2010 Hillsboro - Roubaix ... The Stories

Here's a quick review of rider blogs. What happened out there? Not to be all inclusive, just a few of the 600 stories from out on the roads Saturday.

Super Ape: I gave it everything i had on that last climb and only andrew was chasing. about a block or 2 after the climb he caught up as we started the first descent onto the bricks. still giving it everything and were both neck and neck to that last 90 and were both sprinting for the long straight to the finish. lungs, body, legs are screaming and i am not giving up without a fight. i feel all pain and just push through it. i am in the drops out of the saddle, were close, really close. hes still in the saddle and throws his bike at the line. my wheel crosses first, by an inch and it is done. funny though, as we both acknowledge i took it at the line, his timing chip actually makes it to the line first in a fraction of a second. 

 Pedaling With A Purpose: For the last two years this race has been a qualifier for the Nature Valley proride composite team. The top finishing cat 1 Man and 1/2Woman each earn a spot on an all expenses paid composite team for the Nature Valley Grand Prix Stage Race coming up in June in Minnesota. What a cool opportunity. Since I'm not currently on a supported team this year, I was really hoping to win this. ... Turns out the 7 ahead of me for whatever reason took a pass on the pro ride, so I'm going to Nature Valley this year!!! Pretty excited to be on a fully supported team and get to just race. 

To be Honest with You: 4 miles in i was in the back 1/3rd of the pack. not due to fitness, but more a lack of skills. i need to work on getting my arse in the front half of packs and hope that comes with more races. the back was all that CAT 5s are said to be; brakes, surges, brakes, surges, squirrels, brakes, and surges.

then, everyone yells slowing, i hear brakes, i hear metal, i hear a pop, and the guy in front of me locks up his brakes. i got no where to go, so i continue forward on my line, slowing, but not braking, and i believe i pushed that guy off the road into the ditch. i either got my tire square on his or into his RD. not sure, but my first thought was braking hard was not the right thing. 5 seconds later i see Matt, who had been riding well near the front, floating back. remember the pop? as we pass i say, "flat" he says "flat" then i say "fuck" and slam my bars.

4 miles in his day was done.

Chris Uberti (P1/2 Winner): To give you an idea how fast we were going, going into the last lap the breakaway, which was no fluff group (Kyle Jacobson, Ryan Freund, and Ben Damhoff) had four minutes on the field, but within twenty miles from the start of the final lap they had all been brought back.

  ... Going into the finish it was looking more and more like a field sprint so I stayed in the top five going up the climb. By the top Greg and Kirk had moved up to the front ahead of me and our lead-out was set. We made the sharp downhill left-hander and hit the cobbles for the last time with Greg at the front at 45 mph. We made it through the descent without getting swarmed, Greg swung off just before the last corner, and Kirk took over the lead-out. Since it was a strong headwind I tried to wait on the sprint. By the time we hit the 200 meters I still hadn’t seen anyone so decided to initiate my sprint. After a few pedal strokes I still hadn’t seen any wheels, so I looked back: I saw Kirk, then a bunch of space. Going through the corner and coming out Kirk had gapped pretty much the entire field, and I had some space for the win.