Work has been pretty good. It's a bit tough to get everything done, but I've got some pretty cool experimental results. Now I just need to figure out what they mean.
Bike riding/racing has been a bit of a struggle this year. I feel like I'm close to having some good form, but also close to having another major setback health wise. No really good results to speak of, but the racing has been pretty good at times. We (the KBS/LSV team) did the Tour of Millersburg stage race a few weeks back. It was a very well run event and we are all looking forward to next year. It was a two day, three stage race. ITT, Crit and RR. Headwind Hong had the best TT out of all of us, which is pretty amazing seeing as he is 110lbs soaking wet. That said, the kid is stupid aero and has a big (relative) engine. Kinda like a motorcycle. I went as far as getting some serious aero equipment for my rig.
That pic is mainly for le TSK as he has an affinity for TT rigs. Granted mine is not nearly as cool as his.
The crit was a throw-down with our guys animating it. We got Rick in a good move late in the race, only to get brought back with just over a lap to go. I put it into sprint mode but had to shut it down when a few guys decided to lay it down in the last corner.
The RR was 90 miles with nothing to selective. Bloomer was on early duty and got in the first real move. That came back after one lap, Rick countered taking some big guys up the road with him and that was all she wrote. ~70 miles on a break while we shut it down in the field. Rick attacked the break and came to the line with one other guy. It was close, but Rick got pipped at the line. Back in the field all hell broke loose in the last 2 miles with two big crashes taking out handfuls of riders. One crash was on a downhill and we were going near 40 MPH, spooky stuff.
After M'burgh, I traveled to Bling-Blinghamton to race in the Chris Thater Memorial Crits. The Masters 30+ was the strangest race I'd done in a long time. Things got hard, but not enough to get a good break going. The guys in our race had never heard of a counterattack, that is unless slow rolling off the front after I attacked for the 5th time is your idea of a counterattack. All in all 8 guys got up the road, I sprinted for 10th, blah.
Sunday was the Pro-1 race. I was excited as my parents were able to come to their first bike race. The short story is they got to see me tail gun most of the race after I laid it down in a corner. I tore the ass out of my shorts (literally) and walked past them on my way to the pit. Kinda funny, I just waved, and said "I'm ok".
I've got two races left and I'm looking forward to the offseason. I have a lot to do, papers to write, conferences to attend and academic positions to find and apply to . I'll try to keep you all updated.
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