University Oaks criterium 123

The final race in a four race block I've been on.

The start of the race was fast filled with racers trying to get off the front as well as move into position at the front. After a few laps of racers trying to get up towards the front, the pack was in single file. I could also see that gaps were opening as well. I waited until the cross wind section and I put it a small attack to help split the field some more. To my suprise I got away from everybody else and was solo off the front. I held a small gap for a few laps before I was brought back into the fold. Luckily it was only a group of around 12 riders that brought me back. The chase to bring me back finally split the field. I surveyed the riders around me and noticed that all the large teams were represented. After seeing this I started to work with the riders knowing that the majority of the main group will be blocking. I also used the fact I was a team of one to my advantage and did a bit less work than the others. As the laps went on I continued to work and was able to jump out at get 4 primes. (I thought they said 50 dollar prime, not sock prime! however I did get a nice wheel bag from chrome)

Heading into the final 5 laps the pack was in view in front and were going to lap them soon. I continued to follow the wheels of the other attacks waiting to launch an attack of my own. with 2 laps to go I put in a hard attack and bridged the 5 second gap to the back of the peloton, once i caught on i moved quickly to the front to keep the pace high. As I got to the front of the pack we started the final lap. The break I attacked from caught the back of the pack at the start of the final lap and started to move up towards me. Luckily one of my JR friends, Nick Green, who as been sitting in the whole race saw me and moved to the front to try to string out the pack. This helped as I came around the final corner sitting second wheel and jumped around not only to win the race but also the pack sprint.

Beltarra 2011

After a confusing and compact few days of racing I was finally going to be racing the Beltarra Circuit race. I have never raced this course before and from what I here it is one of the hardest races to complete.


It was hot and humid. One of the first hot and humid days we have had all year, and marking the beginning of the summer racing season.


At the start of the race we had around 45-50 riders all lined up at the barricades. Soon after we started a small group went up the road. I sat patiently and waited to see if anyone was going to jump across, to the lead group of 3 that got away. After I saw that no one was jumping across I moved comfortably towards the front of the race and waited for power hills and temperature to start hurting the competition. After a few hard accelerations and speedy laps I could see that the field was starting to splinter. I did everything I could to stay near the front, this helped me tremendously since I was able to keep from losing the front of group, which contained the strongest guys in the race. Before I knew it I was in a select group of 7 including some of the fastest racers in the state, as well as current and ex pros. I did everything I could to stay with this group of 7 knowing that they were the fastest left in the race and no one from behind was going to bridge across to us. After a couple hard laps of pulling Stefan Rothe put in a hard attack and gapped me on the bottom of the course. I did everything I could to get back on in the fast down hill section, and right before I could get back on, Lawson Craddock attacked the flats. That ended my chances of finishing with the leaders and I was sent back by myself. After a few laps of solo riding I was caught by a small chase group including fellow Houston racer Wally Groda. I did everything I could to stay with them but I was too spent after trying to stay with the leaders and was quickly dropped off the back of that group. After two laps of some more solo  riding I was caught by another small group of two. However I was able to recover enough to be able to work with this group. For the remainder of the race I worked with my chase group. Coming into the sprint I was sitting third wheel and was able to win the sprint of my break getting mysekf a respectable 14th place.


After finishing I was surprised to find out that the officials pulled all the other racers behind our group and that only 17 of the 45-50 starters finished the full race.