Flying solo for Mike's Bikes against a stacked field of Cal Giant and Specialized, then add to it 39 laps and a hill and I will honestly say I was a little intimidated.
The "plan" was to be near the front and wait a dozen laps or so before attempting to get into a move. Low and behold that plan did not work as before I knew it there was a breakaway with fifteen or more seconds. How did I not see them go? Anyway, they were up there, and I was back here and Cal Giant was definitely not letting anyone bridge. I tried to sneak away around the hairpin and up the climb but all moves by anyone were pegged by a Cal Giant racer. A little frustrated I waited for the bunch sprint, the break was gone for good. On the bell lap I was in the first handful of racers going into the hairpin. World Champion Larry Nolan took a big pull coming out of it and through the soft chicanes toward the hill. Steve Reaney took off on the hill, everyone followed, I jostled then started sprinting. Halfway through my sprint I thought: wow these Reynolds Forty Six wheels are fast! They just kept spinning faster and faster (it was my first time using carbon wheels). I kept sprinting, got held up by a fading racer, but slide by a few more. Kept sprinting. Managed to hold everyone but the breakaway of four and the National Elite Criterium Champ, Steve Reaney. 6th Place.
-Rainier
