It couldn't have been a better day of bike racing in Northern California: 80's and light winds all day! I got off work (Jamba Juice) at 1pm and quickly got home, packed everything up, picked up my girlfriend and we were off to the races! We got there and it was hotter than expected but I was anticipating this race and kept thinking about it all morning at work. Before I knew it, it was game time and the whistle blew. Eric Riggs and Travis Lyons were also here representing Team Mike's bikes and our game plan was to save it for the sprint because it almost always comes down to a field sprint here. We did just that, but it wasn't easy at all: there were non-stop attacks and the average speed was about 29 mph! A small breakaway did get away, but we reeled it back in in the closing laps. All three of us got organized and Travis got Eric and I into position for the last two laps as we sat between 5-10 guys back, just waiting to pounce in the last kilometer of the race. At 700 meters I yelled at Eric to go and he went off like a rocket. I kept encouraging him in these desperate moment and told him up once again and he even got out of the saddle! This guy has some raw power! I took off at 200 meters and held it off by a bike length! Chuck Hutchenson (Marc-Pro Strava) and Austin Carroll (Full Circle Cycling powered by Pure Gear) were creeping up beside me but the finish line came soon enough so that I can put my hands up and give Team Mike's bikes another "W" for 2012!
Thank you to all of the sponsors for everything that you do to make this team rise this year!
--James LaBerge
