sorry about the lack of updates guys. Still on the road and I don't have a real computer with me. Check back in a couple of days

paris, netherlands, belgium

Sorry about the lack of updates. I've been surfing around the nothern part of europe for a while now. Few days in Paris with Spracky and Emily, who are on vacation right now, followed by the three of us making the trip up to the netherlands to visit Tejay. It's been heaps of fun with way too much laughing.

Off to Belgium tomorrow morning, to go race GP Tell in Switzerland with the national team. Feeling strong. Little stiff after breaking a chain while doing sprints yesterday and flipping ass over tea kettel at 30mph but, feeling strong.

bed time,
alex

2nd

Got second today. It was cool. Took off with 4 other dudes on a really hard circuit and never looked back. The circuit was pretty straight forward: hard steep climb, short flat section, another hard steep climb, technical decent. Kinda like the old Andy Finch course except w/ a knarly descent. Figured the race would be won by a small group, guess I was right. Last time up the more difficult of the 2 climbs one of the riders maxed it and got a gap. Me and the other remaining rider didn't do a very good job at that whole cooperation bit (should have paid more attention to Sesame Street...) and never closed the gap. I attacked on the final climb and got w/ in 4 seconds of the leader but ran out of real estate. Had the legs to win. Oh well. Still pretty cool to be up there on a really tough day in the heat. Don't believe me that it was hard? The main "peleton" was about 14 guys by the end. No wonder we stayed away...

Drinking a beer and packing for Paris,
alex

Just Thought I'd Ask

Does anyone out there know of any cool stage races in October? Preferably one where I don’t have to miss Halloween…

I'm looking to really earn my off season this year.

Well, well

Well, well, well, where to start.... I guess it's been a few days since my last post. Sorry about that. I know how me being the center of the universe and all, everyone lives and breaths through my recolections of my mundane existance. Kidding of course. Any ways the past week or so has been plenty of fun. It started with the end of Tour d'Alsase. Great race. I have nothing but good things to say about that race (asside from some of the rediculous cobbles circuts w/ countless speed bumps traffic islands and narrow tunnels...). The organization was awsome and the crowds and start/finish towns were great hosts. In a truly professional style layout, the final day was increadibly hard. Here's part of the post that I typed up on the drive home but neglected to post:

"Well I'm spent! That last stage was a real doozy. I'm not really sure how long it was, how much climbing there was, or how many killijoules I'd did but it was a rediculous amount on all accounts. The day started with a 3 mile climb right off the bat. I survived. Decent. 6 mile climb straight after? Not really sure. My brain turned to mush sometime after the 20km mark. Long story short, I spent all day in the cars leap frogging groups and ended up somewhere in the top 30. It was one of those long days with out a seconds rest. The entire day was spent doing one of 5 things: bleeding from the eyeballs on some climb, playing caravan roullet (I'm getting WAY too good at this game. Bouncing off of bumpers, smacking tail lights, and skimming off the sides of cars (the right side of my body seems to be oddly attracted to the left side of the Ag2r car) are all bad habbits I'm trying to quit), staring in disbelieve at the five separate groups echeloned accross the road, catching and attacking said echelons, and my favorite.... Screaming at those unwilling to work, in what ever language comes to mind."

So yeah, it was tough. But I finished. Which is more than half my team can say... including the 2 leaders we'd all been working for. Bummer. Good thing is my legs are really starting to come around and the power is really starting to shoot up there. Although there is one small problem: No races. Correction: no races for me. Right now the only races the team is doing are in Italy. Only 4 riders plus 2 potential riders for next year went. So if you're not one of the six, you're training. I was scheduled to do a small criterium today but I have a funny feeling that the person who was supposed to pick me up has made other plans that don't include swinging by the apartment. To put it frankly, it's bull shit and I'm about ready to hop on a train and race kermeses in Belgium.

Ok, not Belgium. I'm off to the Netherlands on the 11th to go visit my good buddy Tejay who's been having a killer season this year. Should be fun especially because my other best bud Ryan and is Girly Emily will be up there as well. Should be buckets of fun.

I hope it's fun because Ryan and Emily could sure use some fun. They swung by Marseille a couple of days back during their France trip and I met up w/ them in the train station. There they were walking towards me, 2 people 1 back pack. Someone didn't sut the bus luggage door correctly and now $3000 worth of climbing equipment and travel stuff has found it's self a new home away from Ryan's back. Major bummer and insurance sucks but, it's hard to get that kid in a bad mood. Good to have a friend like that.

Trying to find a train to some BS race,

alex

Back

I'm back. Felt great today. I'm not going to go into details because it's almost 9pm (apparently going to bed before 9pm gives you magical powers...) but I was fast. Real fast. Like, "when do we hit the hill?" "we just went over the hill why do you think the group is down to 30 guys?" "oh that's cool" type of fast. I think today was also the first time I was bummed out because I had such a good team. Took off on a climb bridged 30 seconds of a 45 second gap on the winning move and had the momentum to go all the way when I was told to sit up because I was dragging one of the GC guys with me and we already had 2 guys in the lead group. Bummer. I'll be sure to leave that guy behind tomorrow.

Going to bed early in hopes of gaining magical powers,
alex