Look for the winner of the raffle to be announced by Friday.

Thanks to everyone who donated.

Stefano was on again last weekend at the University of Northern Colorado Cycling Promontory Park Criterium. He found his way into a tough group and finshed second on the day to Henk Vogels. The podium spot is nice but more importantly the weekend served as a tune up for the upcoming San Dimas Stage Race and Redlands Bicycle Classic. For San Dimas the THF Realty Cycling Team will have Brain Alfermann and Stefano. For Redlands they will be joined by Terry Kennan, Nolan Froese, Pete Lopinto and Brian Dziewa.

While Brian and Stefano are battling in San Dimas the St. Louis contingent will take part in what has become one of the classic road races in the area, in fact the Hillsboro-Roubaix has be consistently voted as the top road race in the area. Along with the excellent event the promoter is also offering a chance for everyone involved to Fight Cancer and Support the Montgomery County Cancer Association.

Sometimes it’s hard to be a full time student, a full time bike racer, and have a social life.  There just are not enough hours in the day to always be able to do everything I want.  I’ve heard the pros say it, and I know that I have to make sacrifices sometimes to be successful in cycling.  There are times when my friends will want to do something, and I will have to skip so that I can get my training in.  It’s hard to miss out on the fun sometimes when the alternative is a set of thirty minute all out intervals, but I know that that’s what it takes.  Every day I am at school from seven in the morning until at least three in the afternoon, and that’s not to mention all the homework I have to do at some point before the next school day.  That does not leave a lot of time to get in all the training I need to do.  What it means is that I have to do a lot of riding on the trainer during the winter when it does not stay light enough for me to get outside after school.  I really don’t find that riding the trainer is very enjoyable, but if that’s what I have to do then that’s what I’ll do.  My friends don’t always understand why I can’t hang out with them, or why I have to leave school right away every day.  Under any circumstances, it takes a lot of self discipline to make it in cycling, but I can tell you that it is even harder as a full time high school student.  You’ve really got to love everything about the sport to go out there and hurt yourself everyday in training, and I assure I do love the sport.  That’s why I’m willing to make some sacrifices to achieve my goals in the sport of cycling.

So far, I’ve been on the bike a good month and I really feel good the entire time. The winter is the best time for me in the Midwest. Once the heat sets-in above 90, asthma creeps up. I’ve never had an asthma attack per say, but after a race it feels like my lungs are scarred and keeps me from taking deep breaths.  Only last year did I take something for it - albuterol, which had too short of an effect. This year I’m going to try a longer lasting medicine. I forget the name of it, but I remember that my copay was upwards of 100.

We had a warm-spell a week back and I was able to get on the road bike for some longer rides. Otherwise, I’ve been primarily on the Mt Bike. You see, I really don’t like the trainer, so unless it’s unavoidable I’ll be out in 10 F. If I don’t have time to hit the trails outside the city, I’ll stay in a park near my house, Forest Park, where I ride a make-shift offroad circuit. So far, I’m the only one on this “secret course”, and I’d like to keep it that way since much of it is to be found on the golf-course. (but I stay off the greens)

When I was much younger, I would habitually spend two-hours on the rollers. You may not believe me, but it’s true, it was Pedro Delgado himself who told me that I was wasting my time. At that time, I trained with his brother-in-law, and taught his other brother-in-law English. His Mom would pay me by cooking me dinner and at one of these dinners, Pedro showed up with their sister. That was his only advice.

Sunday was my first race of the year. The Old Town Criterium was contested on a .8 mile, 10 corner crit and luckily there were no crashes and everyone was on their best behavior.  Even though there were 10 corners, the course was remarkably fluid and fast.  Like most people, I expected a break to happen, so I was on the lookout from the gun.  I was in the first 5 moves of the day, then became more selective with what I spent my energy.  I focused on the Successful Living team of Curtis Gunn and some other guy.  I knew nothing would get away without them, and knew Curtis was super-strong from the Shoot Out, so I tried to stick with him as opposed to the other guy I didn’t know.  I shadowed Curtis a couple times, and then I thought I got lucky by being good side of the road when his teammate went, so I went again.  As per the first 20 min of the race, nothing got to far, but you can tell what’s coming.  The next little move went with 4 guys including Gunn, and that was the day. 

It’s funny how you can tell when the winning break gets away, as soon as it’s gone.  I had worked hard to be in it, and I didn’t make it.  I had a second chance that I blew as well.  The Trek/Landis team worked for a few laps and brought the break within 10 seconds.  I was thinking this would be the time to jump, but I figured it would come back and I should just sit a few wheels deep and save some energy.  That window to jump was opened, and I didn’t take it.  Shortly thereafter, the elastic to the break finally broke, and the top 4 places were gone for good.

Some of us continued to work, try to get away, and make life interesting; but nothing stuck.  A prime was called with 6 laps to go, I sat in and rode the waves, and crossing the start/finish line I hit out on my own.  I threw down for about a lap before being brought into the fold.  I should have hit again a few laps later and taken my chances, but it seems everyone had their hearts set on a field sprint.

1 lap to go sitting 5^th wheel, ½ lap to go sitting 3^rd wheel, 4 corners to go sitting 15 wheel.  (see rant below).  Moved up on the back straight so coming out of the last corner I was 8^th and that’s where I stayed.  Didn’t pass anyone, and I wasn’t passed.  12^th overall on the day.  

Besides missing the obviously winning break, I was excited about the season’s first race.  Form felt good, I didn’t crash, and left excited about the next block of training and racing.  Valley of the Sun is next week with Pete and Stefano coming down.  I’m looking forward to meeting and racing with two new teammates.  Check out the list of registered riders  and keeps tabs on us at the Valley of the Sun right here at THFRACING.com

 RANT:  It always amazes me how people are perfectly content sitting in and rolling in circles, but then willing to stack up $5000 bikes for 5^th place and $20 bucks.  It’s the same scenario of “that guy” (every race has one) who goes for a $15 hair cut gift card and lays it all on the line.  $5000 bike, ER Co-pay, his health, every other racers bike/health, shop front windows from the corner he jumps to get a better apex out of the corner.  You get the point.  Nevertheless, that’s racing and I love it. 

About two weeks ago I went out for a normal ride to get about four hours in. I had to go out kind of early because I had to work at three o’clock that afternoon, which isn’t too big of a deal except that it had sleeted the night before. I went out on some back roads that I ride and as I got through Knoblick (yes that is a town by me) It wasn’t too bad. Then after an hour of riding I came up to a blind “T” intersection that had ice on the road and the second I got on the ice I knew I was going to crash. Of course as I hit the brakes the bike shot out from under me and I hit the ice and slid. When I got up my hip hurt really bad so I didn’t think much of my wrist until a mile later I hit ice again and went down hard on my other side. I was so mad I was dropping F-bombs like crazy and couldn’t believe I had crashed twice in one mile. I realized on the next downhill when I could barely squeeze the brakes that something was wrong with my left wrist. After that I was cold and decided to go home and I finished up on the trainer then went to work.

It was great at work because at work one of the 17 year girls was making fun of me due to the fact that I couldn’t put a box of food in the bags because my wrist couldn’t support the weight. I went to the doctor the next day and left with my pretty green cast on my left hand, which wouldn’t be a problem for 87% of the world but I am in the 13% of people that would have been hung in Salem for being a witch; i.e. I am left-handed. That really makes EVERYTHING difficult, I mean brushing my teeth, eating, cooking and anything else you can think of. The only good thing is I get sympathy from my fiance Lori and she’ll help wash the dishes now, sometimes.

Otherwise I have been training normally and I just get a little upper back pain in my t-spine area between my scapulas. Hopefully the cast will be off soon.

Brian

The race started off fast with no moves getting more than 5 seconds off the front for the first 20 minutes. I was able to attack at the first lull and get away with 3 other guys for 3 laps and picked up the first prime of the day. We were reeled in shortly after and I just decided to bide my time. That was until they rang the bell for a $100 prime. My old team mate Jesse Anthony heard the bell as well, and we step back into our old routine of him leading me out. He did the perfect hit-out and I was able to scoop up the $100 with no problems.

With about 15 laps left a move of 8 or so guys got off with a 10 second gap. I saw that most of the teams were up there in the move, so I hit out on the opposite side of the field and bridged up to the break. We all rolled through in the break and things looked good until 3 to go. The field was cruising in on us and I attacked with 2 to go to try and split the break and keep us away. Well, that didn’t work and we got caught with 600 meters to go. I was able to grab a good wheel into the last corner in the midst of some craziness and followed Cody O’Reileiy in the sprint. Cody took it strong to the line for the win and I ended up a close third place.

I was pretty happy for the first race of the season and know that if I hadn’t attacked with 2 to go I might have pulled off a better sprint. The first race on the Orbea was great, the bike was stiff and fast with the Rol wheels feeling smooth. As always, the SRAM work perfect and I never missed a shift. I look forward to Valley of the Sun with some stiffer competition doing some racing with my new team mates.

Check out the Ghisallo Sports powered Orbea Orca. This one is decked out with SRAM components and Rol wheels and will be piloted by Pete Lopinto.

Coming soon to a race near you.