Keith Berger Memorial Criterium 3/4 6.21.15
After finding an apartment the previous day and thinking about what I’ve got ahead of me, can’t say I was thinking much about anything going into this race. Wasn’t stoked about the rain but knew that was going to be the best part. I had spent a some time prepping my whip for the weather conditions days ahead so I could rest my mind going into the busy weekend. Proved pretty valuable, because chilling out was what I was trying to do after doing life stuff. Previous weekends I was doing pretty swell with some podiums but no Wells Ave! Having gone without a criterium in over a month, before KSR, I was having some withdrawls that made me really look forward to it.
The roads didn’t feel slick to me either after prepping the 25mm rim and 4 seasons with 90psi, but then again, no one was really going wild in the first few laps. The pace was decent at the start with some guys going off, but there was enough consensus in the field, it felt, to keep it together. I was one of said consensus, more than happy to hang out in back and watching fights for primes. I wish I could say more cool things but honestly, most of it was conserving energy, squinting really hard in the rain, until later.
Later came and the rain stopped. The ol’ 5 to go prime came up and it used the shake up to coast up front and plop myself in the top few. I had a sneaking suspicion that the spartan 300, I mean several GLV dudes, would be working the front for the last few to set up the finale. I think Travis Dawson started it up on the back stretch by blasting off. I was second wheel to him and staying closing that quick gap was pretty important in holding my spot. So they did take turns pulling up front and I knew I was where I was supposed to be. I couldn’t believe it though when Sean Casey took front and I was second wheel behind going into the last corners. I couldn’t believe there was no one coming up the sides but I guess it was that fast. Between the two last quick corners, I knew I was going to be clear for launch. Maxed out my gear, Sean wound up, waited just a little bit, then pedaled really fast and zoned in and it worked out for my first win on the road.
Also, was sweet to have friends and the line yelling, that shit helped set me off at the end.
After all that, I went home and watched a documentary about Jimi Hendrix. The image above is the end result of last Sunday.
