Rosewood Road Series 1 - Final Race

Rosewood Road Series – Final Race of Series 1

Getting turned inside out!
That is how I described how I felt after the last race. It is by far the most work I have had to do in all the races, as attacks came over and over. Now I rewind and set it up for you. There is a Tuesday night Crit at Brian Piccolo Park and before I did the race Abdel asked me to give up one of the classifications in. He stated that their Team plan to get me out of the points in the overall worked by attacking me a lot for the sprints. He asked me to give him the Green Jersey and he would bow out of the Yellow Jersey chase. We do the race, and it’s just homework for me. This race has Cat 1-6 , as riders can get dropped 5 times and jump back in. I finish about 10th, but I don’t really go for the sprint. I just wanted to get a high intensity workout before the race this weekend. After the race he asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to think about it. Truth is, I didn’t want him to know what I wanted to do until I was on the line. If I told him now, he would let all his teammates know. When I did a cool down ride with Bob, he was me what I wanted to do, and I told him, “ Man, I’m going for both”. I have been the strongest guy in the series, and I’m going to finish that way.

Jump to the start-line, and I’ve had a great warm up and ready walk away with 2 both classifications. I told Abdel that I have worked hard every race, and it’s not fair to my effort to give away a classification. I said, “You are going to have to win it”.

Leaving Abdel and his team in the dark turned about my intentions only made them come up with there own strategy. Once we are off I see C. Wright take off and put in a hard effort once we make the first turn. He has a gap and he has 5 riders with him. Now, he has never done this. I quickly realize that Abdel, nor anyone else is going to try to bring this back, so it’s up to me. I put my head down and for the next 40sec I get my heartrate to over 180bpm to bring it back. As soon as we bridge, Raul and Adbel go off the front. Shit! These guys must have had an agreement, because Chris never rides on the front to make a break stick, nor does Abdel make an attack so hard. They were trying to get away. So I do the same effort again because my heartrate hasn’t dropped yet, and I bring them back in 30secs. Once I bring the group up to them, Chris and Mike Bush attack again. This time I was ready and just stayed on their wheels, which just turned into a surge once they realized they didn’t catch me off guard. The pace stays high and I stay near the front, so none of my suspects can get a jump on me. All of this happened in the first 11mins.

At the 13min mark Raul and Abdel launch an attack and we all breakaway from the group and they are waiting for me to pull through. I just stay on Abdel’s wheel. They slow back down and the group comes back. The next lap Carlos rings the bell and say’s “ Points!” The pace stays high and I continue to say near the front. Sun Cycles has 5 guys working for them and they set up a beautiful train with Abdel at the end of it. I’m right behind him, and they launch the sprint I aim to just stay on him wheel. Once guys comes around Abdel to take the 1st, Abdel take second, and I’m 3rd. Now I have 14points and he has 10pt. Green Jersey in the bank. The most Abdel can get if he wins the next sprint is 3 pts, so I relax.

Then I start looking for the CSC uniform which is C. Wright. The series is between he and I, and I have to be honest I saying I’m more concerned with protecting the jersey than trying to beat him outright. I have burnt my entire matchbox in the first 20mins. I have no interest in the second sprint so it comes and goes and I’m safely in the group with a low heartrate.

After that sprint, Dennis and Blaine of Bike American has made a very successful looking break, and I’m actually happy. Now, we will see who is willing to work. I just have to shadow Chris. More than 5 minutes go by, and the more the break stays away the more inspired I get. Then a move is made as Chris and Mike Bush make a jump for it. I jump on their train and ride it out until they pull through. Chris says, “We have to catch the break”. I say, “ I have done my work for today”. He look as me and he then knows I have no interest. See, if they break stays away, they will get 7&6pts, which leaves the rest of us with 5,4, and 3 pts to get. That is not good for Chris, because he wants more points in the mix so he can get ahead of me. So, he is working to bring it back and I’m watching. I’m almost enjoying his hard effort because that is gonna zap his legs. Plus, the final laps are close now. So, as I’m recovering, he is burning some matches that he need for the final Sprint. Bravo!


Dennis and Blaine trying to stay away!


Just before 3 laps to go, the group catches the 2-man break, and everyone sits up to rest. With 2 laps to go, it does get ramped back up. At this point I’m yelling out, “ That’s my wheel”, “That’s my wheel”, because I don’t want anyone to get in between us that does not know what is unfolding. I actually have to say 1st and 2nd place in the series, let us dance.

With 1 lap to go, I have no other agenda but to ride it in right behind Chris. I know if I do that, then the series is mine. He keeps looking behind me like I’m going to make a move, and I’m just cold chilling. Around the last turn, it is lined up and single file. I’m in about 10th place just behind Chris, and once things get going I’m smiling because I know I have to series, and I stay right on Chris’s wheel. Before the finish line I raise my hand, because all the smart and lucky racing has paid off. I withstood all the attacks from all the major players in the Final race of the series. I finish 3rd right behind Chris, and I 5 pts with a total of 27pts, and Chris get 6pts for a total of 24pt. After the race Abdel says, “You were the strongest guy in the Series, Congrats Bro”.






I do feel a lot of pride to have won both classifications, because no one in the history of this Series in 7 years had done it. I didn’t win a classic sprint finish, so I’m going to come back and do this series with different goals. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy this performance.

Pacer Out!