This year was my first time ever riding the Downer Ave race, but I have to say that I am very impressed by how well the race was put on by the Tour of America's Dairyland. There was of course bike racing, food and lots of beer. By far, this is probably one of the coolest Amateur/Pro race that I have been able to participate and race in. The crowds were supportive, fun and energetic...this type of event is what bike racers live for!
The crowd lining up for the Pro/1/2 ULTRA PRIME
As you can see, its just plain fun having a crowd that is large and excited to see bike racing. I was able to join in on the fun after having a good race; I got a Downer Ave Classic T shirt, all the brats I can eat and all the beer I could drink for $20. It was just so awesome to be there enjoying a beer after your race with friends and teammates watching the P/1/2 field suffer for 90 minutes.So how did my race go?
Well, becuase it was my first time on the course I don't know if I was more excited or anxious about a new venue. First of all, we arrived only with 1 hour before my race, breaking the first rule of bike racing: ALWAYS HAVE MORE TIME THAN YOU WILL NEED!!! I quickly gathered up my racing gear, pinned up my skinsuit and went down to register. Already running on short time, I get down to the reg tent only to find out that they want me to pick up my earnings from the previous day. I told them that I didn't really want to stuff the checks in my one tiny pocket and race with them for 50 minutes, which I think was probably the best choice.
When I was looking at the race the day previous, I was scoping out the course and decided that the numbers would be pinned on the left side because every day previous had been. I was wrong. At the reg tent, they told me that I pinned up my number wrong as I frantically try to find someone to change it. I thankfully found the Team Wheaton Cat 3 Coach, Dave Eckel and he graciously helped me change my number...otherwise I would have had fun standing naked in the porta-john re-pinning my skinsuit. Yeah, that would have been fun...
After a quick warm up with teammates Jon Cook and DJ, we head down to the course. Soon enough, the gun goes off and our race begins. It was quite fun trying to figure out the course my first time around because I didn't have enough time to get a lap in to check out the road and corners. After about 5 or so laps, the course wasn't so bad and the pain fest begins. The course was flat, full of twisty and technical turns, but proved somehow to keep the pace high enough for everyone to hurt. The entire time, the pack was strung out 1 or 2 men across, but it felt as if everyone was doing the same amount of work. There was a few primes announced during the
race and I tried for 1 or 2 of them, but only half-committed and ended up 2nd and 3rd a few times coming across the line. I didn't recieve any merits for my work, but it provided a good enough warm up for the final sprint AND showed me who was really contending in the all out effort at the end of the race.
I look down at my HR and I am not through the roof, but am working hard enough as I see 12 minutes to go. I make a mental note to stay up near the front, but not to work to hard until about 5-7 minutes to the finish. The field was very strung out for the last few laps as my teammate David "Sarge" Paquette drives the pace hard to keep attacks curbed and to pull the last few efforts out of my competetors. Sarge unfortunately flatted with 1.5 laps to go, but really helped keep me on the front of the pack and set up a fast sprint finish.
I made sure to sit at wheel 4 or 5 leading into the last few corners as I was eying up the major players. Mark Howe from Team Geargrinder led us into the last corner and as he does in typical fashion, wound up and provided a lead out for the guys on the front. I was so spun out that I was probably spinning 140 rpm sitting down out of the last corner and it took me a while to finally find a good gear that I can sprint in. I got boxed in with ~200m to go from my left and right and as I finally get out of my saddle to sprint, the racer to my right and myself bump hands 5 or so times while sprinting. I don't know if you have ever done this and at the time it didn't phase me, but both of us were very close to locking handlebars and eating asphalt while getting run over by 60+ exhausted and sprinting racers. It is a very scary feeling looking back. I was really nervous sitting up in the top 4 wheels in the sprint, wondering who was going to take the win when I really should have been thinking of how to sprint past them for the win. I was barely edged out by the racer next to me to get 4th place overall, and I really wanted to podium but you can't have it all the time. I did well at Downer Ave, but some huge congrats goes out to my teammate Sarge who had the overall ToAD Cat 3 GC on lock down, he really earned every bit of his overall win.
This year is my 5th season as a cat 3 and I continue to learn from every race, which is really exciting because the sport of cycling has so much to offer. It was fun learning this year that my sprint really came together and that I have the legs after a 50 minute race to contend with the
best of racers. I have to send out a HUGE thanks for our presenting sponsor Wheaton Fransican Hospital, MC2, Verizon Wireless, Safway and Ben's Cycle for making our races possible and to all of my teammates that helped me contend for the win. This race is definately one of my favorite from the year and I look forward to being able to race it again.
ToAD Waukesha race report to come soon...
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Some pics for those who like em. Also, a few more here
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