Are You Living It?

While the rest of my teammates were out doing battle on the last stage of the Redland’s Classic, I decided to pin the numbers on for the USAC Crit that takes place in downtown Redland’s during the Sunset Loop road race.  It is known as “the crit of shame” among the pros.  All the racers who either got shelled during the stage race or didn’t make the cut for the stage race squads get to have a crack at some good prize money and glory in front of the crowd that gathers to see the finale of the past four days of racing. 

Although it may not be the highlighted race of the weekend, it isn’t easy and there are some guns out there every year that show up to steal the show.  All of the major teams were represented and most of the guys that live in California and race crits showed up.  I decided to pin the numbers on since that is why I had gone to Redland’s for in the first place and there was nothing to lose except maybe my pride and my hide if things went badly. 

It has been awhile since racing a crit without a team and it is definitely a little different looking after yourself. I raced aggressive and made sure that I was in all the moves threatening moves.  I followed the bigger names in the group hoping to get into a break with them and stay out of the crashes that always occur when you mix amateurs with the pros. 

At about 30 minutes into the 80 minute crit a break with one Rock Racing guy and a Waste Management rider (Ron) went up the road.  I chased across and quickly found myself  with the leaders with two more of the better pro’s coming across,Johnny Sundt (Kelly Benefits) and Hilton Clarke (Toyota United). This was the move to be in and I was pretty happy to be in it with the riders that would ride and work to stay away.  Well, we stayed away and lapped the rest of the field with about 10 minutes to go.  My breakaway companions all had teammates in the group to work with to help lead them out in the final sprint.  Luckily, Adam Myserson (Time) and I had agreed to look after one another since neither of us had teammates in the race.  It couldn’t have worked out better as he led me around the last two laps of the crit as if we were on the same team.  Even with Rock Racing’s entire team on the front Hilton Clarke’s Toyota teammates took him over the top of them in the last two corners and Myerson escorted me right behind them.  It sounds easy now, but it was so dicey with the swarm at the front.  Hilton got the jump on me and hit out early just before Adam swung of to let me around.  I gave it all that I had before the last corner and to the line surprised to finish second! I was extremely happy to finish just in the break but to come in 2nd out of the field sprint was a bit of a shocker.  I had so much fun which is just what I needed.  A small bit of redemption to my weekend was great.  Thanks to Adam Myerson for helping me out, I was stoked to be in the mix at the end.

I will upload a video of the crash in the last lap of the Redland’s Crit, I am not sure how Shawn Milne crashed, but he goes straight over.  I will try to post it later today when my internet is better.  In the meantime I am up for some rest here at home in Durango before continuing my final preparations for the Tour de Georgia.  I feel like I am coming around just in time.