Koppenberg cancelled due to snow.....

mud, ice, snow, mud and more mud. Thank God! The 17% dirt climb was so bad people couldn't walk up it. Can you imagine trying to haul your bike up it with cycling shoes? Once it was officially announced that the race was cancelled we were pretty stoked to grab some breakfast at Panera across the parking lot. I'm just glad I don't have to clean my bike. Well next weekend Colorado School of Mines puts on a couple of great races so I look forward to that and some better weather.
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Wicked Fast & Wicked Hard

I missed the 3/4/5 registration by about 5 minutes. The race officials capped the field at 75 leaving me no other choice but to race the Pro 1/2/3 category. Racing with the pros was part of my original plan but I wanted to use the 3/4/5 as a warm-up. With a huge race in California next week our race was stacked with a number of pro guys from various teams. I counted 7 Toyota United, 3 Team Type 1, 2 Bissell, 1 Healthnet, 1 Slipstream, 1 Jelly Bean and a whole lot of fast Cat. 1 guys from Boulder. I knew this race was going to be wicked fast from the beginning and I was absolutely right! To be honest I don't remember much of the first few laps besides trying to hold some dude's wheel and not get dropped. A couple of my teammates who were watching said it was crazy fast. Eventually 6 guys get off the front and of course they are all pro guys with 4 of them being Toyota United pro guys. They weren't too far off the front and we could see them the whole time BUT they were flying and working well together so it was tough to close the gap. I had no teammates in this race and my only goals were to try to make the break and be aggressive. Well I pretty much tossed the first goal out the window once I saw the field stacked with pros. This race was hard and I did it last year doing nothing but suffering and sitting in the whole time. I knew that wouldn't be a problem this year so I decided to take a few aggressive moves and be someone in this crit. I ended up moving up 3 different times and launching attacks or pulling the field to try to close the gap. These were serious efforts that I very well could say were my hardest efforts ever? It felt awesome to pull the pack and make that effort with 70+ guys in tow. My 3rd attack was everything I had left in me and ended up getting blown off the back and out of contention. I was perfectly happy with that because those efforts I know will benefit me come this weekend and all of April. Next weekend: Koppenberg!!!!

Easter Racing

Well it looks like I'll be doubling up on the racing this Sunday. After an early 6AM mass at Red Rocks, quick brunch at my sister's place and maybe an Easter egg hunt I'll be throwing on the kit. I wasn't planning on racing but now that I can race twice it makes sense if I really want to be flying for Koppenberg. I'll be doing the 3/4/5 race and then right after the Pro 1/2/3 race. I raced this course last year with the pros and it was fast and fun. I'm a lot stronger this year so I hope for a more aggressive role in the pro race. Maybe after all this racing I'll kick back and treat myself to a few Reese's peanut butter Easter Eggs! 

The Koppenberg Circuit Race

In a couple of weeks I get another shot to tackle this awesome yet short and grueling circuit race. The course is made up of half paved roads and the other half dirt with a leg busting, heart throbbing super steep climb that only last about 50 meters. Its what makes the race and getting to it is half the battle. I'm hoping with a little luck and some good legs I can finally make the lead group selection. This will be the first race were we'll have a full squad racing and I can't wait. I've been training with my teammates for over two months now and everyone is going really strong and super excited to get racing. I set a pretty high standard for what's to come from Studio 1 Dental and it's only going to get harder for our competitors. I can't wait to throw down with my teammates!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoOp3exDhjE

Checkout the Youtube link and you'll get a feel for what it's like when you climb the 'real' Koppenberg at the Tour of Flanders. How can you not go fast when you have thousands of drunk people cheering you on? Alls I'm sayin'

Finally!

Well I started off the 2008 season with a BANG! I managed to win the Cat. 3 DU Criterium held at City Park in Denver. It has been a long time since I've come across the finish line in 1st and man was it a great feeling. I've had a lot of ups and downs in this sport and all of 2007 was a down so it was good to start off with a great result. My biggest fans came out to watch. I had my sister Christine and two nephews Cole and Luke cheering me on as I raced lap after lap. My girl MacKensey Leigh who gets to hear it all when it comes to racing and training, and never lets me give up was also on the sideline cheering. Some would want a photo of themselves winning, I'd rather have a photo of my biggest fans cheering as I crossed the finish line. I'm hungry for more.