Chris Winn: Ramblings From The Road

pedal.write.pedal.write.pedal.



05 April 2009

Ticket To Ride!


It sure is an amazing feeling when short term goals are achieved. Goals that are within your reach, but still take an amazing amount of hard work to get the job done. So the past weekend gone, super girlfriend Kat, team-mate Tucker and I made the commitment to drive the 13hrs to St Louis for the Hillsboro-Roubaix road race. Long way to go for a bunch of Coloradans for a weekend suffer-fest, but the goal was this. The race was the second qualifier event for the Nature Valley Pro Ride, a chance for amateurs to get the complete pro package treatment in a composite team for the Nature Valley Stage Race in June. Be the first eligible amateur over the line at one of the 6 qualifying races and you get in. Hillsboro was the closest for us, and was a "Roubaix" styled race with 4 laps of a 22mile flat, hell windy and narrow road circuit...and some brick-paved streets for good measure. Add 120 hungry riders in the Pro/1/2 field you got a fun day out.


It was pretty clear that riding at the front ALL the time was the thing to do, with such narrow roads and nasty cross winds that's what I battled to do for the first couple of laps, and following a few unsuccessful breakaway attempts. Being such a flat course and packing a fair bit of scrawn I knew it would be highly unlikely for me to win in a sprint finish, so a breakaway was my best chance. Just before we started the final lap I followed a Kenda rider off the front, swapping off turns hard till we bridged to the current dwindling breakaway of 5. This was my chance and we instantly injected some life back into the break. Needless to say for me this was do or die situation and I had some words of "encouragement" to those in the break who surprisingly just sat on. I mean it's the last lap and we are up the road...why wouldn't you go for it? Feeling good and in hindsight, I was working way too hard with another 22miles to go. In a smart move, the Kenda rider attacked h-a-r-d while I was on the front doing my turn. I gave everything to try and follow but 3 of us were shelled as he took two with him. The split had been made. Coming into the finish I was running on a combination of fumes and cramps, and with the last short climbs to go, small feeble attacks became unreachable gaps. Completely drained I rolled home solo for 5th place and the last spot on the box. On any other day I would have been super stoked, but today I was looking for the big W. However there was a bigger surprise to come.




Getting cleaned up for the podium the race promoter informed me that I was confirmed the first eligible amateur rider across the line, meaning I won the spot for the Nature Valley Pro Ride Team! Needless to say I am super stoked to put in the effort and have the reward turn out. Nature Valley Grand Prix is not until June so there is plenty of time for some solid preparation, but to have my name out there on the composite pro squad is a massive plus.
http://www.velonews.com/article/88914 is some more information on the gig....
A massive shout out of thanks to Kat for the feeds and overall weekend support, making me believe that things like this are within my reach. And also to Tucker for commiting to the two man RMCEF army assault and for winning the most improved stick-shift driver of the trip...over N' Out...cw

10 comments:

Green said...

Your starting to look like a pro in these photos. Great job roy!

Anonymous said...

Great ride Chris, pro time!!!!

P&J

Kevin Mullervy said...

Nice work man!

Mak said...

nice.... another Aussie showing the world how to pedal a bike!

Daryl and Kris said...

Congrats Chris,
Nothing better than seeing weeks and months of training coming together for the results that you expect and deserve!!! Proud of you in Wisconsin!

Anonymous said...

Great ride Chris! Massive effort and result!.......Ma

green said...

Yo, call me asap, anytime of day!!!

Chris Winn said...

Thanks eveyone....appreciate it...cw

TheKillerAnt said...

far out, i remember you telling me about this goal of yours just b4 u left when we all had lunch, my biggest congrats winny, it sure as hell starts the season off the offensive hey.
Ant

TheKillerAnt said...

doh!!
'on' the offensive