This race has been going on for over 25 years in the Italian district of St. Louis. It is a rectangle course up and down a gradual hill. Today was a little weird because the wind was against the field going up the hill and tailwind down the hill. I knew that would make the race different. And it was. It started fast. Aggressive. Early in the race, I was JRA, just riding around, and I ended flipping over the bars because my bicycle stopped when it hit my team mate who was laying on the ground. I have it all on HD video. Obviously, I haven’t had a chance to download it yet, since we only finished racing an hour ago.

Anyway, the race was good today. We can nearly skip to the end, since the break went away after about 1/2 the race and never got caught. The guy that won yesterday, Jonathan Jacobs, won again. He must have the form of his life or maybe I’ve just never ran into the guy. He was pulling 2/3 of a lap with Rob Bush, Kenda, just pulling 1/3 of a lap. And we, the field wasn’t going slow. Au contraire. We were moving along pretty good. I was a bit tweaked from falling. Mainly my wrist, shoulder and ribs, of course. But, that didn’t really slow me down too much.

The last few laps were interesting. At least to me. The break was coming back. Guys were launching off the front. Eventually a small group of maybe 5 got up the road. Brad Huff and a few others. Brian jumped out of the field and bridged to them. And then nearly instantly attacked them again with 1 1/2 laps to go. I think Brad put his head down and chased Brian, but I wasn’t really watching the happening up there. I was kind of too far back, maybe 20 in the field. It was going pretty good up the hill the last lap. I jumped around the right and was “bridging” up to the small group that had caught. I slotting into 3rd position behind Chad Cagle and Brad Huff coming out of the last corner. 500 meters downhill with a 15 mph tailwind. Not close to my forte’. Anyway, I was just planning on staying on Chad, but guys started coming around me, so I made a feeble attempt to go around Chad, but slotted back behind him again. I was 5 or 7th or something in the sprint. So, maybe around 9th, probably on the day. I’m kind of racked from falling again. No skin loss, but racked, none the less. Business as usual it seems.

Tommorow is the final day. A new long course in downtown St. Louis. I don’t think I’m gaining any fitness from this yet. Not really sure why. I’ve been riding an hour in the morning and then racing 40 + miles later. I was never really hurt today, but never felt stellar. Okay, ’til then.