I’m finally getting around to posting about last Sunday. Well, maybe not last Sunday only, but some. I am a little in shell-shock from the whole thing. I knew going in that I was not anywhere close to in shape for cyclo-cross. But, that being said, I didn’t think I was that horrible.

The starts in these races are critical. And starting close to 50 guys back doesn’t help much. But I never got going any faster than the guys around me. I wasn’t necessarily being that lazy, I just wasn’t or couldn’t go any faster than my groups. And my groups were going a lot slower than the leaders.

I’ve never liked sand much. Especially sand in the United States. Our sand isn’t the same as Belgian sand. Our sand is much bigger and doesn’t hold a line nearly as well. But in Louisville, the sand held a pretty good line. I just sucked at it. It always caused me issues. It doesn’t help not to have a lot of power going into it, but you need to finesse your bike through the sand, not fight it. I was fighting it.

I didn’t get that sore from all the dismounts and short runs like I thought I would. That is an upside I guess.

Both the elite men’s and women’s races were exciting up front. Katie Compton kept it interesting in the front for the women field and the finish of the men’s race was super tight. Ryan Trebon had it in the bag, but clipped a pedal on the last off-camber climb and slid out. He was still in the lead at the top, but Jeremy Powers got by him and he kind of just melted, letting Ben Berden and Danny Summerhill ride by. I’ve never lost a race that close to the finish, but can imagine that it must have been super frustrating for Ryan.

I am in better shape than finishing 35th at Louisville. I just didn’t show it. I’m not sure I can show it right now, but you never know. I have to decide, like in the next 24 hours, whether I want to go to Iowa City and do Jingle Cross. I’m teetering pretty good on it. It costs close to $500 by the time you add in fuel, entry, hotels, etc. I’m not sure that is a well use of money. We’ll see.

It was great staying with my friends, Stacie and Karl, for the weekend. It is so convenient. Sunday night, Stacie invited a bunch of people over and Katie Compton and her husband Mark came too. I’ve never had a chance to talk much with either of them, so it was pretty fun. It is funny seeing people all the time and never having the opportunity to meet them properly. Both were super nice and very interesting. I enjoyed the evening immensely.

I’ve felt a little under the weather the last couple days. It doesn’t help that I drove back into winter for the first time. I rode my MTB bike yesterday for just a little over an hour and it was in the mid 20’s. Riding home later, after meeting the local guys for a beer, it was in the upper teens. I’m not ready for winter yet. It is supposed to warm up some today, so that will be better.

I was always off balance in the long sand section.

I kind of like this step through photo that Rich Wachtel took on Saturday.

The men’s races weren’t until 4 pm, so the shadows got long early in the race.

Katie Compton won both days handily.

And after the races on Sunday night, she had no problem drinking lots of good wine.

I was reading an article that said Chris Froome, current Tour de France champion, said that he wants to hear what Lance has to say about Lance’s history. Chris says it would “put the story to bed”.

I started thinking about it again and decided that if the price that “we” have to pay to hear the complete, unedited, story of the history of Lance and his cronies, is that his ban is suspended and he can compete again, then I think that it is a fair deal. Letting one guy compete to get the knowledge he holds seems like a very good trade.

I’m not for “putting the story to bed”. I think it will show the magnitude of the past and current problems we face, thus help speed up the process of ridding the sport of the problem.

I know this sounds like a complete turnaround of what most would think that I would say. But I think the knowledge, and getting the knowledge in a timely manner, like now, is important enough to make an exception to my normal, harsh, personal opinion.

If Travis Tygart thinks Floyd helped him learn about the procedures the cyclist use to dope, then Lance would be a score. Lance is a pretty smart guy. At least smart enough to shed an enormous amount of light on the current practices of doping in cycling. I wonder if we would ever hear the whole truth if this happened?

If Lance did this real soon, we wouldn’t have suffer through the upcoming Johan Bruyneel hearing. That would be a big plus. It’s scheduled for next month, but I’m sure it will put off again.

Lance would have to come completely clean. Name names, contacts, processes, everything. He answers all questions. Lance doesn’t seem like the type that would completely turn over and do this, so I think this all is just a pie-in-the-sky idea.

But, if Lance really wants to compete as badly as it seems he does, then maybe it would work. I think they should make him the offer and see how it plays out.

“And Ye Shall Know the Truth and the Truth Shall Make You Free”