Oh, Superweek... a wicked mistress indeed. Every July a hundred or so young men leave their homes to head to America's heartland for a shot at glory and a few pennies. This year it seems that fewer fellows bothered to come out, but it hasn't made the going much easier.
Just over a week ago the doc gave me clearance to go out and give it a whirl for as much as I was up for, and we started the ICC festivities last Friday in Beverly. Everything went pretty well as our mohawk-sporting Sugar Glydar, Alex, and two of our not-so-clandestine combine all made it into a break of 16 that went on to lap the field. However, as they came around the back with 20 to go the Glydar (whom I also coach) asked me to pull out because his knees were killing him. It turns out the made a significant cleat adjustment just days before the start of the series and it was coming back to haunt him. I urged him to stay in and finish because for a rider in his first ever Superweek race to make the winning move boded very well for the races ahead. However, we should have known better as the Glyder is now on an indefinite period of rest while he makes sure he's 100% better before he gets out there again.
We miss you, Glydar, and there is a good chance I'm going to accept the burden of sporting the mowhawk until you return -- because frankly, it doesn't seem like any self-respecting squad at Superweek can be there without at least one team-member with an outrageous hairdo.
My own race at Beverly was pretty solid considering it was my first race since April 22nd and only my 4th race all year. I was able to help the guys maneuver around and lead Josh out for $100 prime. A huge thanks to the Oehmen family for letting us use their home as "base" for the Beverly race and then cooking up huge quantities of tasty post-race food.
After Beverly I skipped the Blue Island event on Saturday, where Carter placed a respectable 12th, and decided last minute to jump in with the crew at Bensenville. I'm really glad I did because if I'd been on the sidelines for Josh's victory I would have been kicking myself. While he was off the front I even went for four primes... only to get 2nd or 3rd in every one of them. Finally I learned my lesson and for a $70 prime I had Schroetlin lead me out... and then let the gap open up to him in the turns so that he was able to ride away and win it. If you can't beat 'em, have your teammate do it, right?
Carter's victory at Bensenville was a huge first for the ABD team too. We'd taken the points jersey twice and Pipp, Dierking and Mumford had all made the podium over the last 5 years, but we'd never been able to score that elusive win. Bravo, Josh.
After Bensenville we had three road races on the docket that didn't leave too much to write home about. Brett was the only ABD rider at Alpine Valley and finished a respectable 22nd; at Whitnall Park we had a guy in every major move except the one that stuck- curses; the MGA Proving Grounds race had about 1000% humidity and turned into a death march, but one of the aformentioned not-quite-teammates pulled off a great ride to make the break and finish 5th.
Thursday was a night off for everyone and then last night Carter, the two not-quite-teammates and myself lined up for the inaugural Green Lake Criterium. A tight course with a little hill made for a fast and brutal race that didn't even have any primes - but only about 40 guys actually finished. Green Lake is only about 40 minutes from my birth-land of Wautoma, WI, and I'd actually headed up to hang out at my Dad's right after Wednesday's race. He, my grandparents and aunt were all able to come out and watch the race, which was awesome, but unfortunately I wasn't able to put on too much of a show. About 40 minutes into the race my back really started to hurt and spots on my left leg were even going a bit numb. It's the same pain I've dealt with for years and the reason I spent three months in the winter on the physical therapy table and not-so-much on the bike, but it appears the 6 weeks of "off-time" with the hernia didn't help the situation too much - double curses.
So now it's time to head back to the suburbs for the ABD Tour de France party (always a good time) and then some stretching and strengthening for a few days before jumping back into the final week of Superweek.
Next up: More on Wautoma and the return to the Motherland.
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