Historic Wake Forest Criterium and Training Race

This past Sunday I raced in the mens cat 5 criterium in Wake Forest. My plan was to race this race and then the junior 10-14 race but things did not work out like I planned. The cat 5 race went well. I am just lacking the ability to stay with the leaders when the pace gets to around 28-30 miles an hour. I felt pretty good on the first short hill but then making the turn onto the finish straight I could not keep on the wheels in front of me. It was a 20 minute race on a hard course in the rain and it took a lot out of me. About the time the junior race was getting ready to start it was pouring and getting pretty cold. Since I was tired I decided to call it a day and not race. I’m glad I did!! I have not seen it rain so hard with such strong wind!! It was like a hurricane.

On Tuesday I raced the cat 4/5 race that I have been doing for speed work. It was a fast race!! I did not really improve from the last time I rode it, and the same thing happens every time. When the pace gets up to 30 miles an hour I can not hold the wheel for very long. I was in the race for the last 15 minutes and the average pace during that time was 25 miles an hour, but there were no big attacks and the pace did not go up higher than 26 miles an hour. I did work my way around in the pack of about 30 riders and feel pretty good in the action. It is really fun to be in the pack going at a fast speed.

For training I am going to have to work on my high speed ability. That and getting more power! I am racing this weekend at the NC State Criterium championships and then I am taking a couple of weeks off to focus on training. My dad and I have a good hill to work on my power and I think I will hate that hill after a while!!

Our friend Kenny van Hummel is on a hot streak. He now has 5 total wins for the season. He has won his last 3 races in a row!! Kenny is really fast in a bunch sprint. His next race is the Tour of Belgium later this month. It is now almost certain that Kenny will be the sprinter for Skil Shimano in the Tour de France this year!!