Niagara Classic

Race went well for me. My plan was to attack about half way through the race, or go with a move that formed around that time. I was going to work with Brandon Spencer who is a junior I met at the OCA camp.

I sat in for the first couple laps, and only worked to help chase a couple attacks. Nothing stuck. Brandon and I agreed to make our move just before the twisty decent, so that we would have an advantage heading on to Effingham. He tested everyone by attacking there on lap 2, and I sat in the chase that was takin very seriously by the Speed River boys. On lap three Bayden attacked in that spot, and I jumped on getting a small gap with him and some others. Everyone chased super hard after us and we were shut down quickly.

I was feeling strongest after the climb, heading down Tice, so when I saw Sean Kelly attack there, I bridged to him and we worked together for half the lap, but the chasers worked hard and never let us get far. 50m at most.

Brandon and I agreed that getting off the front would be a very tough as everyone had us marked. waiting till the sprint seemed to be this best strategy at this point. Bayden was off the front at some point, and scored some KOH points while doing so. Some other moves went and one got a guy solo over a minute up on us. No one was worried about this one, because surviving solo for over a lap would take a real super star.

So I sat in till the sprint. I sat comfortably in the pack leading to the Eff. I was tenthish at the bottom and started my sprint right when the road kicked up. Some others went sooner and took off like rockets. I closed in on them a bit by the top, and past all but two guys by the line, one being a junior.

So another second for me. I am happy and feel like upgrading to S2 might be a possibility this season. I will decide after K-W.

I nearly made the best trade of my life by getting a rear Bontrager Aeolus 6.5 for my old Ksyrium. It was in the wheel truck and a guy used it and decided to wait till my parents had gone home with his wheel to make the trade back. I stuck around to watch the Elite race, and then rode home with Ben and Jeff after. When I got home my parents told me that Aeolus guy called and was on the way to my place to get his wheel. We traded and all was cool, but I would have been happy with his wheel.

Congrats to all fellow podiumers. Cadet was a sweep for the SCCC race squad. Good job Etzy, Ben and Matt; but come on 31km/h average? weak. And Sara Byers, wow she crushed the other ladies.