2 Race Update

Last weekend turned out to be really good. Maybe some rest was just what I needed. First up was a race in Mineral Wells. A really nice mostly flat course with one good long climb and allot of false flats. I race the 35+ and man I will ALWAYS race that now. No more of these races with 20 year olds who have nothing to lose. Call me a loser but these guys have it going on. We all have bills, mortages, etc. Anyways, we roll out and not much happens until after the climb. The field breaks and I am up front when 2 riders break. I was on thier wheel spinning in my 11. Can't hold it. I fall back in and a group of 9 of us start out to catch them. Once we got rolling a TSJ rider solos to the leaders. Strong Fu#&er. We got together and were taking some serious pulls and we almost caught him. The other 2 cracked so the TSJ rider was all alone. I was outon a out-of-the-saddle 30 second pull when I look up and the finish line is 500 meters. Fuck. The sprint starts and I am spent. End up in the pack with 13th. Not bad out of 48. After a nice cabin retreat on PK lake we wake up to some pancakes and head to Palo Pinto for some climbing. I was pretty tired warming up but got my head straight and waited for the roll out. Same deal. Fast until the major climb. And yes it was a climb. About a 4-5 minute down in the saddle climb. I was mid pack and when the climb hit I had to make my way through traffic for a bit. Once I was through I caught Seabass and told him to hang on my wheel. I looked up and Neal was pulling the lead group up the climb. Good climber. I pulled Seabass to the top and the I hear Neals Wife Laura yell "its all down hill from here". I slammed it in the big ring and told Seabass not to leave my wheel. We had some serious dropping to get done since we have about 20 riders ahead of us. I got in gear and burried it taking pulls with Seabass. We flew past about 6 riders and caught the chase group. Once with them I caught my breath and waited for the sprint. The a Colvativa rider jumped and he other 3 team mates blocked and we were fucked. I was yelling to get the F out of the way but nothing happend. We sprinted in and I wound up 14th.

Overall it was a good weekend and I felt of about my placements since it was my first 35+ races. Fitness is fine, just tactics and experience that will get my to the top 5. Cograts to Neal who sprinted for 5th.

Pic to come......

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