Sean Passage

RACE RECAP: UCI 1.2 PEVELOISE

2011-07-20T02:00:00.000-07:00

I first want to say thanks for all the care, support, and comments during this crazy time in Europe with my injury and all! I can’t convey enough how much it means and helps with recovery. But here is a little recap of the whole situation since I’ve had plenty of time in the hospital to crank out a summary.

It began the same as any other race day morning routine. This time the start of the race took place in Pont a Marcq, France about an hour’s drive from the team house in Oostkamp, Belgium. After munching on a bit of breakfast, putting the race bags in the van, and piling into the caravan car, the team was off to the neighboring country. It was a bit of a dreary morning with overcast skies and a cool temperature. After a seemingly quick trip, we found our parking spot close to the start line and the team made its way into a nearby magazine/bar/coffee shop. We hung out for an hour or so chit chatting over a few espressos and the laughter and banter of the local bar folk. Shortly after sitting down, the rain made its presence streaking across the store front windows and the pavement began to glisten. Everyone seemed to grasp their espresso cup just a bit tighter and other riders began to trickle in seeking refuge from the light mist. Once we warmed the spirits with caffeine we made our way back to the team van to dress for the race and discuss tactics for the day.

Since it began raining, on what was supposed to be a sunny and beautiful day, the race director made the decision to cut out the initial seven laps. Each of the beginning laps threatened riders with oil covered cobbled sectors which he deemed unnecessary. Instead, the race would be 15 laps of a shorter circuit totaling just over 180 km for the day, the minimum for a UCI 1.2. Okay, nothing to crazy. It kind of put a question mark on what other teams might do so we decided just sticking toward the front and maintaining position, as a team, would be best. We were soon together at the start line after posing for the cameras at sign in and were off mimicking each move of the lead cars bumper through town.

The pace seemed to be a bit mellower this time around as I think the rain soaked roads were a bit intimidating to the majority of the pack. Still, attacks flung off the front and our team was doing well staying in close proximity to each other and the front bulb of the peloton. Unfortunately, the “nothing crazy” part was about to close in on me. Only 15 km into the course we approached a slight S curve where the concrete shimmered with a layer of beaded water unable to drain into any cracks or crevasses of aggregate. Gingerly cruising through the intersection I was upright one moment and instantly on my right hip the next. My bike had slipped out from under me like a magician pulling a table cloth from under light china. Only this time the light china had broken and scattered on the floor. I attempted to sit up but knew something wasn’t right. Instead, I curled up in a ball hoping nobody else would slide into me. Just a few seconds after hitting the deck, my director (Bernard Moerman) was hovering over me as he was car two in the caravan. Again, I tried rolling over to my back, with his assistance, and instantly knew I had broken something near my hip as my leg didn’t want to roll with the rest of my body. I quickly supported my lifeless right leg and Bernard propped a rain bag under my knee. He strategically parked his car on one side of me and directed traffic on the other while providing an adequate amount of moral support. Always ensuring that everything was going to be okay and that an ambulance was on its way I laid in extreme discomfort. Every few minutes a new face would appear in the cloudy canvas I was staring at and rattled off several questions in French. Really wishing I could remember my High School French lessons I was only able to reply with a, “Je ne suis pas, Je ne parle pas francais, Je suis Americain”! Thank goodness Bernard knows quite a bit more French than I and was able to translate everything for me. After what seemed an eternity, an ambulance skirted by and began an assessment of the situation and my condition. Quickly learning the health care system in France the initial ambulance that arrived was unable to take me anywhere since there was no doctor on board given my serious condition. I had to wait for a second ambulance to scurry over, which also carried a doctor, who could administer drugs and aid in admitting me into the hospital. Another eternity later the ambulance sirens could be heard in the distance and the white coats were soon transporting me to a nearby hospital in the suburbs of Lille, France.

It was a pretty painless trip to the emergency room since the morphine was quickly flowing through a 16 gauge needle (not sure of actual size but it was huuuge), which I’m pretty sure is going to leave a nice hole and scar in my hand. Once I was carted into the small white room stocked with the portable X-ray the real fun began. Nobody spoke English! Obviously not their fault considering I was visiting their country. Again, I was kicking myself in the butt for not retaining my French. Anywho, they continually asked me for more information regarding the condition of my leg, name, etc. I was able to convey some of the answers in French and picked up a few phrases here and there. During all the translation barriers they kept administering the morphine, applied traction in an archaic manner of hanging weights off the end of the bed, and contacted my family. A few minutes after the X-rays were taken the doctor came back in and informed me that I had broken my femur. Needless to say I broke down a bit knowing it was a definite end to a good season I was having and that recovery would take some time. The nurses handed me some tissues and gave me some private time to collect myself. At that time I was also connected with my Mother and Father in the States where I could release some of my emotion and inform them of what was happening. Eventually, things settled down a bit and they transported me upstairs to a bedroom in a sort of holding pattern. A combination of factors was to be determined of where I was going to have surgery, how I was going to be transported, and to make it as quick of a decision as possible. It was concluded that I would be transferred to AZ Sint- Lucas Brugge the next morning where I would undergo surgery and recovery. It was just easier in terms of location to the team house, having my Dad around, and not having such a difficult language barrier.

Monday morning could not come around fast enough. Still in traction and waiting for the okay from the doctors on both ends all I could do was lay around with giggly nurses strolling in and out of the room. Finally, everything was agreed upon, papers and signatures were transferred, and I was put back in a stabilization bag for transport. It was a very very very painful morning with all the moving around from different beds and carts and bumpy hour and half car ride. When I arrived in Brugge it didn’t take long to go through a cat scan, which was another bed change, and put me under for repair on my right leg. YES! Finally put out! They couldn’t inject the anesthesia and put the gas mask on fast enough. Out like a light and waking up only a moment later (which was actually a three to four hour surgery) it was a groggy beginning to my recovery. Now with another rod in my neighboring leg I guess I can consider myself a bit more symmetric and will have quite a bit of time before I am back on the bike and going again.

before and after surgery

not a bad view from the hospital window (church and bell towers of Brugge in the distance)

Finally, out of the hospital after 8 days I am now somewhat settled back into the apartment in Oostkamp with my Dad and wheelchair close by as roomies. I have had some great support during this whole event with my family, friends, director and team, my Dad jetting over the same day, and all the doctors and nurses that have put an effort in. Thanks so much again and I will try to keep everyone posted about my rehab in Europe.

FIRST DAYS and UCI 1.2 DWARS DOOR HET HAGELAND

2011-07-09T00:29:00.000-07:00

I am back in Belgium, specifically Oostkamp, which is only a few kilometers from Brugge (Bruges). After arriving last Tuesday, I settled in quickly, received my team clothing, setup my race bike, and prepped for my first race in Europe which was held on Sunday in Aarschot.

Taylor helped me settle in with a little machiatto

First things first, since being absent for three years I had to make an appearance at the waffle stand in Brugge. Only a couple hours after dialing in the position on the bike, I rattled along the narrow cobbled streets of the medieval city till I found the small open air corner shop. Quickly pulling out the Euros I ordered my Liege waffle and topped it with a scoop of Speculoos ice cream and powdered sugar. I savored the sugary concoction and brief stop in Brugge before heading out on my post travel spin.

Battling the hints of jet lag and puffed up legs I seemed to come around quite well before the weekend. Nothing a few spins on the bike and medical grade compression tights can’t aid. Riding around Oostkamp again is a great feeling. As I ride in each direction I remember glimpses of the routes and can seem to keep my bearings a bit better. Having arrived later in the year compared to 2008 the views have changed slightly. It is definitely growing season with corn stalks, veggies, and leafy greens littering the landscape. It makes it a bit more difficult glancing across the horizon for the next church tower. With a solid few days back on the bike it was soon time for the UCI 1.2.

After going through the typical race day morning routine and arriving at the staging area, I quickly found myself lining up and ready to roll out. Unable to understand the commentator I anxiously waited for the lead car to start up and kick off the 185 kilometers. Finally, we were clipped in and heading out of town and the attacks were soon to follow. Lining up toward the front allowed me to partake in some of the feverish attacks. I was able to make it in a couple groups but we were quickly gobbled up each time by the antsy peloton. I decided to just maintain my position toward the front forty or so riders to conserve energy and try to wait a bit longer before the rubber band snapped. The kilometers ticked away pretty fast during the first hour as we averaged a steady pace of 47 km/hr. After about 90 kilometers I looked up and realized I had a brief lapse of focus and found myself about eighty to a hundred guys back. Argh! Unfortunately, it was at that time that we approached the final seven closing circuits which were quite fast. Being strung out for the first two I was unable to gain very many positions and was still stuck. When I hit the 140 km mark I cramped pretty badly and just couldn’t ride through the hamstrings uncontrollably contracting. I was forced to drop out after the broom wagon had passed and made my way back to the team van. Never ever being satisfied with a DNF I was a bit bummed but still took away some positive aspects of the race with the fast guys.

Next up is another UCI 1.2 (Peveloise) in Pont a Marcq, France. It should be another great test and I will be lining up once again trying to achieve a top result.

MID SEASON

2011-07-01T22:20:00.000-07:00

After having a slight hiatus and mid-season break from blogging I am back! It was a whirlwind of a last month or two where I raced in the Tour of the Gila, Mutual of Enumclaw, and Mount Hood Cycling Classic. Each race was notable with their distinctive stage characteristics including: a time trial, crit, and road race or two. In each event I had a goal to try and make the break or front group to sprint it out for a decent result. I found myself in a break with 7 laps to go in the Gila crit, made the front selection in Enumclaw to place 6^th in the road race, and rode on for 23^rd place in the Hood Classic stage 4 where the field was slowly whittled down in the three summits road race.

As well as having my break from blogging I took a bit of a vacation from the bike as well where I traveled south to San Francisco. It was a bit difficult leaving the steed behind but the main purpose was visiting the Stanford Medical Center but also to tour around the city to refresh the mind and body. Not to alarm anyone, but the medical visit was to check on my heart to make sure everything is working smoothly. Valves are looking good, heart thickness is within normal ranges, and the resting and stress echo’s were passed with flying colors.

During my time downtown I took a gander at the numerous piers beginning with Pier 1 and strolling up to Pier 39 or more commonly known as Fisherman’s Wharf. My first objective of the day was to find a great, GREAT, bowl of clam chowder as that is one of my weaknesses in coastal towns. I eventually found myself in line at the Boudin Bakery where I sampled an Anchor Brewery stout and dived into a soft sourdough bread bowl of New England clam chowder. Needless to say, I was very satisfied after stuffing myself and had an increased boost of energy to get lost in the numerous neighborhoods of San Fran.

As I crested one of the many hills in downtown I began noticing bands of the Italian colors painted on every street light. I realized I stumbled upon Little Italy and eventually into an Illy Café where I had a killer cappuccino partnered with some fresh Tiramisu. So good!

After savoring the frothy concoction and coffee inspired dessert I walked my way into another mouthwatering situation, Italian gelato. Oh dear! An older couple, stationed behind the limited selection of creamy and dense ice cream, scooped me up some delicious coffee and stracciatela. I had no concern for the heat melting my little cup of goodness as it only took a couple minutes to devour the authentic creation. Finally, I was full! I walked it off a bit more touring around the outer edges of China town, the financial district, and visiting the Giants baseball stadium. It was a great few days in the sun and I really appreciated Dan and his wife Michy letting me crash in the guest bedroom. Thanks guys!

When I returned back to Bend, it was time to get a bit more serious and I started ramping up the training in preparation for my travels to Belgium. Before heading across the pond and getting to ahead of myself, I was honored to be a groom’s man for my best friend Tom Segal. Having been friends with him, and his now wife Sarah, I was super excited to finally see them tie the knot. I had a blast supporting them and catching up with everyone else that attended. Seeing parents, family, friends, new faces, and dancing the night away in beautiful Fall River was a nice lead in to traveling abroad where I will be based in Oostkamp, Belgium for the next few months with the Geox-Fuji Test Team.

Stay bookmarked as I will have my first international blog update after racing a UCI 1.2 on Sunday. Can’t wait!

RACE RECAP: TOUR OF WALLA WALLA

2011-05-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

After logging some more base miles and group rides after King’s Valley I was hitting the road again up to Walla Walla, Washington. This race weekend I was accompanied by my Dad and two younger Sister’s. It was a pretty smooth drive from Bend to the start of the Waitsburg road race on Friday. Four to five hour drive, check in/registration, and pinned numbers, I was ready to begin the race weekend in the afternoon.

The first stage was a 64 mile, 3 lap, course which included one major climb and some mild rollers. The beginning of the race was ridden under cloudy skies and mild temperatures. But each lap would see an evolution of decaying weather. Every time around the finish line my fingers grew colder, legs didn’t fire as well, and the pavement became increasingly damp. Unfortunately, it made it a bit difficult at the end to finish in the front group and I lost some time on the final two kilometer climb to the finish. Should have put on the hot embro!

The next day was a complete change of weather. The morning was a 9.3 mile time trial which saw partly cloudy skies and a decent swirling wind. There was a fairly flat run in to a short climb followed by more flat and rollers to the finish. Pretty straight forward and one of those races you just put the head down and GO. I saved a little in the tank before hitting the climb so I wouldn’t bog down on the climb and rolled through in 19^th place with a time of 20 minutes 52 seconds. Just about a minute off the leader.

That evening was a 55 minute twilight crit in downtown Walla Walla. A pretty fun technical course. But my main focus was to chill in the pack and stay safe for the following day as I knew there would be much attrition involved in the road race. Things seemed to roll smooth and there were no crashes. I was able to move up to the front with a few laps to go but was chopped quite hard in some of the corners before the finish. I ended up 32^nd on the day, safe and sound.

The last stage was where GC would be sorted out a bit. A rolling 91 mile course with a total of 5000 feet of climbing saw guys popping off the back quite quickly. Each lap the field was whittled down. Like wood shavings on the floor you saw remnants of the reduced field standing by as you passed around each lap. By the end there was only a group of about 35 guys to sprint to the line. I was boxed in a bit during the sprint and rolled in 22^nd which put me in 17^th on GC for the weekend.

Overall, it was another good weekend of racing in a great area and my fitness continues to grow as I approach the Tour of the Gila only a few days away.

RACE RECAP: BACK IN OREGON

2011-04-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

CHERRY BLOSSOM CYCLING CLASSIC

The beginning of April marked my return back to Oregon racing where I kicked things off with the Cherry Blossom Classic located in The Dalles, Oregon. It was a 3 day race comprised of 4 stages.

The first day was a 75 mile road race where an early break was expected. It is a typical course that favors the all-rounder with gentle rolling terrain, some flats, and one 1.5 mile climb. Typically the wind plays a role in guttering the peloton as well. After rolling out from our neutral start at the Petersburg Elementary School the attacks began in a hurry. Solo attacks, twosies and threesies, big groups, etc. But nothing was sticking for the first few miles as the peloton was quite antsy and chased down everything. Eventually, a decent size break gingerly rolled off the front and the usual reduced paced of the peloton followed. Unfortunately, I missed the break and my previous attempts at trying to escape from the group failed. I ended up sitting in conserving energy with an occasional flex of the muscles. By the fourth and final lap of the circuit team Red Truck congregated at the front and began a moderate tempo chase. By the finish, the break only had a minute on the pack which would be much more manageable at trying to reduce in the next days’ time trial. I ended up finishing 24^th on the day and had quite a bit of motivation to improve the results with each stage.

The Saturday morning time trial was, to say the least, extremely windy. After rounding the first corner, just about 200 meters from the start, I was slapped in the face with a 20-30 mi/hr wall of a wind. Battling to keep the front wheel straight, I pushed a decent gear and tucked my six foot two frame as much as possible trying to make time on the first 6.5 miles to the turnaround. After motoring along at what seemed to be a turtle’s pace I looped around the turnaround cones and began the screaming stretch back to the line. Picking up the speed to an average just over 40 mi/hr my rear disk and deep dish front wheels whooshed along the country road. Sprinting past the finish clock and officials I came in 8^th place with a time of 26 minutes and 13 seconds over the 11 mile course moving me up to 8^th on GC.

The Saturday evening race was a late night rectangular twilight crit in The Dalles’ downtown. Beginning at 9 PM the crowds were minimal and the temperature took an extreme dive. I wasn’t too thrilled about the late night 45 minute escapade so the plan was to just tail gun for the evening and save all the energy for the following day’s queen stage. Basically, my evening consisted of standing under a propane heater, lining up, avoiding sketch riders, finishing in the middle of the bunch (50^th), and getting into bed as soon as possible.

The last day was a 71 mile circuit which consisted of two short loops and four longer loops which included a sweet dirt climb and another longer paved climb. I was pretty excited about this stage and wanted to move up once again on GC. After concluding the neutral section the attacks began again. Only this time it looked as though the first move was the one that was going to stick. We completed the first short lap and I attacked off the front to bridge to the break which was still in sight. With a couple others in tow we rotated a few times eventually crossing the gap and joining the remaining escapees. The peloton seemed content at letting us go and we quickly began increasing the time gap. We finished the second of the shorter laps and came around to begin the long laps. Still rotating well, we hit the first big paved climb of the day where a couple riders were eventually shed off the back. We tried maintaining a decent and steady pace so we could continue rotating well. However, each lap would see riders being shed off the group and eventually would be widdled to three. I made quite a few pulls with another Red Truck rider while the third sat on our wheels the ENTIRE time since he was trying to protect a GC teammate. Talk about frustrating!

Coming around on the last lap we were given time splits of the shattered peloton that was putting down the hammer. Just over a minute, down to 45 seconds, down to 30, and I began the quick glances back only to see a handful of riders making contact with us just before the last time up the dirt climb. Trying to power my way up, following wheels, I lost contact with the small bunch and would eventually latch on to two others that had caught me. Making the dash to the line I came in 7^th on the day and moved up to 5^th on GC. It was a great day to be in the break and I was pretty happy to make the podium alongside some other great riders.

KINGS VALLEY ROAD RACE

With a short week of some recovery and longer rides I was back to racing over the weekend with the one day Kings Valley road race just East of Corvallis, Oregon. This is another course which suits the all-round rider with rolling terrain, flats, and a 1 km finish climb. With 75 miles on the menu and a decent sized group the attacks were to be expected again. My goal for the day was to be very aggressive and try to make the break once again. After following my plan of attacking and trying to roll with moves the majority of the day, it finally materialized into a break of five guys at the end of the last lap.

Our gap grew quickly to almost two minutes. The rotations were smooth for the most part but the cat and mouse games soon followed as we approached the last few miles of the race. I wasn’t too interested in playing the games and continued pulling at the front not wanting the pack to catch us before the finish climb. Just after passing the 1 km to go sign an attack came from the break resulting in a small gap that I just couldn’t close by the finish. I rolled through second on the day.

After spinning back to the start and chatting with others, I capped off the day with another 70 miles around the scenic Alsea Falls loop and began the 2.5 hour drive back to Bend content with another top place and a burger in the tank.

RACE RECAP: SAN DIMAS

2011-04-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

After completing the Tour de Murrieta race weekend, I headed back to San Diego to round out a couple more weeks of solid fair weather training. A ride or two to Julian, some loops around Ramona and Poway, out in the Alpine hills, and I was making my way back North to San Dimas to line up alongside 155 other racers.

The first stage was a punchy 3.8 mile uphill time trial with a short 0.75 mile flat approach to the climb. As is typical with this course, it’s a bit easy to go out too hard and not have enough in the tank to ramp up to the finish. Unfortunately, I didn’t heed my own advice and went just a touch to hard from the gun. I managed to maintain a decent effort for the remainder of the climb but couldn’t increase the wattage as much as I would have liked by the end. I ended up 93^rd which was not great but I made my own personal improvement by 40 seconds from the previous two years.

The next day was the circuit race which circled Bonelli Park 12 times for a total distance of 84 miles. The course is quite fast with some technical sections entering and exiting the park. It also weeds out racers with the 1 mile climb following a twisty chicane section. I felt quite fresh for the day and focused on maintaining position as much as possible. The peloton stayed together for the majority of the race as no breaks were really sticking. Unfortunately, with two laps to go, I was stuck behind a crash in the chicane to the climb. I lost my position with the lead group and was never able to make contact again. A little bummed with only a 92^nd place finish it was time to focus my attention for the last day.

The third stage was a 90 minute crit in the historic downtown San Dimas. It’s a pretty fun crit as there are just enough turns, a false flat climbing section where you can move around a bit, and a ripping downhill to the last corner leading to the finish stretch. I ended up trying the tail gun art again which conserved quite a bit of energy. I was able to pick my own lines and avoid any crashes. With about 30 minutes to go I made my approach to the front, on the false flat section, and maintained my spot in the front bulb ending up 46^th.

After cooling down and washing up, I joined my Aunt, Uncle, and Dad for dinner as it was my Aunt’s and Dad’s birthdays. We enjoyed some pasta and followed up the dinner touring around the area where my Dad grew up. It was a nice way to cap off the weekend and my time in California. I was then on my way back to Bend the following morning.

RACE RECAP: TOUR DE MURRIETA

2011-03-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

Only a week after racing the Merco Cycling Classic, I was hopping on the TT bike for the start of the Tour de Murrieta. This time the race consisted of accumulating points versus the lowest time since it was an omnium.

The first day consisted of a 4.1 mile time trial which included 90 degree turns, energy sapping rollers, and a 1 mile finishing dirt climb. Once again, I went through my pre-TT warm up routine and made my way to the start tent. Clipped in, computer cleared, heart thumping, a few deep breaths, and the hand countdown began. Given the go, I stomped on the pedals down the slight downhill grade to the first 90 degree right turn. Not killing myself before the turn I made my way passed the corner marshal and sprinted it out again getting back up to speed. A slight crosswind gingerly tapped at my front wheel as I made my way over the first set of rollers. Another 90 degree right turn and more rollers bogged me down just slightly. Adjusting the gear ratio appropriately, I made my way to the gravel transition where the grade picked up to a 3% incline winding up the hillside. Trying to pick the best line through the washed out turns, I bounced and fish tailed my way up to the finish. Trying to keep traction on the rear tire as well as staying aero in the headwind was the most difficult part of trying to find my rhythm and really tap out the power to the line. I stopped the clock at 11 minutes and 30 seconds for 28^th place on the day.

The next day began at 12:30 in old downtown Murrieta. A 75 minute, 1 mile loop, crit was on the menu. As with Merco the previous weekend, I slept in a bit and enjoyed my french press over a bowl of oats while getting inspiration from watching Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice live feeds. After rolling around for an hour and getting the legs going I lined up at the start. Only a lap into it a rider went down in the finish corner setting the mood for the race. A pretty scrappy race at the front, I found myself tail-gunning for the first 30 to 45 minutes conserving energy and picking the best lines through the corners. After seeing 30 minutes to go I began moving up a few guys at a time. Then bam, another crash! Scurrying around the mangled bikes and dispersed riders, I got back in the slipstream of the pack. Soon it was 5 laps to go and the pace picked up. Averaging 30 mph laps at the end it was a matter of just staying on the wheel inches from mine and seeing the pure sprinters battle it out to the line. Bahaati 1^st, Clarke 2^nd, Barlevav 3^rd. Yep, definitely a sprinters finish!

The third and last day of the omnium concluded with 16 laps of a 3.5 mile loop. Pretty much a slightly longer version of a crit. The course was primarily flat with some big ring rollers and a few turns. Not being a pure sprinter my goal of the day was to be aggressive and have a bit of luck finding a break. After a fast start and zipping around the course with lap times of seven to eight minutes, a break was established. Unfortunately, I was positioned in the wrong spot and missed the move that eventually stuck to the line. I finished in the main bunch again and ended up riding another two hours after reflecting on what I can tweek in the mental and physical department.

With Murrieta behind me I now have the San Dimas stage race to look forward to. With just under two weeks before the next race I will continue to work on the early season fitness, which is progressing well, and improving the mental sharpness needed to be aggressive in the field.

RACE RECAP: MERCO CYCLING CLASSIC

2011-03-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

My first stage race of the season kicked off with the Merco Cycling Classic in Merced, CA. The race consisted of 4 stages in 4 days alongside 130 other racers: an 82 mile road race, a 12 mile out and back time trial, 40 lap crit, and a 120 mile road race around the blossoming almond orchards. The last time I participated in the event was in 2009 where it only featured two optional days of a crit and road race over the weekend.

The first day was a 6 lap circuit of rolling terrain with one decisive climb. The pace was fairly fast from the whistle with multiple attacks and a high tempo on the first go at the KOM. Testing each other’s legs and early season fitness immediately resulted in riders popping off the back on the FIRST climb. After getting a preview of the loop, I made sure to stick myself toward the front of the bunch as we approached the lower rollers leading into the climb. On the third lap I rolled off the front, following wheels, into a large breakaway represented by the majority of the teams. As we made our way up the climb I found my spot at the front where I ended up taking a strong pull until about 200 meters to the KOM. At that point, Bissell launched an attack which would break up the large front bunch into the decisive 8 man move of the day. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to bridge to the attack after a couple Bissell riders sat up effectively creating a gap. Rotating with Jelly Belly in the chase group we saw the break slowly increase the time split until we were caught by the peloton (at least what was left of it).

For some reason everyone seemed to be happy with the move even with four Bissell riders away! WHAT THE?!! The peloton eased up letting the gap increase to over five minutes. By the end of the fourth lap Jelly Belly formed a rotation at the front riding tempo to minimize the damage. At this point, it was a matter of just hangin’ in the bunch and conserving energy. We made our way around the last lap to the two kilometer uphill finish where I ended up 41^st. Nothing spectacular but the legs were feeling good.

The following day was the time trial just east of town. It was a 12 mile out and back course with light winds, a slight grade, and 30 mph finish. After a decent warm up on the trainer and going through my pre-TT checklist, I made my way to start tent. The effort was pretty straight forward of trying to pace myself just a touch in the beginning and leaving it all out on the course before the end. After blazing past the finish line I plopped myself in 48^th on the stage moving up to 35^th on GC with a time of 27:05. A good cool down after and I was onto thinking about the next stage.

The third day was an afternoon crit which always allows for the typical sleeping in and casual morning of sipping on coffee over a light breakfast. The course was a fast loop with a 180 degree turn leading into the finish stretch. The goal of the day was to work on positioning and conserving energy for the next day allowing the sprinters to do their thing. Making it through the 40 laps unscathed and finishing in the middle of the pack I was ready to tackle the last stage.

After being treated to three beautiful days of mid 60’s and sunshine, we finally encountered the forecasted rain and wind for the region. Waking up at 5 AM to the pitter patter of rain outside the hotel door, I readied the rain gear. Once at the race parking, and finally deciding on the appropriate layering for the day, I made my way to start area. Again, the race began with a high pace over the rolling terrain. With rooster tails cascading over the peloton we sped around the 20 mile loop until it was abruptly halted by a crash. Needless to say wet brakes make it a bit difficult to stop before becoming the next domino in the pile up of bodies and carbon. After untangling the bike and making sure my body and rig were in working order I rolled away from the mess only to find the peloton absolutely GONE. That was it, the end of the day, a DNF, and no result. Uuugh!

It was a pretty crummy and abrupt end to the weekend but that’s racing and sometimes is unavoidable. Now that the bikes are all cleaned and the legs are recovered I’m ready to hit up another race weekend in Murrieta. Hungry for some results and more competition I plan on being aggressive and capturing as many points over the 3 day omnium. Stay tuned!

Photos taken by: Lyne Lamoureux! Thanks!

THE RIDE

2011-02-25T20:52:00.000-08:00

Since I had a brief hiatus from racing for the remainder of February I have been keeping myself occupied with work, long rides, and the occasional group ride. Last year, while training in Tucson, THE group ride was the Shootout. As with the majority of different cycling towns there is THE group ride to participate in. Here in San Diego that ride is the Swami’s Saturday ride.

The majority of my Saturday mornings involves waking up at what seems to be an un-Godly hour. Still dark, I brew up a French press and mix up an oatmeal concoction mainly incorporating a combination of fruits and nuts. Occasionally, the breakfast will involve a stop at the nearby donut shop where I have been known to indulge in a couple of the double chocolate sprinkled donuts or apple fritter. Just a bit of simple carbs and sugars to top off the tank before the upcoming five and a half hour hammerfest.

After stuffing the face a bit we make our way to the park and ride down by the coastline, unload the bikes, and make our 30 minute jaunt down the historic 101 to the Nytro bike shop located in Encinitas. Conveniently situated across the street from Starbucks I treat myself to a doppio while others choose to mingle over the free bagels and coffee provided by the shop. Once the cow bell rings, promptly at 8:10 AM, we roll out and begin THE group ride.

The first twenty or thirty minutes of the ride are a casual roll through Encinitas and Leucadia until we turn East and make our way through the neighborhoods, lights, stop signs, and hills to Elfin Forest. By this time the pace has picked up and groups, depending on ability, have been selected. Rolling and winding through the forest the front group strings out with flurries of small attacks and strong pulls to our first destination and sprint located at a small church on the outskirts of Escondido. After sprinting to the stop ahead sign and re-grouping at the church parking lot, the pack has an option to either tack on another couple hours of riding or to make their way back to the coastline.

Depending on my ride plan for the day I take either the short route (descending Del Dios Highway, rolling through the wealthy downtown of Rancho Santa Fe, and back on the 101 through Solano Beach and Del Mar) or the long route (continues to climb up Lake Wohlford eventually ending up in Oceanside and back on the 101). Each route has it occasional sprint or hard pull as each rider tests the legs of the person next to them or on their wheel.

Some of the nice cars lining the downtown streets of Rancho Santa Fe

It’s always a good time meeting new people, testing the fitness, and pushing others on THE ride when there isn’t a race to keep you occupied over the weekend. However, the month of March will consist of more race weekends than the group ride. Stay tuned as I will make another visit to Merced this year for the four day Merco Cycling Classic.

THE INFAMOUS FRANGIPANNE

2011-02-13T21:52:00.001-08:00

Expanding a bit on my previous post, today’s ride was by no means a photo op day but more of a food bliss day. It started off like any other morning with my pre-ride breakfast, a little coffee, filled the bottles and headed out the door. My route would take me to the small historic gold mining town of Julian located in the mountains, Northeast of San Diego, just over 4000 ft. There wasn’t anything really exciting during the first 3 hours of the ride as I made my uphill adventure on meandering highways through the San Diego sprawl, Ramona, and Santa Ysabel. When I approached the final stretch to Julian I began thinking of where the mid-ride refuel was going to take place. Typically, it’s the generic gas station but this time I figured I would change it up a bit.

I glanced to the right and saw a small store front, clad in red, with a small sign where I picked out the words: European, Pastries, and Espresso. What better?! Even though it was the first shop at the city limit I was going to give it a try. After walking in, I knew I was in the right place. Glass cases elegantly displayed pastries, cookies, and treats while a chalk board overhead provided a simple selection of handcrafted sandwiches and soups to choose from. Glancing over the assortment of goodies I found the mysterious frangipanne I have been craving since racing in Belgium in 2008. I quickly ordered a slice as well as a caramel apple tart (since Julian is known for their apples too) and coke which would be more than adequate to top the tanks for the beginning of the trek home. I picked out my spot at an outdoor table and almost dug in before snapping a few photos documenting the experience. The immediate conclusion: IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!

After savoring the last few crumbs, I went back inside to thank the executive pastry chef, Charles Scott, who was extremely personable and provided great conversation before I ordered one more slice to go and was on my way. Needless to say, I will be making a few more visits when it comes to those long days on the bike! Thanks Candied Apple for the great experience!

A BIT OF SIGHTSEEING

2011-02-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

Just because the training plan calls for long hours in the saddle doesn’t mean you can’t take in the sights a bit when out on the road. I have become a bit more familiar with the lay of the land, around San Diego, and decided to play tourist and take a few snap shots. Obviously, there is an abundance of coast line that I have ridden along cruising through Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, and up through Camp Pendleton. There are always the morning surfers taking advantage of the consistent nice morning swell. Surfboards under arm, wetsuit clad individuals are always scurrying across the historic 101. You learn to keep your eyes peeled as you make your way along the rows of parked surf rigs and anxious surfers.

One of the sites I have included in the lineup is the Top Gun house located in the Oceanside area. There is a definite Top Gun theme around here as I ride by Miramar Air Force base on a regular basis as well. You can’t help but play the Top Gun Anthem in your head as the occasional jet roars overhead. The house is a little worse for wear as it has experienced some major aging. The majority of tourists walking by probably don’t realize the house was featured in the classic mid 80’s film as it is boarded and fenced off from the public.

Another place I need to visit and inquire about is Le Passage. It is a quaint French restaurant located in central Carlsbad. I rode up to the store front but realized I was a bit under dressed even to purchase a dessert crepe. My main goal before leaving is to determine how they came up with the name and what it means. Perhaps, gain a little insight into my last name or the origins.

I’m sure I will have plenty more photos and special photo stops during my time here. But those are the main two I just had to share.

THE TRANSITION FROM SNOW TO RACING

2011-02-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

The New Year began with the subtle burn of cold air transitioning to the subtle kiss of the SoCal sunshine. I traveled south to San Diego during the first week of January to increase my time on the bike and less time on the skate skis. I did have a great opening ski season as the conditions were the best I’ve experienced in a while. Fresh snow groomed consistently with an array of trails to choose from at Meissner Sno Park. There’s nothing better than starting a morning off with a picturesque sunrise, a light wind whispering in your ears, and the gentle vibration of your skis gliding over virgin corduroy making each stride seem effortless.

Looking back at the off-season, I made some great connections and progress with training. Thanks to Dan Byrne and the support of the Jet City Velo club I have been able to begin my race campaign a bit more stress free. I have been wearing the jersey proud and have been pleasantly surprised with people recognizing the kit down here. Dan and the crew have made a great name and I hope to continue that tradition this year as I try to pursue my goal of earning a professional contract.

After getting my tires acquainted with the pavement again, the past two to three weeks, I started the race season at the Boulevard Road Race. I don’t have great memories of this race as the last time I participated in the event (2008) I had to DNF due to an inadequate apparel selection. Let’s just say I learned my lesson the hard way. This year, I packed the bags to their capacity to ensure I was well prepared for any conditions. The weather this time around was a complete 180 from the previous years. Mid 50’s and sunshine! A light embrocation and short sleeves were on the menu for the day.

The start of the race was a bit ancy as riders were making the usual early attacks and still getting used to bumping elbows and being in close quarters. A few brake squeals, bike wobbles, and yells later things were rolling a bit smoother. The beginning miles consisted of a slight false flat before hitting the first long downhill. At about mile 10 and the bottom of the downhill a rider broke from the peloton. I quickly made my way to front of the pack, around the left side of the group, as the pace slowed considerably. I was sitting about third wheel until I found myself breaking the wind. I tried peeling left and noticed the pack slowed up even more leaving me on my own. I decided right then to bolt and bridge to the solo rider out front. Looking under my arm, I noticed the pack letting me go. Not too long after about 7 others joined us and the break was formed. It took a few miles to get the rotations rolling smoothly but once we did we began gaining time on the peloton. I was a bit nervous being in such an early break as we still had another 80 miles to the finish. But my break companions were vocal in assuring each person to maintain a steady pace. After 2.5 of the 4 laps we were finally given a time split of just over three minutes to a chase group of four and a few more minutes to the main group. Coming around to the end of the third lap I came unglued and began to lose contact with the break. Watching them slowly roll away I continued to ride as hard as my legs would allow. I rode on for the 4^th and final lap solo trying to keep contact but eventually found myself alone. Caught between the break and the chase I was determined to push through the fatigue. Unfortunately, with approximately 3 km to go two chasers had passed me taking 7^th and 8^th place. I rolled through in 9^th happy with a top 10 for my debut race of 2011.

After letting the fitness sink in a bit I should come back slightly stronger and ready for the next race weekend. I will continue to ride in SoCal for the next few weeks and now have Merco, San Dimas, and Redlands on the radar.

PHOTO DIARY | recap of 2010

2010-12-23T16:08:00.000-08:00

So I've been a bit MIA with posting updates to my blog as this last year seemed to pass by quite fast. This last season I rode with the Hagens Berman LLP Cycling team and was able to experience a fairly packed racing schedule. Lots of local racing and NRC events were on the calendar. Needless to say I spent quite a bit of time in host housing, airplanes, and rental cars. As you could see in my previous post I spent the beginning of the year becoming well acquainted with my bike in Tucson, Arizona putting in precious endurance miles before the racing began. I stayed in the sun from January through March where I roomed with some other athletes which are also some great friends! I kicked off my season with the Valley of the Sun Stage Race and would continue on with San Dimas and Redlands before heading back to Oregon to hit up the local scene. I also raced in Washington, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.

Instead of recapping my entire season I figured I would post a photo diary of this past summer's events (with some narrative of course) and start anew with a fresh post.

Our cycling house in Tucson. Good thing we had a decent sized living room!

Training with Mr. Lieto. He likes to sport the compression. Nothing against triathletes or anything...

On my way up the infamous Mount Lemmon. Where's that darn cookie cabin everyone's been talking about!!!???

Aaaand I found it! OY!

Startin' up the season with Valley of the Sun stage race.

Team HB training camp in Agoura Hills. Heeeelloooo Malibu!

San Dimas stage 2 crit

Let the NRC schedule begin! First time doing Redlands which was very tough but a blast.

Then I made my way back to Oregon and Washington. This is where I hit a bit of a wall with motivational issues. Sunny and 70's to cold, wet, and dreary 30's, ugh!

Nothing a little donut can't cure though.

Racing the Cherry Blossom and Mt. Hood stage races in Oregon. Some great racing in the gorge!

Not to shabby. Capped off Hood with a team GC overall win!

The beginning of the longer trips. Here we are in Arkansas having our team discussion about Joe Martin

We also make some great friends along the way! Hey Zeke - high five!

In between NRC races I made sure to keep up the intensity with some local racing around Bend. Lots of attacking and making the breaks in these races.

Then it was back to Minnesota for the Nature Valley Grand Prix. First time being in a race that was canceled due to tornado warnings.

Then it was time for Nationals! Just so happened to be right in my backyard the past two years. This time around I was in the break for the first 4 laps!

Next up on the schedule was probably the toughest race yet. The Tour of Utah. Lots and lots of going uphill with a little altitude thrown in.

Last race of the season. Univest Grand Prix in Pennsylvania. Super fun race and I really enjoyed racing against the Euro guys again! Also, experienced my first tasting of Shoo Fly Pie! Yeah, I didn't know what it was either.

If you haven't noticed, I've had a knack of capping off every hard race with a little treat. This was my end of season treat. A box of Voodoo Donuts with Taylor Kneuven! YUUUM! If you need a recommendation for my favorite it would be the memphis mafia fritter then next in line would be the old dirty bastard.

After finishing up the season, I was able to spend some more time with family and friends. It's typically that time of year where bird hunting season begins. This year, I made my way up to Montana with my Dad and friends.

For my birthday gift this year, my sisters took me to a Beaver game! Yeah BEAVS! I was super excited to be back at my Alma Mater and missed the roar of the stadium.

Then I did a bit more bird hunting in Eastern Oregon. Chukar hunting makes for some good cross training. Lots of elevation change!

Well, that is about as quick of a recap as I could do to catch up on the blog. It will be a great year as I have some awesome support for 2011 and have some goals to accomplish! Stay tuned as a fresh post will be up soon!

ROAD TRIP

2010-01-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

After finishing up the holidays, I began packing for my trip to Tucson, Arizona which would begin on January 4^th. Essentials were nabbed from bike shops and a quick run to Costco and Whole Foods were made to avoid the sales tax I am unaccustomed to in Arizona. After finishing up one more load of laundry and stuffing the suit case, I hit the sack for my early morning start to the road trip.

Three o’clock rolled around pretty darn fast. I loaded up the truck, said my goodbyes to the family, and ventured on over to the coffee shack for a 5 shot espresso. Soon, I was on the road heading south to warmer climates.

The drive through Oregon seemed to go by quickly and the miles ticked away. The sunrise greeted me right around Dorris, California. It exposed a snow covered Mt. Shasta and streaks of fog that meandered through the valley and hillsides. I couldn’t help but grab a few pics of the quaint surroundings. Eventually, I arrived in Redding where I would make my ritualistic stop at both Starbucks and In N Out Burger. Since I was making decent time, I ended up being the first customer at the burger joint stepping through the doors as they just released the bolt. I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or bad thing.

I enjoyed my second caffeine rush of the morning and held off on scarfing down the burger until the afternoon since I still had about 8 hours of driving left for the day. I continued on the I-5 corridor through Sacramento, onto Santa Nella, then finally through the LA Basin. I arrived at my Aunt and Uncles, in Laguna Niguel, where I was welcomed with a hug and a trip to dinner.

I quickly unloaded the truck, hopped into another car, and we all made our way to some Thai Food. The fresh appetizers were quite tasty and the Chicken and Tofu Pad Thai were amazing. After finishing up with dinner and conversation, we made our way back to the house where I would crash on the pull out bed for the evening. I’m pretty sure I was dead asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The next day’s plans included making a trip down to San Diego to take a jaunt on my Uncle’s boat, the Grace Passage. We had a light breakfast, hopped into the car, and ventured down south. Once we arrived at the marina we grabbed our snacks and headed on over to the boat and prepped her for the day out in the bay. Our goal was to find some whales, but we were quickly greeted by some dolphins instead. They meandered there way under the bow of the boat looking up at my Aunt and I expelling water from their blow holes as they surfaced. After playing with the dolphins, we made our way around the last buoy in the bay and headed back into the marina.

As we made our way back into San Diego Bay, we enjoyed seeing all the activity around the military base. Fighter jets and black hawks flew patterns off Coronado and we also saw a nuclear sub exit on the Point Loma side of the bay. We were immediately greeted and paced by coast guard as the sub leisurely departed the area.

After pulling the boat into the slip, giving it a quick wipe down, and locking everything up, we made our way to another dinner. This time we enjoyed some Mexican food at La Salsa. I took advantage of the salsa buffet and loaded up on the chips. Soon I found myself in a slight food coma with a numb tongue. We made our way back home and I hit the sack early as I would have to start the second part of my road trip.

That morning we went out to breakfast at the restaurant in the Mother’s store. I scarfed down some banana pancakes and coffee, plotted the course in the GPS, and was on my way. It was another seven hours of driving interrupted three of four times by border patrol and gas stops. I arrived in Tucson just as the sun was setting over the hills.

I made my way into the city on the I-10, toodled by campus, and found the house. After meeting the roommates and unwinding a bit, I unpacked the truck, pumped the air mattress, and passed out. Tomorrow would be my first ride in the desert climate!