DV 1track

Saturday was the DV pedalfest. part of me feels pretty good about my fitness and tactics for this race, but the other part feels kind of a bit let down. I got a good start and held myself back from starting too fast becasue I didn't want to blow up on the little stick climb. it all worked as planned and I came over the top of the LS climb right with Brad and only 5 secs behind Gallager so then the chase was on down the DH. I got a little over aggressive at one point with Brad passing guys on the inside and clipped his wheel going down pretty hard but the adrenalin was pumping so I just rolled throught the corner and didn't lose a spot. by the end of the first DH I had passed Brad and he and I were right on Gallager again starting up the Deer Crest climb but at that point I was pretty blown so Brad passed me again, then I got hit with a blast from the past Todd Henneman from Jan's passed me on his singlespeed and he was leading another group of 4 or 5 SSers coming hard.

At that point I think I went into survivor mode because My focus shifted from going after galleger to now not getting passed by this group of SSers that were hard charging at me, the group included the 69er guy, Stephen Wasmund, the pedros guy, and KK Holiday. I knew if I could get to the DH ahead of those guys I could make some time on all of them except probably holiday. Thats pretty much what happened KK caught me on the last decent into the finish area but then I quickly caught him on the climb. going up Little stick stephen and the 69er guy were charging hard at me again so Ihad to go deep into the pain cave and put some distance on them at the top of the climb. I put a little more off of the decent but by the Deer Crest climb but they werre right on me again. we were climbing up the single track I was leading 69er guy and Steve. 69er guy kept asking to pass like Iwas a lapper or something, I finally told him if he was going to take me he had to put some effort into it because I wasn't just gong to pull over. after i said that he tried to pass me and I closed the door on him. sometimes it is good to have a little experience


I held the lead over those two all the way to the dh, then steve and I opened a gap and ripped the DH, (steves DH skills are greatly improving,maybe its those sexy big wheels) I knew the whole time he was setting me up for a spint finish. when we hit the pavement I had to zig around a lapper and we almost all went down but it came down to Stuart Mcgrady bike thrust at the line to get him, so I got 4th by less than an inch.

I am actually more happy with my last lap because a year ago i wouldn't have had the confidence to hold those guys off for a lap, i would have just let them get me. so i guess thats good. Nationals is next week we do 3 laps on that course so we will see how it goes, now its time for some serious resting this week...