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Nature Valley Grand Prix – Stillwater Criterium. (as told by Mark Brone) Sunday, June 18th 2006. I returned to the scene of a crime when I showed up for this event. The crime took place roughly 3 years ago while racing for the Salsa team. I entered the event in 2003 as a young, brash rider of 35 who had the legs and lunges of a man at least 3 years younger than that! I thought I could tackle the 20+ percent grade in my 39x21 and that I would just power my way to the front shedding weaker riders as I went. After all, we just finished the Winona stage the day before with an average speed of 27.5mph so the legs wouldn’t be a problem, right? Wrong. I made it around 3 times that day before my legs and my lunges gave way to exhaustion. I climbed off my bike at the top of the climb after being spit out the back rather unceremoniously. Not many people noticed or cared as I wasn’t the only one who excited early that day. Many others ‘bagged it’ too. Like speeding or cheating on your taxes, that doesn’t make it right. I was disappointed and embarrassed. Redemption came today and I was able to finish the race I was unable to do 3 years earlier. I’ll spare you the details in minutia but suffice it to say there was much suffering. Our amateur race was timed and would be decided after 40 minutes. It couldn’t have come soon enough in my mind! I basically rode my own pace, paying close attention to my heart rate monitor. Team BBS consisted of 3 riders; Trent, Chris and myself. There were some other familiar faces too as Mike ‘Slick’ Bobusch (former long time BBS rider now racing for Wheel & Sprocket out of Appleton) was entered along with former Salsa teammate Jason ‘Shorty’ Short who is actually taller than his nickname would suggest. I also saw Josh Schwantes (sp?) who I haven’t seen in a while. Finally, Gregg Brandt (a local youngster riding for the now powerful Nature Valley Team) was also present. Basically, the gun sounded and we were off. I passed some people, got passed by some others and then saw most of the people I just mentioned at one point or another throughout the event. By the time the last lap was complete Gregg Brandt took me by a few bike lengths for 16th place with me following in 17th and Chris Ripp somewhere close behind in 19th. I don’t recall where the rest of the aforementioned finished but suffice it to say they all finished and that, folks, is what it’s all about. Thanks for reading and until next time….peace!
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This site was last updated on: August 23, 2008 03:19:21 PM -0500 |