I'm looking forward to the Denzer race this weekend. The course has been switched up some since last year but it still showcases the monster -leg breaking- climb and a good amount of ups and downs throughout the rest of the lap. Last year I was just happy to finish the race, it was one of my first cat 3 races. There was a small field of maybe only 15 or 17 guys which made for a tough race. This year I've been training much "better" and these past two weeks have been good too, i'm feeling strong, so I think with a little luck and smarts I have a decent chance of getting my first cat 3 podium. Also and this is the best part I can't wait to see all of the marquette guys coming down for the race. Haven't seen them since I left in December so it will be a fun time.
In the "non-bike" related part of my life I got a job as the head of the electrical department at Lowe's. Its a full time position and after not really working for the last 6 months and with the way the economy has been I'm just happy to have a place to go for 40 hrs a week. It should add some structure to things but allow me more freedom too to be able to travel to races easier and soon move into my own place!! ya ya we'll see.
Duluth is only a week away. I got my schedule from Lowe's today and being memorial day weekend of course I'm scheduled. I don't know what to do about this one. I don't want to jeopardize the job but I've paid over $100 for the race. I'm bringing it up tomorrow so I'll know one way or the other by then.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Winona Lake and Vernon Hills
saturday: winona lake road race, great time, nice update HERE by aspen.
sunday: vernon hills, sprint finish. a lot of well represented teams. we raced aggressively but nothing was really given a chance. pack finish.
sunday: vernon hills, sprint finish. a lot of well represented teams. we raced aggressively but nothing was really given a chance. pack finish.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Iowa City
Just got back from a really fun weekend of racing (rr and crit) in Iowa City with Chris and Aspen. The road race was ~15 miles outside the city in a Mennonite town with horses and carriages. The cat 3 field raced 4 - 13 mile laps on a windy and rolling hills type course. None of the hills proved severe enough to cause a break in the field and it turned out be a rather boring race due to that fact. When the sprint came guys were all over the place and way across the yellow line even though the rule was in effect, Padfield was the only one on our team who could get decent positioning and came across in a respectable 8th place (without cheating his way to good positioning i might add!). aspen and i were caught back in the middle of the pack.
Day 2 was a .8 mile crit with a steep downhill with a somewhat technical 90 degree turn at the bottom followed by a steep big ring climb. The day was pretty windy but the wind was only really felt on a couple short stretches after the climb. A breakaway took place at a smart point just after a prime when most of the field was gassed and no one responded. This was about lap 5 of our total 25 laps and the guy stuck it out to the end with a 30 second gap on the field. Aspen put in a really hard effort for about half a lap trying to break away with one other guy but the field wasnt gonna let anyone else get away and we went to the line together. The team had talked about the finish trying to figure out where best to be and we managed the field sprint pretty well. Aspen pushed really hard the last time after the hill and i couldnt catch his wheel. he rounded the final corner in 2nd and won the field sprint while i rounded it in 4th and took 3rd in the field sprint giving us 2nd and 4th on the day. padfield raced strong all race and had bad luck with a mechanical with only a couple laps to go.
overall im really happy with how the weekend went. we raced hard and are learning each others strengths and weaknesses and learning to race better as a team. the weather was great too, couldnt ask for more! next up winona lake rr and vernon hills gp
Day 2 was a .8 mile crit with a steep downhill with a somewhat technical 90 degree turn at the bottom followed by a steep big ring climb. The day was pretty windy but the wind was only really felt on a couple short stretches after the climb. A breakaway took place at a smart point just after a prime when most of the field was gassed and no one responded. This was about lap 5 of our total 25 laps and the guy stuck it out to the end with a 30 second gap on the field. Aspen put in a really hard effort for about half a lap trying to break away with one other guy but the field wasnt gonna let anyone else get away and we went to the line together. The team had talked about the finish trying to figure out where best to be and we managed the field sprint pretty well. Aspen pushed really hard the last time after the hill and i couldnt catch his wheel. he rounded the final corner in 2nd and won the field sprint while i rounded it in 4th and took 3rd in the field sprint giving us 2nd and 4th on the day. padfield raced strong all race and had bad luck with a mechanical with only a couple laps to go.
overall im really happy with how the weekend went. we raced hard and are learning each others strengths and weaknesses and learning to race better as a team. the weather was great too, couldnt ask for more! next up winona lake rr and vernon hills gp
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
knee/ iowa
I haven't ridden in 3 days due to a pain on my inner right knee. I have been icing and stretching it though in hopes to be able to race this weekend in Iowa. Padfield, Aspen and I will be driving there friday and racing a 52 mile RR on saturday followed by a 25 lap crit on sunday. A report to follow...
Monday, April 6, 2009
hillsboro roubaix 2009
The one time a year when the midwesterner gets to try their hand at a spring classic of their own. This was my first crack at Hillsboro Roubaix and the race didn't disappoint. With massive fields (100+), a great course and weather, and organized race directing there was nothing more i could have asked for... except for maybe 1 thing, but i'll get to that in a minute. The cat 3 race was three 22 mile laps on a mostly open, flat and narrow course until the last mile or two of each lap which consisted of 2 hills and brick pavement.
My plan was to stay up because I had heard it was a hard course to move up in the field and with the winds you didnt want to be "stuck" when the field split. I don't remember exactly when but roughly half way through the first lap a break was attempted with about 10 guys, unfortunately no get a grip representation. As the group was riding, up the road stood an official with his palm up telling the field to stop. "This is your last warning" he said, "no one over the yellow line." There was no yellow line and the road was 10 feet ride so this made the rule hard to enforce. The important thing is that with the officials decision he essentially solidified the break that was a few seconds up the road to one that was now 30 seconds or more ahead. This happened two more times for two different reasons, passing the masters field and a truck and trailer sitting at a stop sign on our side of the road.
I got into two failed break attempts and wore myself out pretty good. On the third lap Aspen got away with Luke (XxX)and another guy (???) and managed to put a lot of time into the leaders in a short time even catching some stragglers from the break but nonetheless coming up about a half of minute behind at the finish line, he took 9th. So yeah the thing i could have asked for is if just one of those "official stops" had not occured with the break still rolling at full speed maybe Aspen would have had a chance at the overall, oh well what can you do. Padfield spent 15 minutes on lap 2 (the fastest lap) catching back on after a mechanical... absolutely insane! Even after all that work he put in some hard digs on the final lap. Uwe also finished the race, something that judging by the results was hard enough on its own. Coming into the final hills I stayed on the left to move up the hill fast and stay with the front group. Going over the cobbles and on the finishing straight I got lucky and picked some good wheels and took the field sprint for 12th place. Even though we had only 1 top 10, overall I would call the race a success as it was our first time racing together.
oh one more thing, caad frames are crazy stiff. my ass still hurts from that thing (no jokes... its too easy)
My plan was to stay up because I had heard it was a hard course to move up in the field and with the winds you didnt want to be "stuck" when the field split. I don't remember exactly when but roughly half way through the first lap a break was attempted with about 10 guys, unfortunately no get a grip representation. As the group was riding, up the road stood an official with his palm up telling the field to stop. "This is your last warning" he said, "no one over the yellow line." There was no yellow line and the road was 10 feet ride so this made the rule hard to enforce. The important thing is that with the officials decision he essentially solidified the break that was a few seconds up the road to one that was now 30 seconds or more ahead. This happened two more times for two different reasons, passing the masters field and a truck and trailer sitting at a stop sign on our side of the road.
I got into two failed break attempts and wore myself out pretty good. On the third lap Aspen got away with Luke (XxX)and another guy (???) and managed to put a lot of time into the leaders in a short time even catching some stragglers from the break but nonetheless coming up about a half of minute behind at the finish line, he took 9th. So yeah the thing i could have asked for is if just one of those "official stops" had not occured with the break still rolling at full speed maybe Aspen would have had a chance at the overall, oh well what can you do. Padfield spent 15 minutes on lap 2 (the fastest lap) catching back on after a mechanical... absolutely insane! Even after all that work he put in some hard digs on the final lap. Uwe also finished the race, something that judging by the results was hard enough on its own. Coming into the final hills I stayed on the left to move up the hill fast and stay with the front group. Going over the cobbles and on the finishing straight I got lucky and picked some good wheels and took the field sprint for 12th place. Even though we had only 1 top 10, overall I would call the race a success as it was our first time racing together.
oh one more thing, caad frames are crazy stiff. my ass still hurts from that thing (no jokes... its too easy)
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Arizona
Well, AZ is almost over and I'm not totally sure I'm ready to come back. I've had the chance to ride lots, hang out with a bunch of my cousins who came down for spring break, and meet some pretty cool people at work.
The training is coming along quite well and I got a good test this morning at the Superior race, a 62 mile out and back road race with lots of rollers and one long hill that we hit on the way out and again on the way back. The first half was really slow but the 2nd half the pace picked up and people started getting dropped. When the group was down to about 10 guys we were part way up the big climb on the way back. It was a pretty hard pace but I felt ok, then... I dropped my chain.
I didnt blink and got off to put it back on and try to chase back. I managed to catch a few stragglers who were falling off the pace but never caught back with that front group. Three of us crested together and worked to catch those guys but we didnt make it. Another joined and four went into the line, I took 2nd of that group but wasnt happy with that since I had more sprint but wasnt clear on where the line was.
Anyways it was a training race and was really happy that my fitness was not a limiter in my performance and I managed to learn a couple of things. One, make sure my bike shifts better, dropping that chain probably cost me a couple spots and also know where the finish line is, going for it when you dont even know where 'it' is, isnt a good move.
The town of Superior was so beautiful I wish I had my camera. There were HUUUUGE mountain cliffs surrounding the entire town.
Wednesday, I start the journey back to Chi and friday (hopefuly I'm there by then) I get my Cannondale built up!!
The training is coming along quite well and I got a good test this morning at the Superior race, a 62 mile out and back road race with lots of rollers and one long hill that we hit on the way out and again on the way back. The first half was really slow but the 2nd half the pace picked up and people started getting dropped. When the group was down to about 10 guys we were part way up the big climb on the way back. It was a pretty hard pace but I felt ok, then... I dropped my chain.
I didnt blink and got off to put it back on and try to chase back. I managed to catch a few stragglers who were falling off the pace but never caught back with that front group. Three of us crested together and worked to catch those guys but we didnt make it. Another joined and four went into the line, I took 2nd of that group but wasnt happy with that since I had more sprint but wasnt clear on where the line was.
Anyways it was a training race and was really happy that my fitness was not a limiter in my performance and I managed to learn a couple of things. One, make sure my bike shifts better, dropping that chain probably cost me a couple spots and also know where the finish line is, going for it when you dont even know where 'it' is, isnt a good move.
The town of Superior was so beautiful I wish I had my camera. There were HUUUUGE mountain cliffs surrounding the entire town.
Wednesday, I start the journey back to Chi and friday (hopefuly I'm there by then) I get my Cannondale built up!!
Monday, March 16, 2009
a new world...
twitter! subscribe to me so i can tell you more than you wanted to know http://twitter.com/benlaforce
this means you: g-force, topher, the real mccoy, langer, blu, and anyone else who reads this!
this means you: g-force, topher, the real mccoy, langer, blu, and anyone else who reads this!
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