On any Sunday

It may not have been a hot sunny afternoon in Eastern Melbourne, Australia but it was a good day for racing indoors in Burnaby as it was pouring rain. The last time I did any racing against another rider and not the clock was just into the month of March, so needless to say I expected my race sense to be a bit shall we say "dull". I don't often get to match sprint due to my focus on the longer sprint events but when I do I seize the oppertunity to see how Im doing and have fun.

The track's condition at the Harry Jarome Sports Center is all over the map. Some days its far too cold to ride, somedays its hot and damp. A few times a year its hot and dry and really quick for the age of the boards. Some afternoons the track rolls effortlessly and some like its covered in carpet. Sunday, well....It was like racing accross thick shag rug. The 200m Qualifying times reflected the temperature on Sunday morning.

In the 1/4 finals I followed my usual method of keep it simple and win by enough. Every time I race I end up being able to reflect on how the rides went and learn a great deal from an afternoon of compitition. Even its all small subtle things, or just learning more about yourself it all adds up. I passed thru the quarters without much sweat and was able to get set for the heat I had been waiting 6 months to ride.

In the Semi Final I was lined up against Zak Kolavcik of Portland. The last time we met was at a November race in a Final ride where I was relegated for a slight bending of the rules but ultimatly had to forfeit the ride after discovering I had a broken bike. Its not the nicest way to win, and is a shitty way to loose. This ride was almost a carbon copy of that ride. Zak is an endurance track rider who packs a hell of a punch when its time to go. Not someone to take lighltly. With a rider like that you cant try and run the speed up on them because they will just laugh, the art is keeping them slow and winning it on acceleration. IE a Drag race. I basicly gambled that when it all came together at 125m to go If I jumped hard enough to hold him on my hip going into the turns and then accelerated to max I would pull away from him. It payed off.

In the Final I was paired to Phillip Elbaz of the US National squad. I knew I'd have to be on my toes in this ride as watching him in his heats noticed he was no slouch and took to the track quickly. In the first ride I stayed on the same gear I had been on all day thus far and drew pole position. I led it out at a fairly pedestrian pace more or less controling and keeping him from gaining height or speed. In the end it came down to a hard second acceleration to keep him from passing my hip. After this ride I realized he was on a bigger gear than I was.

For the second ride I changed the gear up a bit to somthing with a bit more meat on it. I knew Id be racing in second position. Loosing and having to go to a third ride is not what Im all about either. After changing my gears I watched Phil do the same. I made no secret about changing mine, neither did he. When he took his position on the track I got my spot as high as possible and gave my self two ideas to go with. Both included a shove off the line and getting ahead of him quickly. With his second acceleration that he had in the first ride I didnt want to risk getting hung up trying to pass.

When the whistle blew I snaped the gear like it was a standing start effort and charged hard and ahead of Phil. I eased off coming out of turn two for a split second to see where he was at and saw him putting everything he had into trying to catch me on what I realized now was a bigger gear again. Quick decision: Go for it! I jumped again and quickly settled into a Kilo riders pace untill around 250 meters to go where I risked it and went full tilt. Towards the end I was starting to fade off and knew Phil would have his gear rolling by then and was hunting for the line more than ever. At the line I was convincingly ahead.

Match sprint win #2 for the year! I won probably the most creative prize I've ever had. A giant bottle of maple syrup, complete with ribbon to wear around my neck. You can bet when I'm done with it Its going on the trophy wall!

The next thing on the go, aside from from putting some time into my VeeDub, will be the Alpenrose Challenge in Portland Or. I will be in higher form that last year since our own nationals is earlier this year. Last year I won the 1000m time trial, this year Im looking to do the same and take the tracks record set by Per Bjese in 2009.

Ta-rah