Team Florida TT & Criterium (2/24/07 & 2/25/07)

On Saturday we participated in the season's first time trial...ouch! The course was an out and back 10 miles, with rolling grades, and some very hefty crosswinds. The way out was a head/crosswind, and the return was a tail/crosswind. By the time the Pro 1,2 field left the start ramp, the wind was really kicking! The earlier categories luckily didn't have to deal with such windy conditions.

As of today, the entire Pro 1,2 results haven't been posted on the internet, but I did see some results at the race on Sunday. Jeff "Kenetic" Kopp came in with a time of 23:14 for 11th place, I had a 23:18 for 12th place, and Curtis Long had right at 24:00.

Sunday brought us the downtown Gainesville criterium. A rectangle course with a downhill/uphill section on the front and back stretch, and a large section of cobbles from turn 1 through and after turn 2. As the race proceeded the section between turn 1 & 2 was filled with people yelling. It actually reminded me of Athens...it must have been because of all the drunk college kids screaming their heads off every time we ripped through the cobbled section.

We covered attacks the entire race, and in the waning laps had Curtis in a 3 man break. I thought it was going to make it, but it was brought back within 4-5 laps to go. Andy Mills covered the last serious move, but it all came back together. I found Curtis with 1 1/2 laps to go, and followed his wheel going into the last lap. The race course wasn't too difficult, so there were a LOT of people at the end. This always makes for a dangerous, pushing shoving match as the race winds down...and today was no different. I lost Curtis' wheel somewhere on the last lap, but was able to latch onto Dan Larson & Rudy Robania from Cyclescience. Curtis took it hard down the backstretch to keep it lined out, but as we hit turn 3 a Wheel & Sprockets rider swung wide and pushed Dan and me wide right. This put us on the right hand side coming out of the last turn...and of course, the wind was coming from the right! At this point, all you can do is sprint as hard as you can into the headwind. Andy Crater won the race, and I ended up 6th with Jeff taking 11th.

Next weekend we head to Albany, Georgia for the first Georgia Cup race of the year...it should be fun.

Cheers!