USGP Planet (Awesome!) Bike Cup

Whew! What a weekend! The traveling circus rallied in Sun Prairie for the first leg of the USGP and I'll give you, dear reader, a brief race report of my butt crack early 4's race that went off Sat. and Sun. at 8AM.

Saturday: I was slated for a 2nd row start, but the fellas in the first row left the perfect lane open on the inside of the course. Thank you very much I said, as I took the HOLESHOT! Ooowwwwww! That was a goal of mine last season that never really materialized, but the nonetheless, I can put that one in my pocket.

Went down on a little off camber section after the double barriers as I was wanting to really pin it, but things were a little too slick from the morning dew for the super-fast high and tight line. Lost one slot.

Working hard ripping the corners, I couldn't get my legs to come around on the power sections and was passed by a peep, who I've done serious battle with last season. Next lap and a half-ish was spent closing the gap on 1st and 2nd wheels. Made the bridge and heard another guy coming up on our group. I was absolutely gassed, but I knew I couldn't sit on  to recover long before the 4th guy was going to make his move. Took about 6-7 seconds worth of deep breaths and attacked a power section that leads into a hairpin turn with a quick left to exit onto the pavement to work into the back section of the course. Biff. Over cooked it, went wide and my effort was wasted. The group flew by with a counter attack. See ya. I'm done.

Kept churning the pedals in for 4th. Fought a good battle and I was down right excite with that.

Sunday: Temps a little bit warmer at today's start, but the ground a little bit tackier with the light rain overnight. An okay start from the second row, I made up the 20 or so places I was back just after the start of lap 2. Up to 3rd place in 2.5ish laps and working on 2nd. Closing the gap to about 30m on several occasions in the power sections (really me?!? I ain't go no muscle!!), I could taste it.

Working for the podium with 1 to go, I could feel 4th place nipping at my heels. Deep breaths, thinking smooth is fast, I weave through the "snake pit" and work past the pits to the 180 followed by a left right chicane. NO!! NO!! NO!!!!!!!! With a now light rain coming down, my rear wheel slipped a bit causing me to lean hard and hold up a hot second on putting the gas back on in the power section. Boom. 4th place dude makes the pass. Shift up two gear, in the drops and crushing the pedals to close the gap, I can do it! No!! Yes, I can!! No, no I can't as he putting a couple seconds on me leading into the off camber uphill before the run up. Heart break is setting in as I schlep my yellow Mavic shoes up the run up. Roll in, head hanging, feeling crushed.

4th. Two days in a row. Not a bad result, but tasting the podium and then having it slip away is hard.

But wait. I'M NOT DONE YET!!! #CANTSTOPWONTSTOP I'm gonna to get ya Saturday and my stomach is full of anger!!!