The weekend started off with the usual crit prep. As we arrived in downtown Napa, we discovered a not so usual crit course. This course had a "crazy P" on one end, and a "box" at the other end. Personally I loved the "crazy P" and the "box", it gave an interesting twist to the race. After Zach and I got done investigating the course we took to finding a shady spot to warm up in. The heat in Napa on Saturday was borderline unbearable, and it didn't help that the 3's race had to start at 1:05pm. Warm up was a drag, but Stevo did try to liven things up with the ice down the bibs trick. ;]
After getting the final pieces of ice out of our bibs we set out to the start line with two bottles each. (First time I ever thought about taking two bottles for a crit). While I was standing on the start line I started to feel my foot catching fire from the hot blacktop. I thought i was just imagining it for a second, but Zach grumbled something about his feet burning as well before i said anything out loud, and ignored the feet. Since this was a technical course our plan was to stay at the front and make sure nothing got up the road, unless Zach (the upgrade points chaser) was in it. During the first trip around the "P" i was sitting about 4th wheel and the guy in front of me blows his tire and eats it. I start thinking that this is going to be another one of those fun 3's crash fests, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The next few laps were crazy fast and crazy hot, mainly because Zach and i were covering everything and I was pulling hard on the front in attempt to drop the sketchmen who can't corner. After hearing the announcer, Jess Raphael, getting excited about how the Davis junior squad had the race under control, we both jumped across into a break of two. James LaBerge also followed and it was the five of us working nicely. Slowly half, of what was left, of the field bridged up and there were 14 of us. At that point almost everyone stopped working and Zach and I tried telling people to work for about two laps. Nothing could get these negative racers to work so we gave up and sat on like everyone else... At this point my ice bottles were hot and almost gone. I was starting to feel the tunnel vision settle in, and even the occasional goose bumps. We finally got lap cards out and the field was all together again. With about 5 to go a guy decided to go for his solo bid for victory. I told Zach to just sit in, got no response, and moved up to the front to bring back the solo breakaway. After two laps of working on the front, and three laps to go, I heard Stevo on the sidelines "Zach is out!"... WHAT!... all that work, no points. THREE LAPS TO GO. Poor guy dehydrated and his world began to spin. Good thing he pulled out, could have cause a pretty nasty wreck. As for me, well my world began to spin a little too, frustration and dehydration settling in, so I decided to just play it safe and not try for positioning. I came in at the back of the bunch, with empty bottles, dry mouth, and a big headache.
All in all it was a really fun race and a cool course. Definitely going there next year again. As for Z's upgrade points, well.. 9 more points isn't too much, we should be able to handle that in no time.
Mt. Diablo, or as I told Zach... Mt. Dia-blow my legs.
I love this climb, as a climb. But a time trial up it?... Not for me. If this was a mass start race all the way to the top I would have done better, but the solo ascent killed me. Alex Wick had a fairly good ride to lock up second place in the Junior Points Series, but Charlie Avis was just in a different climbing league.
Alex may have been a better climber then me today, but his baby brother Zach, me, and Jan got the hard man points of the day for going all the way to the summit. (The time trial went to the halfway point of the mountain). As the two biggest guys on the team, we needed it for sure.
A big shout out to lil ol' Cody Tapley, the boy sure can climb. I can't wait to see what happens once he gets a normal sized head on his shoulders and starts to race smart. He's getting stronger, that is for sure. Nice ride dude
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Nevada City Pictures
Here are some pictures of me in Mikey's Vanderkitten kit to check out.
Pre- Race
Sitting 5th wheel
Post Race
The Podium
How I almost died in Nevada City...
Father's Day...
We decided to try my luck in a very hilly crit on Father's day hoping to make my dad's day. Well we arrive, in beautiful Nevada City on a very nice day, perfectly on time and relatively calm. Everything goes smoothly, parking, reg, and watching the masters torture eachother on the climb. When we get back to the car to start getting ready and warming up I notice that I have left my little yellow bag sitting on my bed with my kit in it.... ooops. Now some of you may know Jan and can picture his anger/ frustration at this point. I am not going to lie to you, I was pretty spooked for my life.
After getting the "You can't do anything right" speech from my parents, my dad says calmly "Warm up, and I will find you something." Now knowing my dad as well as I do, i obeyed his request and began to warm up. My mom was sitting there trying to comfort me, which was not helping at all. As I was starting to doubt old man Jan's amazing skills at getting what he needs; the phone rang. It was a very excited Jan telling me that he got a kit from Mike Hernandez that will "Make me famous" as Mikey put it. At that point I didn't really care what it was as long as it enabled me to race without being in baggy shorts and a t-shirt.
When my dad came running down the street I got off the trainer and hopped into the car to change into my newly acquired kit. Funny thing is... I went into the car as a boy/young man, and came out as a Vanderikitten! Hmm. This race is going to be fun with a bunch of young category three males ripping me apart for my choice of kit. I proceed to warming up as I prepare for the laughter comming from everyone.
I roll down to the start/ finish line to a very lively commentator (Mike Hernandez). Mike takes one look at me, puts his mic down and takes a picture of me. All he had to say was "That's so hot!" Geuss I made Mikey's day, because he then decided to question me on how, and from whom, I got this sweet outfit in a pre- race interview on the start line. After that i got a couple of laughs from fellow racers and even got a "What the f**k are you wearing?!" from Greg White.
After all of this fame I was a little nervous about letting everyone down. I rode my heart out on the climb hearing things from "VANDERKITTEN!!" to "Chris is that you?!" on the sidelines. I thank everyone who supported me and my forgetfullness that day, it helped a lot. The race played out nicely and the pack was slowly thinning out lap by lap until it was just 13 of us. A Reno Wheelman rider decided to take a dig towards solo victory on one of the laps, and stuck it. Props to you man. As for the rest of us 12, well we duked it out on the final descent in a sprint. As Taylor would say "My 14 IS ON FIRE"... It sure was, because the guys I was sprinting past were fully spun out in their 53-11's.
All is well that ends well. My dad decided to spare my life, I placed second in a hilly crit, i won a downhill sprint in a 52-14, aquired some new popularity, and a new hero. Thanks Mikey! i owe ya one man.
We decided to try my luck in a very hilly crit on Father's day hoping to make my dad's day. Well we arrive, in beautiful Nevada City on a very nice day, perfectly on time and relatively calm. Everything goes smoothly, parking, reg, and watching the masters torture eachother on the climb. When we get back to the car to start getting ready and warming up I notice that I have left my little yellow bag sitting on my bed with my kit in it.... ooops. Now some of you may know Jan and can picture his anger/ frustration at this point. I am not going to lie to you, I was pretty spooked for my life.
After getting the "You can't do anything right" speech from my parents, my dad says calmly "Warm up, and I will find you something." Now knowing my dad as well as I do, i obeyed his request and began to warm up. My mom was sitting there trying to comfort me, which was not helping at all. As I was starting to doubt old man Jan's amazing skills at getting what he needs; the phone rang. It was a very excited Jan telling me that he got a kit from Mike Hernandez that will "Make me famous" as Mikey put it. At that point I didn't really care what it was as long as it enabled me to race without being in baggy shorts and a t-shirt.
When my dad came running down the street I got off the trainer and hopped into the car to change into my newly acquired kit. Funny thing is... I went into the car as a boy/young man, and came out as a Vanderikitten! Hmm. This race is going to be fun with a bunch of young category three males ripping me apart for my choice of kit. I proceed to warming up as I prepare for the laughter comming from everyone.
I roll down to the start/ finish line to a very lively commentator (Mike Hernandez). Mike takes one look at me, puts his mic down and takes a picture of me. All he had to say was "That's so hot!" Geuss I made Mikey's day, because he then decided to question me on how, and from whom, I got this sweet outfit in a pre- race interview on the start line. After that i got a couple of laughs from fellow racers and even got a "What the f**k are you wearing?!" from Greg White.
After all of this fame I was a little nervous about letting everyone down. I rode my heart out on the climb hearing things from "VANDERKITTEN!!" to "Chris is that you?!" on the sidelines. I thank everyone who supported me and my forgetfullness that day, it helped a lot. The race played out nicely and the pack was slowly thinning out lap by lap until it was just 13 of us. A Reno Wheelman rider decided to take a dig towards solo victory on one of the laps, and stuck it. Props to you man. As for the rest of us 12, well we duked it out on the final descent in a sprint. As Taylor would say "My 14 IS ON FIRE"... It sure was, because the guys I was sprinting past were fully spun out in their 53-11's.
All is well that ends well. My dad decided to spare my life, I placed second in a hilly crit, i won a downhill sprint in a 52-14, aquired some new popularity, and a new hero. Thanks Mikey! i owe ya one man.
New Blog
Check it everyone,
The Staz now has a blog.
Due to recent events I have decided that i need to get one of these blog thingys to start telling people of my crazy adventures on and off the bike =]
More to come soon enough..... District Crits, and Nevada City
The Staz now has a blog.
Due to recent events I have decided that i need to get one of these blog thingys to start telling people of my crazy adventures on and off the bike =]
More to come soon enough..... District Crits, and Nevada City
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