invited to join the Hincapie Coca Cola team this Sunday for an easy 53 mile ride. They are leaving from Huntersville 9:00 at Carolina Bicycle Co.(old Bike sport) 311 gilead rd off exit 23 take right about a mile on the right. You better Google or MapQuest this location as the directions come from a slightly unreliable source.

I also want to introduce David Strickland and Joe Nicolini who'll be racing in the Westwood colors this season. They are both Cat 5's coming into the sport from opposite ends. David raced in his early 20s with the local legends and retired for 20 years to raise a family and a beer gut. He's been real successful with the gut and is making a major countermove returning to sport again. Although I haven't met David yet, I feel free to make certain assumptions about his life and appearance. On the other hand, Joe is finishing college and has been training like a madman this winter for triathlons. A traumatic knee injury short circuited his promising collegiate soccer goals, so he's pouring his youthful energy into clawing on to the back of the group in hopes of one day, many years ahead, becoming the next Will Hoffarth. We're glad to have both of these guys as we rebuild our northern mecklenburg contingent.

Upcoming Races

2/14 out near Raleigh – Wolfpack Classic RR

Carmichael cat 4, IF others want to go too

2/21 - Donaldson Ctr RR (Greenville series #1

Carmichael cat 4 (tentative)

2/22 - - BMW ctr "crit" (Greenville series #2)

Tim cat 4

2/28 Fork Shoals RR (Greenville series #3)

Tim cat 4 (tentative)

Carmichael cat 4

3/1 - – Donaldson Ctr RR (Greenville series #4)

3/7 River Falls RR (Greenville series #5)

Carmichael cat 4

Cole Cat 4

3/8 – Donaldson Ctr RR (Greenville series #6)

Tim cat 4

Cole Cat 4

3/14-15 – Columbia Crits

3/21 – Out like a Lion RR*** (Albemarle)

Carmichael cat 4

3/22 City Park Crit

Cole Cat 4

Tim cat 4

3/28-29 City Park crits

4/3 White Rose Sprints (Rock Hill SC)

Tim Cat 4

4/4 Old Town Crit (Rock Hill SC)

Cole Cat 4

Tim cat 4

4/5 Patriots Trail RR (Rock Hill SC)

Carmichael cat 4 (if I'm still in town)

Tim cat 4

4/18-19 Low Country VW Crit & SC Crit Champs

Cole Cat 4

Tim cat 4 (maybe)