NVGP Stage 6

The Real Queen Stage.

After hearing so much about this race, I was half nervous and half anxious.  It was hot and sunny by the time we arrived in Stillwater, and already the town was full of spectators walking the streets and lined up on "The Hill" for the amateur and women's races.  Our start time was 1:30, just as the sun was at full strength.  I forwent the trainer for warm-up since it was too hot, but instead got some laps in on the course.  After the previous 2 days of not getting good starting positions due to everyone lining up 30 mintues before race time, I made sure I had a good spot today.  After a good warmup I lined up in some shade near the front.  Well it was the front for just a little while since thay called up the top 25 in GC and plus abuot 25 more people, but oh well it was only fair for them.  The start was at the base of the climb, which we would be doing 20 times, or in my case 14.  I really wanted to finish this race, but ater the 10th time up the 18% grade my legs were fried.  The crowd was awesome though, and I even got a much needed push from a spectator when I got cut off by another rider and almost came to a stop on the hill.  I was just focusing on keeping good rhytm on the ups, and not getting passed on the downhill.  Eventually though I couldn't keep it going and got dropped on the hardest part of any climb, the section immediatley after it is over.  I chased for 4 laps before being pulled, and my day was over.  It was hotter than I thought because I went through 2 bottles of water real fast, and I didn't even last the whole race.  I got to watch a great final 5 laps though with Rory Sutherland just crushing the field with 2 laps to go, leaving Tom Zirbel behind and bridging a 20 second gap to the break in less than half a lap.  He would go on to win by 10 seconds, erasing Zirbels 7sec lead and stealing the yellow on the last day by 3 seconds on the last lap and the last climb of Nature Valley.  It was a a pretty amazing finale to the week.  Props to Colt for finishing and also Jim Camut for bridinging up to the break with Landis!

I was a bit dissapointed that I didn't reach the finish line with the main peloton in the any of the crits, but then again I did finish the week, and safely at that.  I gained a ton of fitness and am looking forward to next 3 months of racing.

Also a big thanks to my mom for coming out for a couple days to help feed in the the RR's and our host family the Gorences for the house to stay in and the great food!  Hopefully we will be back next year!