Monday, April 30, 2012

Tour de Korea Stage 6, 7 and 8 투르드코리아 6, 7, 8스테지

Stage 6 didn't exactly go as I had hoped.  Since I had earned sprint jersey points I was hoping to score some more on this stage.  The course was mostly big rolling hills and I thought the pack would stay together.  A break of about 10 got away up the road and I wasn't in it because I had been sitting in the pack trying to save my energy.  My team had no one in it and we didn't end up catching the break until the last 500m of the race or so.  Unfortunatly that meant I didn't earn any sprint points!
Stage 7 was the queen stage of the race and I was looking forward to hopefully making up major time on the GC.  It had two KOM climbs and looked like it would be a really tough stage.  It started out with a sprint jersey sprint which I started to early and ended up finishing 4th in meaning I scored one point.  I was disappointed not to score more points but I had to stay focused on the mountains ahead.  The first climb was really tough and I ended up losing touch with the lead group but staying in sight of them the whole time. After the descent I was able to catch back onto the leaders.  The lead pack was about 40 riders when we started the second climb.  Riders slowly got dropped and the last 1km of the climb was really steep.  After the down hill the lead pack was down to about 25 riders and would stay that way until the finish.  It was a super aggressive race with lots of attacks.  My team was just 8 seconds behind 3rd place for the team GC but we couldn't make anything stick and the 25 of us sprinted it out.  I accomplished my goal for the day of moving up on GC moving from 33rd to 21st.
The final day was a flat stage along the Han river with one sprint jersey sprint.  I was excited and motivated to do well but when I started the stage I realized my legs were fried.  I sprinted hard at the points sprint but I only managed 5th one spot out of the points!  In the finish too I had nothing so I just rode in with the field.  In the end I finished 20th on the GC (overall time) and 4th in the sprint compeition.  My team maintained 4th on the team GC as well.  Overall it was a good race for me but not quite as good as I had hoped.  I didn't get my stage win and my crash on the first day kept me from finishing in the top 10 on the GC but I'm still really happy with how I and my team rode.
After the race my whole team went out to get Korean BBQ to celebrate our efforts.  For a lot of riders in Korea the Tour de Korea is the peak of the season but I'm hoping to use it to build good form and hopefully do well at the upcoming races.  It looks like I will be racing once a week from now until the end of June in both mountain bike and road races.  I'll post my schedule on here soon!

6 스테이지완한것 보다 못탔어요.  스프린트포인트 먹고싶었지만 브레이크웨이 있어서한나 도 못먹었어요.  브레이크어웨이 생각이 없었어서 나 그냥팩이랑 타고있었어요.  마지만 500미터 에 팩브레이크어웨이 잡았어요.  좀 아쉬웠어요! 
7스테이지 제일 어려운코스이야서 기븐 좋았어요.  120키로 그리고 산 2개있었어요!  스프린트 포인트에서 저 4등했어서 1포인트 먹었어요.  더잘하고싶었지만 스프린트 일찍했어서 힘이 없어졌어요!  산에서 잘탔어요.  첫번제에서 앞그릎이랑 못탔지만 다운힐끝나고 잡았어요!  두번재에서 개석 앞팩이랑 탔어요!  마지막에 25명정도있어서 내 종합등 많이 어러갔어요! 
마지막스테이지 에서 잘타고싶었지만 다리 힘이 완전 없었어요!  스프린트 포인트해봤지만 5등했어서 포인트 못받았어요! 피니쉬에도 그냥 들어왔어요.  하지만 강연덕형 2등했어요! 
우리 팀 종합 4등했어요  3등8초앞에있었지만 우리 브레이크어웨이 못했어서 얼어못갔어요.  나 종합등 그리고 스프린트 4등했어요.  이번 티디케이 하고싶은것 한나 만할수있었어요.  스테이지 못먹었지만 괜찮아요.  그리고 첫날 넘어지는거 조금 아쉬웠어요.  3분 정도 일어버렸어요.  하지만 20등 까지 얼러갈수있어서 기븐이좋아요! 
이번 자잔거 시즌 시작했어요! 나 이제 부터 대회 많이 나갈거예요!  다음 대회 인천 레리이에요! 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Tour de Korea Stage 5 투르드코리아 5스테이지

Todays stage went pretty well for me.  Yesterday I was thinking of other ways to do well in the race (since I lost 3 minutes in my crash on the first day) and I realized that I could still go for the sprint jersey.  There are 5 sprint points throughout the race and until now we have only done one.  So today I decided I would try to go for the sprint jersey.  My friend Brad Williams attacked near the beginning of the stage with a BMC rider and got a big gap.  I figured this break would at least stick until the sprint points so I attacked with a few other riders and bridged up.  We had to ride over the King of the Mountains sprint point in the break which was really tough but we stayed away until the sprint point.  I ended up getting second to earn 3 points while Kang Ji Yong won top points.  I think I'm in second place now for the sprint jersey and my goal is to finish in the top 3 for it.  There is one sprint point every day until the finish so I will have to work hard and make sure I get as many points as possible. 
The field came back together and the race ended in a bunch sprint and I was way to tired from my break away to compted.  Kang Ji Yong won the stage and took the leaders Jersey though.  He is an extremely strong rider and is now leading Lee Hyung Mo by a few seconds in the GC.  I think I moved up on the GC a little bit today but not very much.  Tomorrow is a relatively flat stage with a few rolling hills.  My goal is to score points at the sprint point again.  Saturday is going to be the hardest day of the race with 2 KOM points.  I think it will sort out the GC a lot. 

오늘 스테이지좋았어요! 저 다른 선수들이랑 브레이크어웨이 해봤어요.  피니쉬까지 못탔지만 스프린트포인트에서 저 2등했어요.  저 첫날 3분일어버렸어서 어제밤에 이대회 어떻게잘할수있어요 생각했어요.  스피린트 져시해볼거예요 생각했어요.  그래서 오늘 스프린트포인트해봤어요.  우리 브레이크어웨이 끝까지 못탔지만 포인트 좀 먹었어서 오늘 좋았어요.  이제부터 매일 스프린트포인트있을거예서 끝까지 열심히 타야해요!  오늘 강지용 너무 잘탔어요.  이제 스프린트랑 예로져시 다있어요. 
내일 스테이즈 산이 없지만 작은언덕많아요.  토요일 제일 힘들은코스같아요.  산두개 넘어가야해요.  내일 도 대회 끝나고 브로그 써볼거예요! 

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Tour de Korea Stage 3 and 4 티디케 3,4스테이지

After riding well on Monday, I was hoping to do even better on Tuesday.  The course had once gradual climb followed by a steep twisty descent and then a long steep climb followed by 50km of flat roads.  I got in good position and rode the downhill carefully.  There was a bit of sand on the side of the road and a lot of riders crashed.  Last years winner Son Ju Young even crashed out of the race.  I was still at the front when the climb started and was able to go over with the leaders.  After the descent there were 10 of us but we weren't working together and ended up getting caught by about 25 more riders.  One of the race favorites attacked and stayed off the front solo until the last 5km when the powerhouse BMC team finally reeled him in.  I was positioning for the sprint and didn't anticipate anyone attacking when Hyung Mo(one of the strongest riders in the race) attacked with 2km to go.  I thought we would catch him but we didn't and I ended up crossing the line in 6th.  It's not a great result but at least I have been improving each day.
Today was supposed to be a hard course but the race ended up getting cancelled due to heavy rains.  I didn't think it needed to be cancelled but they had a team meeting and over half the teams in the race voted to cancel it.  It's too bad but hopefully I can keep making up time on GC on the other stages.  The next 3 days all have pretty decent climbs in them.

월요일에 잘탔어서 화요일에 더 잘타고싶었어요.  코스 좀 어려웠어요.  킨 크라임하기전에 위험 한 다운힐있엇어요.  다운힐에서 넘어지는사람 많았어요.  장년 1등 손주영 도 타쳤어요.  나천천희탔어서 괜찮았어요.  언덕에서 저 잘탈수있었어요.  앞에 10명있었지만 우리 같이 잘안탔어서 25명 정도 다시 왔어요.  강지용 브레이크어웨이 해봤지만 5키로에 펙 왔어요.  나 스프린트 준비했지만 6등했어요.  이키로에서 형모형 어테크했어요.  형모형 10초정도 앞에이겼어요. 오늘 대회 비 왔어서 취소했어요.  저 안좋아하지만 팀장 타투표했어요.  그다음 3스테이지동안 산이있을거예요.  저 잘타볼거예요!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Tour de Korea Stage 1 and 2 투르드 코리아 1,2 스테이지

The first stage of the Tour de Korea didn't go quite as I had planned.  It was raining all day and I crashed after 5 km on a sheet of rubber that was covering the road along with about 30 other people.  It took me a while to get my bike untangled and get going.  I got to within about 10 seconds of the pack but couldn't quite close the gap and ended up with about 10 other people riding behind the pack to the finish.  I was happy to finish and I only lost 1:16 on the GC so I'm not totally out of the race yet.  It wasn't a totally bad day for my team though as my teammate Yeon Deok placed 3rd on the stage.  I didn't get hurt or damage my bike in the crash and at least I didn't lose too much time.  Hopefully this will be my last crash of the race.
Today in Stage 2 I rode much better.  It was a 100km stage with one mountain in it (a 3-4km climb).  Arguably the strongest team in the race this year is the BMC team.  They attacked a lot today and eventually a group of 3 got away before the climb.  I thought we would catch them on the climb so I sat tight in the pack.  On the climb some other riders attacked and on the descent there was a different group of 3 off the front.  It contained 2 BMC riders and last years 3rd place from the Stork team Kang Ji Yong.  My group was about 20 seconds behind them but despite attacking several times I couldn't quite bridge the gap.  The group ended up finishing about 20 seconds up on the pack at the finish leaving us nothing to sprint for.  It was unfortunate that my team missed out on the break because we are now a little bit down on the Team GC on BMC and Stork.  Tomorrow has 2 climbs in it and is an 80km stage.  I will try to update again.  I'm feeling good so hopefully when the courses get harder it will help me move up on GC.

이번 티디케 첫스테이지 잘못탔어요.  첫5키로에서 범프에서 30명이랑 너머졌어요.  해봤지만 메인 팩 다시 못 붗었어요.  저 10명정도랑 피니쉬까지 탔어요.  너무 힐들었지만 1분16초 빡이 안일어버렸어요.  우리 팀원 강연덕 잘탔어요  3등했어요.  비게속왔어서 너머지는 사람이 많이있었어요.  스테이지 2 더 잘타고싶었어요.
오늘 좀더 잘탔어요.  오늘 100키로 그리고 산 1개있었어요.  산타기전에 3명 브레이크어웨이했어요.  산에 우리 다시 만났지만 정상에 3명도 어테크했어요.  나 다다많이 해봤지만 못붙었어요.  마지막에 우리 20초정도 일어버렸어요.  아쉽지만 내일 도 해볼수있어요!  내일 코스 산2개있어요.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Almost time for the Tour de Korea! 곧 투르드코리아 다!

The Tour de Korea starts this Sunday.  Its an 8 day 8 stage race this year (down from 9 stages last year).  I'm really excited and am feeling good.  This year they have changed a few things around including adding a Best Young Rider jersey and a Sprint jersey.  I'm excited because its the last year I will be eligiible for pretty much any kind of young rider competition so I'm hoping to get on the podium for that (my racing age is 25 this year). 
They have also changed the way their are paying out prize money.  Last year the top ten each stage and the top 10 overall got money but this year the top 50 overall and the top 3 on each stage get money.  Last year there were only 51 finishers overall so this means basically everyone who finishes each stage will win some prize money. 

The course looks pretty tough this year as well.  The first and the last stage are both short and relatively flat but the other stages pretty much all have a at least one decent climb.  Stage 7 looks like it will be the queen stage with 2 KOM climbs. 

I'm hoping to ride a little better than last year at this race.  I'll try to update here after each stage. 

이번주 일요일 투르드코리아 시작이에요! 이번는 8스테이지있어요.  기븐이 좋고 신난해요!  이번 TDK 장년 보다 조금 달라요.  베스트 영 라이더(BYR) 과 스피린트 저시있어요.  BYR 87년생까지 할수있어요. 저 87년생 이야서 다행이에요! 
상금 더 많이 박웠어요.  이버는 종학 50등까지 상금있어요 그리고 스테이지에 3등까지 있어요.  장년 51명 종합있었어요 그냥 대회 다타면 상금 받알수있어요! 

코스 장년 보다 힘들거같아요.  스테이지 1과8 좀잛고쉬지만 다른거 다 산이많아요!   7스테이지 제일 힘들거같아요 왜냐하면 KOM 두개있어요!   

이번 티디케 장년 보다 잘타고싶어요!  여기 매일 스테이지 끝날때 써볼거예요! 

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Team Riding and Hiking

I was really excited after my great race last weekend so excited that I didn't get enough rest.  I ended up getting a pretty good cold/flu on Tuesday and it took me until Friday to recover.  I was happy that I had recovered in time for the weekend though because it was great weather to go riding.  Saturday I went for a a ride with my team.  We rode 120km along the Han river out and back and then went out to lunch together.  It was a pretty fast ride and over half of our team ended up bonking.  Lucky for them however the Seoul subway goes out to where we were riding so a few of them took the subway back to our cars!  It was great to get out and ride with my teammates.
Sunday I rode for about 2.5 hours and then I went for a hike with a few of my friends up Do Du Ram San.  This is my favorite mountain in the area.  its not really that big at 350m but the top has a huge exposed rock ridge that you can climb on.  They have ladders nailed into the rocks so that you can climb over the ridge.  From some of the rocks you have a great panoramic view of the valley and other mountains. 
It was also my birthday yesterday (April 9th) and I'm now 25! 
This week I have Wednesday off because its Election day in Korea and I'm hoping to get some good riding in both on Wednesday and on the weekend.  The Tour de Korea starts in 2 weeks so this is my last chance to train hard for it.  


Sunday, April 1, 2012

Wan Do Race Report: Team Cannondale 1-2 Finish! 완도 대회리포트: 캐논데일팀 1위-2위!

Yesterday was my first race of the season.  It was a 40km road race in the farthest south part of Korea that you can drive to.  I went down Saturday morning with my friend Kyle and due to some huge traffic jams we ended up arriving at 4:30.  We picked up my number and then went out and road the course.  The course was absolutely beatiful and a lot of fun to ride.  It was composed mostly of large rolling hills next to the ocean with great views of the other islands and some huge mountains on the mainland.  There were a few short steep climbs and one long gradual one with a bit of a steep section at the end of it.
Sunday morning I talked with my teammate Ji-Haeng (who I finished 1-2 with at the final race of last season) and he said he would push the pace on the climb to try and drop everyone.  The race played out a little differently than that.  There was a 1km or so long climb right after the start and Kim Dong Hyun(another really strong rider) attacked.  Ji-Haeng and I followed him and so did one other rider but he got dropped soon after.  We ended up with about a 10 second gap and just kept rotating and pushing the pace till we were well clear of everyone.  I was worried about the other rider in the break for the sprint but it turned out he was pretty gassed and when Ji Haeng lifted the pace on the long climb he was hurting.  I went to the front and pushed the pace more over the steep section so we could get a gap.  Then it was just Ji Haeng and I rotating together till the finish.  It was a repeat of the last race of 2011!  Unfortunately we weren't sure of where the finish line was so when we got to it we didn't get to throw our hands up together like last time.  
I'm really happy to get the 2012 season off to a great start.  I'm not doing any more races until the Tour de Korea starts on April 22nd and thats the biggest race of the year.  My goal is to win a stage.  I'm feeling a lot stronger than last spring already so I feel confident that I will be able to accomplish my goal.  I'll try to post some pictures of the race when I can find them. 

어제 와도 대회탔어요!  저는 토요일 운전하고 4시반에 완도도착하고 코스 탔어요! 창석 친구와함께 라이딩했어요.  코스 원전 아름다웠어요! 해변길이있고 산오러가는길도조금있어었어요.  우리라이딩 끝나고 고기먹었고잤어요.  일요일에최지행 형이랑 대획계획이만들었어요.형 제일 킨언덕에서 열심히 타볼거예서 다른 사람 못다다할거옜어요.
우리 계획이 좀 바궜어요. 첫작은언덕에서 김동현 형 아테크했어서 저 지행형이랑 다다했어요.  우리 3명 같이 긴언덕 까자 같이 탔어요.  김동현형 때문에 저곡정좀했어요  하지만 긴언덕에서 지행형 페이스 너무빨라서 김동현형 못다다했어요.  피니쉬까지 저지행형 이랑 같이 탔어요.  장년 홍천대회에서 지행형이랑 이렇게 피니쉬왔어요.  캐논데일 1-2 피니쉬했어요!  지난번 저일등 하지만 이번은 바꿨어요.  지행 형 일등 저2등했어요.
완도 대회 너무 재미있었어요!  코스 도 아름답고 재미있었어요. 
TDK 까지 아직 3주 남고있어요.  저그때까지 대회 안타고 그냥 열심히 훈련 할거예요.  이번 티디케이 저의 골은 스테이지 한 번 이기고싶어요.  장년 2등이랑 3등 했지만 이번은 꼭 한번 1등하고싶어요!  저 완도대회사진 찾으면 여기에서 포스트 할거예요!