It's a beautiful thing to witness a well thought plan unfold just as we thought it would. Even more beautiful to be a part of it, not only a part of it, but the focal point. I gotta say that after following Mike Pugh, David Huang, and Karen Spores up Cantelow for the past three Tuesdays before the race rides and trying to stay on their wheels, made todays effort seem almost easy! (almost)
After all the traffic on the list serve yesterday and seeing my name
bounce around, I was more than a little taken aback to be honest. I
just couldn't believe every one chiming in, offering to support me and
do whatever they could to get me a shot at a win. Something I never
expected being a newbie. A true display of selflessness. Then, as I sat
there reading all of the emails and being overcome with a feeling of
brotherhood and companionship...it hit me. I felt the blood rush from
my face. I saw that candid camera that everyone has on their entire
life zoom in for a close up of the look on my face. Then, at the speed
of life, zoom away. First to me siting at the table staring into my lap
top, then to the house, then to the city, then the state, then the
country, and finally stop at the moons eye view of the entire
planet...and the weight of it sitting squarely on my shoulders. "OH
SHITE! WHAT IF I CAN'T DELIVER...WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE IT!?! That
overwhelming feeling of brotherhood and companionship was quickly
covered by that ever daunting cloak of self doubt and fear. Thanks
Justin! :0)
The phone rings and I dare not answer it. I let it go to voice mail.
It's Karl..."Dude, you'd better have your race legs on tomorrow, 'cause
if you're with me at the top of Cantelow for the second lap, you're
getting on my wheel and I'm protecting you the whooole way man!"
"Alright brutha, see you tomorrow...lets do it...Rock N Roll!" Or
something to that effect. The pressure cooker just jumped up about 200
degrees. I start hydrating immediately. So much so that I must have
woken up a dozen times during the night to pee. Needless to say...not a
very restful night.
Race day ~ I pull into Steady Eddy's around 7:30 (late again) to Justin
saying, "Dude I'm glad you finally got here, everyone was driving
through the parking lot giving me the "Stink Eye" for saving you a
spot!" Get registered, get AJ reg'd, pin #'s on, get a quick warm up
and hit the staging area. Guess the stress must have been written all
over my face because everyone kept telling me to relax. Chad walks up,
puts his arm around me and in that calm "Uncle Chad" voice tells me,
"Dude, just breathe...relax and let your team do their job...it's gonna
be just fine!" That's something I have yet to master...the ability to
just relax before a race. I really never do until around 20 minutes into it.
We're off, and for me, "Class Is Now In Session!" Nice easy pace for
the first few miles. Then Nelson launches along 505. Lee and 2 others
bridge up and manage to stay off the front until about half way up
Cantelow. I'm on Fred's wheel for the majority of the first lap...then
Darin's, then Justin's, then Rod's, then Hal's, then, right before the
base of Cantelow I hear Chad yell, "Snovel, move up!" Just then, Karl
makes his move. I jump on his wheel and proceed to ride it right to the
front as he sets the pace up Cantelow. We're 1-2 as we crest and begin
to rail down the back side. Justin manages to catch back on along
Pleasant Vly along with about 10 others and tries to ramp it up and
make the break we have on the rest of the field stick, but no one seems
dedicated to the effort and the main field catches on. Justin stays on
the front and drills it down PVR. I'm toward the back at this point and
hear a familiar voice from my left say, "Lets go!" as Fred and Rod
hammer to the front and manage to string things out. As we approach the
turn off for Putah Creek Karl begins his mentoring. Instructing me to
check the mileage as we make the turn and start to pick out a few land
marks in prep for the finish.
2nd lap pretty much follows suit. Then Tim launches along 505 to
relieve pressure. I hear Fred talking to Justin and Rod up ahead of me
giving them their assignments. Karl continues to tell me that we need
to be up towards the front as we approach the rollers right before
Cantelow to be able to cover any attacks. We make the left to stay on
Timm Rd. at Peaceful Glen, make the right hander and start to climb up
the roller before it drops down to Cantelow. I look up from the back of
the pack as the road begins to rise and see patches of bright orange and blue
as my teammates rise out of their saddles in unison. That strong
feeling of brotherhood overtakes me once again. I breathe my next
breath and begin to feel every cell in my body charge in preparation
for what's to come. I begin my self assessment and find that I'm
feeling GREAT! For the first time I start to believe that I can
actually win this. With the speed at which Karl and I floated up
Cantelow, I figure whoever is there this time around, will be there for
the end game.
Just as we approach the feed zone, Karl and I have been able to make
our way to the front of the pack and sit 4th and 5th comfortably. Just
as we round the bend after descending the rollers Fred makes his move.
He drills it on the front pulling Karl and I along and lays the lumber
on the rest of the field. The break begins to form. He's looking super
strong and all of a sudden, he raises his right hand..."Flat!" Crap! As
Karl and I roll past he yells out, "Karl...Jason...DO IT!" Karl must
have felt the same thing I did as he surges and sets the pace up
Cantelow. About half way up, the guy from Touchstone kept trying to
bull me off of Karl's wheel. "Yeah right!" I continue to deny him all
the way up. I give him one last "nudge" letting him know that his
effort is futile. He finally gets the hint and offers up a whimpy
comment like, "Dude, you've been bumping me the whole way up the
climb!" and pushes my back in submission. I reply, "Well then drop the
F*#% back!" I reply. I hear nothing from him for the rest of the race, aside
from an apology afterwards...accepted.
We crest the climb and once again are 1-2 heading down the descent.
Hitting 42 mph we roll onto PVR with a huge gap and 6 other riders, two
of which are Rio Astrada guys. The selection has been made. Karl and I
don't even have to pull through for the first 2 or 3 rotations, I think
out of respect for pulling everyone up Cantelow. Karl instructs me to
conserve my energy and stay on the back, but I just cant. It's just not
in my DNA. We hammer down PVR at about 32 mph and I begin to feel it.
"Careful" Karl says, making sure I don't over do it. Making the right
on Putah Creek we continue to paceline. Karl and I pretty much control
the break and offer up words of encouragement and instruction. Luckily
our pace slows to about 26 or so. I tell Karl to ease up as I pull
through and he does. I slowly begin to recover a bit and prep for the
sprint.
With about 500m to go Karl looks back and tells me to sit on his wheel.
We round the corner at the 200m marker in 3rd and 4th. I watch the body
language of Karl as he begins to twitch in anticipation. I match his
cadence, and wait for what seems an eternity. Finally a rider launches
up the right side. I can almost read Karl's mind..."Not yet, wait...too
soon...F*#% IT!" In what looks to be a full body conniption, he
attacks up the left side with me 2 cm off his wheel. We're absolutely
on fire as we drive it toward the finish. Karl's laying down a text
book lead out and with about 20m to go I move left and make my way
around him pumping my fist as I cross the finish line for the win. Karl
takes second. Perfect!
Justin ended up 9th overall taking the field sprint. 1-2-9!?! A GREAT
DAY FOR DBC! One after another guys from the other teams were coming up
to me saying that DBC totally controlled the whole race from start to
finish. What a display fellas...what a display.
You guys...there isn't an adjective out there that could adequately
describe the heartfelt emotions that I have for this team. Seriously.
You guys ROCK!
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