NVGP: Day Five

Heat, Hills and Heavy Breathing.

The race in Stillwater went well today and I felt stronger and stronger as the race went on. I passed 4 or 5 riders per lap during the last six laps and caught up to Mike and Kruse on the last lap. Mike played it perfect and made Kruse work as I was catching them and they put in a huge sprint on Chilkoot to stay ahead of me.

The NVGP has been a great experience and I look forward to racing it again in two years. Grandstay put in a great showing and I think that they have really put themselves on the map in the midwest.

On a sad note, Out N About Gear has closed its doors as of 5pm this evening. ONAG was the second job I ever had and I worked there almost six years. I will miss talking shop and visiting the guys in the back.

Best of luck to all of the ONAG crew and thanks for everything!!!!!

I hop a plane back to Montana at 9pm tonight. Jenny and I close on our house on Thursday and we are very excited to have our own place again. There is a spare bedroom so we expect people to visit. Anyone up for a high altitude training camp? Plenty oportunities for 8k to 10k foot climbing days up at the Big Sky condo.

See you in Montana.

NVGP: Day Four

Ben testing his new Unobtanium time trial bike at a top secret location in South Minneapolis.



















While the big boys went and duked it out in the wind and heat, I stayed in town and played in the sandb0x with the other 2's and 3's. The Mankato crit was fast with constant attacks. Little did I know that there was a break that went away on the second or third lap. About thirty minutes into the race I did a couple of hard pulls thinking I was pushing the pace and making people hurt. Ends up all I was doing was killing myself for no reason. Oh well.

Matt, Michael and Jarred made the cut in the Road Race and will face the Stillwater torture chamber tomorrow.

NVGP: Day Three: Hurricane Season

Rain, Pain and no gain.

The race was called after about 18 minutes because of the water that was pouring down from the sky. Everyone was soaked as the rain started to fall when the gun went off. After about 8 minutes of racing the rain really kicked in and a few minutes later the lightning started to light up the course. Officials called the race when the lightning started and decided that the race was neutralized and that all riders in the crit would be allowed to start the Mankato Road Race.

Good luck to the lucky four Grandstay guys who are still unlucky enough to be in the race. My advice: Just take it easy and draft off of HealthNet. Ha!! Ha!!

NVGP Day Two: What the H*ll am I doing?

Wow. Pros ride fast.

The race started off "neutral" with a 28 mph role out then we attacked the course like we were trying to outrun a jet plane. I have never had my heart rate so high for so long. I hid my watch from view and decided that I was going to do this race as hard as I could, sans info.

The race blew apart around mile 14 when the peleton hit a hill right before a 2mi. dirt road section. HealthNet was at the front and just drilled the pace. Well over 30mph on the flats and 27+ on the hills. Just before the dirt I yo-yoed off the group and ended up in a chase group that was chasing a chase group that was chasing the mutants called HealthNet-Maxxis. These chase groups then began to splinter and I ended up doing a couple of solo moves to link up with small groups. I ended up finishing with a team mate and 5 other guys about 15 mins down from the winner. It is 10:30pm and I don't yet know if I am cut from the race; Most likely yes.

I have to say this was the hardest and most painful race I have ever done. It was an eye opener to see and experience the pace of a real pro race.

If I make into the race tomorrow I will be psyched but if I don't I still have two races to look forward to in Mankato and Stillwater.


My personal bodyguard (my brother) keeping the
paparazzi away.

















The race hasn't even started and I am checking my heart rate.


Trying to maintain on the hills.

NVGP Day One

Today was the time trial along the river in downtown Saint Paul. The big guns were out in force and the top times were mid 8's for a 4.5 mile course.

The weather was in the 80's with very high humidity (compared to Montana). I was pouring sweat just warming up on the trainer. It was hard not to be intimidated when warming up and Ivan Dominguez, Dany Pate, Gord Frasier, Greg Henderson and numerous other champions are biking by.

I went out and pushed as hard as I could and ended with a time of about 10 minutes flat. I felt satisfied with the result and I look forward to racing tomorrow. Having pushed hard today I feel much more confident going into tomorrows suffer fest. I always ride better the day after a hard effort.

Back in the Twin Cities

Arrived back in Minnesota and went directly to the new bro / sis house. Put together the bike and rode easy for 2.5 hours.

The airport was swarming with shaved pros and bike cases. Everyone was sizing each other up and saying "I'm going to beat you into the ground" with their eyes.

Team meeting in the morning and a Time Trial tomorrow night.

There are seven national champions racing this week. 5 U.S. champions, 1 Canadian Champ and 1 Mexican Champ. All the top trade teams are present and several of the best amateur teams. Should be a great race.

Day One in the Blogosphere

Nothing to say. Just trying to figure this out.