Wisport Worlds Road Race
This was my last road race of the year and I looked forward to the challenge being so late in the year. This race is sponsored and put on by the Brones Bike Shop.
The temperature was rising near the start time of 1pm. It was later in the day due to the Time Trial that took place earlier in the morning. Many of the guys in the road race also raced the TT. As I quietly shadowed to the start line, Tristan looked over to me and said, 'well, looks like another group ride.' What he meant was that the Brones team had about a third of the field. The A race had about 20 guys total. Brones had 7, Spring Street had 5 or 6 and Synergy had 1.
A nice surprise to show at the race was Mike Johnson. He is a long time Spring Street dude who is one of the nicest guys to get to know. He was coming off a ironman(Madison) 2 weeks ago, that he had been training for for at least a year. A hardcore endurance type of guy.
So Mike Johnson makes the first move at about mile .5 This was typical Mike. Then James Moore(Brones) joins him. I jump a few seconds later as does Mark Brone. This was the first group to form and get rolling. Mark, Mike, Jim and me. The four of us rotated together for about 2/3rds of the first lap. We made it up the 'big climb' together and down the hill to the flatter part when Lance Niles(Brones) and Tristan Bentzler(Spring Street) bridged up. So now, our group was 3 Brones, 2 Spring Street and myself(Synergy). Those teams also had fellow racers back in the main pack.
Up the second big climb, Lance gets a big gap. I tried to hang on to be with him at the top. I couldn't hang, so he was off the front at the top of the hill and I fell back to the group to reform with them. So now, me, Mike Johnson and Tristan had to chase down Lance while James and Mark could sit in. This was the decisive move. (oh and another dude bridged up to us at some point, the WI TT champ ?) So, now I'm a little tired form helping to chase down Lance. James Moore takes a flyer. I think Mike Johnson follows and they are off for the rest of lap 2 and into half of lap 3. Lance and Tristan were in a two man group from the top of the third climb chasing them down. They eventually caught James and Mike. So, now, the lead group of 4 about 30 seconds to a minute in front of us. At some point with a few miles left in the race I had to fall back from the 2 guys I was with(Mark and the TT dude) The TT dude drops Mark eventually.
The ending of the race was nearing. Mark drops back to me, we talk about random stuff, and we TT a bit to the finish. He let me finish 6th. I was dead.
A fun race with a killer hill. Always a good one. RESULTS
I think i might try a cross race soon.
If your looking for an awesome road ride. Try riding Highway 60 from Zumbrota (off of Hwy52) heading east to Waubasha. A 25 mile roller with some big hills. Low traffic, good shoulder, scenic and towns on both ends for refueling.
Saw Michael Franti later that night at the Northrup.
Got in another good solo ride sunday around lake Minnetonka.
No interest until 2025,
Goldman Sachs
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