WORS #1: Iola

WORS started off this last weekend with the traditional opener in Iola. To say I was excited is an understatement. With all the early season racing in Texas and California, I was eager to get back on the start line. On top of that, my Mom’s birthday was the weekend before so we celebrated that while I was home. And on top of top of that, my sister’s new theater production Next to Normal Opened at the Theater on Main in Oconomowoc, so we went to that on Friday night. A great weekend all packed in.

My parents picked up Kelsey and I to get to the show on Friday and I have to say that the show is amazing. I’ve never seen Next to Normal, but the play is very heavy, and emotionally charged. It had me completely immersed into the characters. The theater is a small and intimate setting which only added to the immersion. My sisters voice stole the show as always, but the entire cast was amazing and they all had good chemistry on stage. Kelsey had already seen the show on the Broadway tour and said that the show on main was just as good. Overall very well done, if you’re in the area, check it out!

Then on Saturday I took the car to Iola to pre-ride the course. There was a little bit of moisture still on course, but with a sand soil I knew it would be dry by the next day. The course was pretty much the same as it’s always been, but it was good to take some practice on all my secret lines and get comfortable. I did 5 laps a couple hard but most easy and the legs felt good. I did one lap with one of my athletes, Caleb Swartz. The kid’s got some serious talent. It was his third lap of the day and he had the awareness to hold himself back to not tire himself out for Sunday’s race. I showed him some secret lines and then headed home quick for dinner with the family!

We went to Port of Call. A restaurant on Wells street, downtown Milwaukee. Look it up, it’s got a perfect atmosphere and the food is incredible. The head chef is a friend from middle school who got into cooking in only the last few years, Adam Pawlak. But you wouldn’t know it because the food is incredible. This is exactly the kind of place I like. Chilled, fun atmosphere, fairly priced but incredible food, good drink, and we had a table overlooking the Milwaukee river and the city. It was a very special night. And of course on top of all that it was great to see Adam again after almost 10 years! Definitely check out Port of Call.

 

But once I got home, it was time for business. I was off to bed right away. One of the things about looking forward to the race for the past couple weeks was that I was super focused. I woke up, got to the race and did my thing. Had a good warm up and headed to the line. The legs were feeling good, but I was just focused.

I got the hole shot off the line and took it quick up the first climb, but controlled. My plan was to follow wheels and make sure I was there in the end. It worked last year, so I knew it would work this year. But one of the down sides of so much shameless self-promotion is that people know you’re fast when you’re fast so I was a marked rider. The whole first lap I kept the pace fast, but steady, controlled and well within my limits. I looked back to keep an eye on riders I knew would be comfortable with the pace and waited for a move to go. Tristan finally put an effort in and brought the group down to 8. I came back around him going into a technical section and kept the pressure on. But once again nobody wanted to come around and pull on the open section. I wasn’t going to let the now group of 5 just sit on my wheel so I rode towards a hole in the ground and bunny hopped over it. I think everyone hit it behind me. No free rides. It made Tristan’s chain fall off, I felt a little bad but when I realized he recovered from it, I attacked, because I’m a nice guy.

Check the pro line. Put the tire inside the root.

The effort brought the group to 3. Nate Guerra, Eric Thompson, and myself. Nobody knew Eric, but I knew him and I knew he’d be there. And then of course Nate has the experience on me. He’s won a race before. With 2 to go, Nate put in an effort and we dropped Eric, but only slightly. We started hitting heavy lapped traffic and at that point it is tough to get away and tough to close gaps. So I looked for an opportunity to get a gap and hoped I could make it stick. I remember coming into the last time through the bowl, Shane from team WORS saw us coming and yelled out “what a battle!” That it was.

I let Nate go in front and pull for a while getting geared up for a final effort. Coming into the big hill on that last lap there was a huge group of riders. There was really only one line so I knew that if I could get the jump he couldn’t respond as well. I gave it the brap brap. He held my wheel on the climb but when it leveled off, I kept it on and that’s where the gap opened up to about 10 seconds coming into the technical section on the back side. From there I went full gas, putting as much power as I could down on the flats and open sections and getting a fast paced rhythm going in the single track. I came into the finish area in disbelief.

I am still in disbelief.

Last year I was riding well, but I think I won in commanding fashion in Iola. What was the difference? Certainly I'm in great form from the early season training. But that not the only thing thats different. Same team, new kits, and a big one, a new bike. Trek and Emery's have set me up on a sick new whip. A Trek Superfly FS. I went from a 26" hardtail to a 29" full suspension and I went from chasing to leading. If that's not proof the difference a fast bike can make, i don't know what will. the big wheels roll fast over everything and the geometery is dialed in to make it light and agile in the corners. I'll have more on the bike soon, but in short, it's fun. Its fun because it's fast. And when you're having fun, you can put down those extra watts that put you across the line first. But it's not all bike. I've put in some serious training these last 4 or 5 weeks and I'm starting to come into some serious form. I've got more speed to pull out, but I felt strong the entire race. I also had some puzzled faces ask me how I can do 5 pre-ride laps? Mikes Mix and Clif. I keep well fueled during and get what I need after. If I can recover faster I can train and practice more. 

I also had some of my athletes have some success this weekend. Caleb Swartz finished third in his Sport race. Then I had two athletes out in La Crosse. Chris Besaw took the Cat 4 men’s omnium by winning the TT and the RR. And Maya Holzman took 5^th in the Womens cat 4 omnium with top finishes in the TT, Crit, and the RR. Fun to see them doing well! If you’re looking to get faster and start taking a personalized, organized approach to your training, check out my coaching service!