Ski season!

Well, no, its not really quite ski season yet...but cycling season is over. Same as last year, I finished the season with a bang by going out to Las Vegas for a week. I attended the Interbike tradeshow and competed in the USA Crit Series Finals. The trade show was overwhelming as always and the Crit race was really scary as always. I survived both and did a good job considering. I even rode a mt. bike at the outdoor dirt demo - a Specialized S-Works Enduro...a bike that if I hung around with it too much, would probably get me to quit road biking! Not really, but it was so fun to ride.

In the crit race I had my first crash in 2 1/2 years. I had it coming though - at the trade show I was bragging to Mike Sherry (who runs the Empire team) how I don't even need to knock on wood about not crashing. The next night at the race I got a slow leak in my front tire and slid out at 35mph. A couple guys piled to me - and doled out plenty of verbal abuse my way. Jimmy (my bike) and I somehow managed to get up from the crash pretty unscathed though.

I got back in the race, but was a little tentative. I was riding towards the back and kept getting caught behind gaps as the quick pace dropped riders. I'm still on some descent form though and was able to force myself up into the top 10 with 5-6 laps remaining. The field had been whittled down from 100-120 guys to 39 that would finish.

Little did I know though that my samurai sword had fallen out of my pocket when I had crashed earlier. So, when the real US Crit, big money, Las Vegas, nighttime, knife fight started with 3 laps to go...all I had was a damn butter knife. I nearly locked handlebars with both Mark Hekman and Steve Tilford in the last couple laps and let myself get badly cut-off two or three times. I came into the last lap around 25th and could only move up a couple spots to 21st. I'd really wanted to win this one (just like everyone else!) and I didn't - so it was nice having my good buddy Scott Oliver there to sit down with and talk and drink some water with after the smoke had settled. The guy who won, Hilton Clarke, is a pretty damn smart criterium rider. You can really see why they pay him the big bucks, the way he's able to handle himself in these big races.

Fall plans are pretty straight forward...keep up some riding, but really get ready to do a good winter of x-c skiing and ski racing. I'll be working at the Skirack and getting down and dirty with the nordic floor. I'm also planning to do 3 running races this fall in addition to the 12-13 x-c ski races this winter. The Northwest Vermont ski club is just a blast to be with in the wintertime. Then, come springtime - I'm finally going to be a full-time bike racer. I'll let ya'll know about that asap.

My first running race is this coming Sunday! I better get out and start jogging!