Finish of Tour Ohio

The last 2 stages didn't go great for me. Stage 4 I was in a break for a pretty long time in the crit working pretty hard trying to catch the lead group but our group didn't work well together and eventually got caught. Then it got really fast and with 3 laps to go I skipped a pedal in the last corner and jumped my rear wheel. I knocked the tire off the rim a bit and flatted. Oh well a nice family on the course let us join in their BBQ which was fun. Stage 5 was a flat road race with 4 super hard 1 mile finishing circuits. I got in the break after 1 lap on the course which had about a 30 second gap on the field. It started thunder storming like crazy when we were racing and it was raining when we hit the circuits. We got caught by the field on the second lap and after that I didn't want to take any risks if I wasn't gonna get a top 10 finish. I rolled in for 37th and like 45th overall. Not great but on stage 4 Ben got 5th and Chris took 4th on Stage 5 so our team still got some decent results. Overall not a bad race for our team but we could still do better and we are gonna prove it this weekend at the Tour de Grandview.

Tour of Ohio (OK, Bad, Good)

Tour of Ohio started off this week with a sweet crit that had a brick straight in it. It was tight and twisty and had a gradual uphill in it. I got t the front early and tried not to fall too far back. I went with a break but struggled with my breathing as it seemed my asthma was back in force. The break came back and then a group of 4 got away and won but it was OK since Ben won the field sprint and I was 14th. Not too bad considering I am still on antibiotics and have a huge hole in my butt.
Wednesday’s stages just plain sucked for me. I started off feeling OK and thinking I would finish with the leaders but on the 4th climb or so I started suffering bad and just couldn’t do a hard effort on the climb. I got dropped hard core on the next climb and promptly got passed by 50 people. I rolled in with current world track omnium champion Hayden Godfrey though which was pretty cool. I lost 10 minutes but at least I didn’t quit or something.
Thursday was good for me but not for my team. It started off great with Chris and Greg getting in the day’s main break and looking good. I thought they were gonna stay away on the super hard hilly course but they got reeled in with 15 miles to go and it was set up for a field sprint up a 1 km steep climb. Going into the climb I was in good position and there was a huge crash next to me which took out Chris. I attacked first up the climb and thought I might win but 4 people came around me before the finish. I definitely went too early and probably could have been top 3 if I would have waited but I am still happy considering Wednesday was so bad. There are 2 stages left in the Tour of Ohio and we are planning on picking up at least one stage win!

OUCH!!!!!(Don't read if you get grossed out easily)

these 2 words describe the past couple days for me SADDLE SORE. It was actually way worse than a normal saddle sore. I tried to deal with it myself but it just kept getting worse so I finally went to see the doctor here at the purdue university student health center. the doctor who also happens to be the dad of a guy we bike race with was like "wow we need to cut that open with a scalpel it is full of pus. And it was. That was pretty painful to say the least and it was like an inch deep too. So now I have a square cut out of my butt that is deep and I have gauze on it to absorb all the blood and pus. Now Tour of Ohio starts on Tuesday so I have 3 more days to get into shape where I can hopefully ride without screaming in pain. I think I will be fine since it hurts about 50 times less this morning than it did yesterday. Also thanks to my roommates for driving me around yesterday to get the medicine and stuff and to Greg for helping change the bandage. you guys are really troopers.
Also on Tuesday I did a crit in minnesota and got 5th and won some beer in a prime and was in a break with Adam Bergman and Eric Marcotte. It was a good time but I am pretty sure it made the saddle sore a ton worse which led up to the surgery. Wish me luck in getting better soon.

UffDa back in Minnesota

Recap of the past 3 days
Saturday got up at 5 am to do the Indiana state RR championship which ended up getting cancelled due to big storms. Then went to my sisters high school graduation ceremony in Carmel. then got in the car and drove to Minnesota and got there at 3:30 am Sunday.
Sunday
Got up at 11:00 did a little 2 hour ride with a good friend of mine from high school. Then went and set up for my sisters grad party and saw a lot of friends that I hadn't seen in at least one year. It was a blast and really fun to catch up with everyone. Then after cleaning up i got lost trying to find my friends new apartment to have a few beers with him.
Monday slept again and I am gonna go bowling and do some riding and eat some ice cream and maybe go swimming or something. Also Tuesday night is the weekly criterium series and I am gonna go do that. I ahven't raced in MN in 2 years so it will be fun to see more old faces and friends.

Cash money baby!

This past weekend was the Winfield Criteriums near Chicago. Saturday evening started off great with our 3 man team of Ben, Greg and I working really well together and ben winning the field sprint for the victory! I got 9th too. We executed our plan of racing aggressively well. Greg was off the front solo for a long time while Ben and I marked moves to keep the field from catcing him. he got reeled in with 2 laps to go and then I and greg worked to keep it together so ben could take the sprint.
then Saturday night we played videogames and lazertag which was a blast! Sunday went well. also. I got in a 9 man break which lapped the field and greg was in a break and got 11th. It came down to a field sprint and I placed 2nd. I was hoping to win it but the ABD guy rob white had a pretty strong sprint. I am not complaing though as 2nd was worth $500. By far the most I have ever won in a race. Hopefully we can keep the momentum for the Indiana State road race Saturday and going into Tour of Ohio!