Tour of St. Louis

Had good legs coming into the weekend with a good amount of riding and equal amount of rest on the right days. It was cold too. Like 45 cold. Arm warmers and embrocation cold. Anyway...

Saturday was a crit/circuit at Crondelet park in South City. With it being damp out and raining a little while getting ready, I opted to run my aluminum box section tubulars so I could actually stop in the event I needed to. Carbon rims don't slow down so much when wet. Good decision bad decision.. it was dry as a bone during the race but I think Murphy's law was contributing.

The race started pretty slow. It was windy and cold so I think people were buying their time in the protection of the group until they warmed up. Soon the attacks started. I as sitting on the back for the first 4 laps or so. This wasn't the place to be if I wanted to get in a break. I went to the front and waited. Didn't take long to get bored so I attacked myself and went off the front for a lap by myself. After that a couple guys bridged up and we worked together for a couple laps, but not with much of a gap. Then another small group bridged up to us containing John Schilling of the GARMIN Junior team. He had a pretty good pace going but we got re-absorbed back into the main group. A 3 man group then went off the front and we never saw them again. A few laps before the finish another good sized group got established off the front with about 6 guys in it. Thinking I need to be there I tried like hell to bridge but fell short. The closest I got was about 6 bike lengths but that might as well be a mile when your on the rev limiter. Bing Bing Bing Bing Bing.... That group ended up getting caught anyway so it was energy wasted. With 2 to go I moved up to around the top 15. With 1 to go I was near the top 10 on the right side of the bunch with a left had turn approaching. The pack surged up the left side and put me back. Way back. I went as hard as I could on damage control but only managed 31st. Stupid on my part.

Couple pics from Saturyday's race.

Photo by Dan Singer


Photo by Dan Singer


Skipped the TT

Sunday was another crit in Downtown. Just a rectangle but the shitty road on the back side and the wind would be a factor. As soon as the race got going I went to the front and parked it there. I chased a couple of small attacks that led to nothing. Bridged up to a couple that led to nothing. Then I got a front flat and had to go to the pit for my spare wheel. Got back in the group and went back to the front. I few attacks looked dangerous but nothing ever got away. It was coming down to a bunch sprint. My legs were sort of weak by now. To many attacks, bridges, and riding in the wind like an idiot. I think I may have finished around 25th.

Went back to the wheel pit to grab my wheels only to flat my rear in the process. So, 60 bucks to race both days and 200 dollars in wasted tires. Expensive weekend to ride like a dumb ass chasing stuff to early in the race. Although, I think I proved to myself that I can ride at the front comfortably and should have a win soon. Hope so anyway.

Fairly certain at this point I am riding to aggresivly to early in the races. Need to bring it down a notch and save turning it up to eleven for later on.


Early in the race on the front.


Leading the break with my boy PG in his super secret kit in toe.


In the group.

Last three photos by Mike Dawson from Sunday's Crit.

Random video.
Take it from these guys, break dancing is extreme. Cant believe the guy is even conscious. Its funniest on the 3rd watch. Enjoy!