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Point Beer Tour of Alpine Valley RR (Superweek) Monday, July 10^th.  I picked up Ripper and Trent (along with his girlfriend, Clara (sp?)) at the Panera in Onalaska and we headed to my favorite event of the Superweek cycling series (www.internationalcycling.com) For those of you unfamiliar with the series it’s a two week, multiple stage event which brings some of the best riders from all over the country and even the world to our little state.  It’s been around for about 30 years and is a springboard for many a professional cycling career.  Not to build it up too much as we were entered in the Category 3 event and are far from the pro level; it was still cool to be racing against people from all over as this isn’t your local racing scene anymore Toto!  Chris and I had been to numerous events in the series throughout the years but Trent and Ross White (we met him and his father Ron at the event) were a little wide eyed at the prospects of what lay ahead.  Two other familiar faces who made the trip were Team Borah members Chris and Ben.  We all got registered and pinned on our numbers and got warmed up together.  The event for us was to be 6 ten mile laps and it’s hilly with rough roads and a lot of corners.  The wind and the heat usually make it even more difficult so it was to be a long hard day any way you sliced it.  At the staging area every one gathered as the Pros went first and the pro women followed us so there was some congestion and nervous energy all waiting to be set free soon enough.  We waited and waited but nothing for almost 2 hours!  Finally word came to us that someone on the course (local citizen) complained enough that no civilian could man corners and that every corner had to be watched by some civil servant.  The race almost didn’t go off but finally some guard members came along with police reinforcements and every corner was manned by an official.  The race was on!  Since the time was delayed so much they shortened each category some and our race was cut to 5 laps.   No one complained.  There was a neutral roll out for about 2 miles and I managed to attack once there to my embarrassment.  The rest of the pack yelled out in unison that we weren’t racing and I shouted back, “Just testing you!” and there was laughter all around.  Now that I showed my hand I guess I had nothing else to do once the flag was dropped but to go on the offensive and I did, leading the bunch down the hill and to the first climb.  I stayed on the gas as long as I could and some people came around me on the second rolling climb.  I glanced to my left and was happy to see Trent in second wheel as we crested the climb.  I looked around and Ross and Chris were right there too so I knew Team BBS was ready to race!  The pace was pretty high now and we took a hard right and rolled down a hill and back up the other side into the feed zone for the first time.  Just after the feed zone you take a 90 degree right hander and head along a long and gradual false flat which rises to about 4 percent near the top.  Trent was on the front riding a good tempo and I was about 8^th wheel back but boxed in a little.  I asked the guy to my left if he wanted to go on an attack with me and he said he wasn’t a time-trialist but would let me out if I wanted to go so I thanked him and went.  Since Trent was on the front there wasn’t an immediate reaction and I had a good gap as I crested the hill.  That takes you to a sharp left and another roller which precedes another sharp right and then a long straight stretch.  I had about 15 seconds going down this straight when I glanced back and saw the boys strung out in a line so I knew the chase was on.  I figured I’d try and get in the counter move if it came.  They caught me and there was no move so I went again.  By this time people probably said what’s the use as he’ll be back.  Fine with me.  I was out on my own and feeling good.  So what it was only about 5 miles into a 50 mile race.  I had ideas of grandeur floating in my head and besides, it’s actually less painful if I don’t have to go up those climbs at someone else’s pace.  I continued to pedal away and the laps started to pass by.  Soon I was thinking that this might work and I envisioned the group getting frustrated as Chris, Trent and Ross covered the moves.  I knew that if someone was coming up it would be with one or two of those guys sitting on for a free ride and we’d have the upper hand in a small group for sure!  Superweek races pay good money and 20 deep so there was some incentive there as well.  Now there were two laps left and I really didn’t know what my gap was but decided to give it as much as I could this lap to stay out of site and hope they would give up on the last lap.  I buried myself and the gap grew by another 30 seconds so now I’m heading into the final lap with 2:30 on the group.  All I could think of was getting over each of the climbs for a final time and hope that when I crested one I wouldn’t see the bunch coming at the bottom.  As it turned out, I never did see the group again and ended up taking the race by a little over 3 minutes.  I had the chance to savor the last mile and although I rode hard I thought about all the times I’ve actually tried the long solo breakaway and getting caught somewhere before the line.  This was truly the best win of my career and very unexpected.  I’m smart enough to know that the situation was right behind me and my teammates were there for me.  No teammates, no win.  Simple as that.  I did manage to get a good position for the pack finish and Clara was taking a photo or two so we got to see Chris finish 9^th but was gaining like mad before he got cut off and had to dart back the other way and start his sprint again.  He said he felt great and if he didn’t have to make that maneuver near the line would have been at least 4^th.  Trent finished 31^st I believe and he said he totally misjudged the finish.  He was happy with his race.  Ross was nowhere to be found and we later learned he had a flat just after cresting the last hill about 3 miles from the finish.  He was pissed because he was right there in the lead group and was feel good as well.  Chris ended up taking a 6^th place I believe and Ben was right there in 13^th or something?  The local boys all showed well for sure!  Well, that’s my new single best win of my career and now you know how it happened.  Thanks for reading!

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This site was last updated on:  June 28, 2010 01:56:25 PM -0500