Colorado Grand Prix
"If you ain't first, you're last". Those are the wise words of Ricky Bobby. (If you don't know who that is, you can go ahead and leave my webpage now.)
While I started of the year with some local wins, I was unfortuantely in a second place slump, with a string of them from my Ttown trip.
The Colorado Grand Prix started off that way as well. In the omnium, I was second in 4 events, to equal second place overall. The new omnium format is pretty cool, with the order of events changing, and with the points race concluding it. Now your overall points race points get added to your omnium point score, making for some interesting racing. (Sound confusing - try racing it!) Going into the points race, I was down 12 points. I won a bunch of early sprints on Jen, and with just 3 sprints to go, I think I was within 2 points of taking the overall lead... but Jen won the last two sprints, and I ended 8 points down... second place again. Doh! I was bummed, because I always hate losing. But, putting things in perspective, I guess satisfied with the omnium, as I had some good times in my timed events, and I really improved in my elimination racing and overall sprinting in both the scratch and points race. But second still sucks.
We had one more race left after the omnium -- a points race. Doing an extra points race after a 25km points race is kinda rough. But it is especially rough, when you line up on the rail, and everyone is from the same team! It took me just a few laps into the race to realize I was not just a touch, but quite undergeared. This proved challenging in the sprint laps, and I was way down on points about half way through. With 4 sprints left, I knew I'd need to win every sprint to win the race. I really had to put on my thinking cap, as I knew I was undergeared, and I had zero margin for error. I guess I actually learned something doing so many points races last year (that - and I really didn't want to get second place again!) I was stoked to pull it off and take the win....just barely.
TThe Colorado Grand Prix was an awesome time. Thanks to the organizers! Will definitely be back next year!
Here is the points race podium. Thank Clif Bar for the support!
Omnium podium. Congrats to Jen Valente who is totally smokin'! She is such a champion - on and off the bike!
Ready, set, go. Thanks Smith Optics for the awesome sunglasses. And Shimano for the piiimp wheels!
How much time do I spend on the rollers during a track race..... 5 hours and 45 minutes over 3 days. Thank god my Neil Pryde bike is super awesome!
Thanks Jim Turner for the photos! If you don't know Jim, he is from Hellyer Velodorome and is the coolest 75 year old you will ever meet! He came to Colorado to break WORLD RECORDS! And he did - he broke 2 world records in 2 days! So cool!
