I ride for Rock Racing. Earlier in my career I rode a number of track races, and scored some results, but as I started to ride more and more road races my track cycling dropped off. Recently however, as I near the twilight of my career (I'm 29) i've had an urge to go back and start riding on the track again. I mentioned it to Michael Ball, and he immediately jumped on the idea and started to get a calendar ready for me. Well, thats Michael for you, anyway, we settled on this calendar.
Keirin Cup, Lehigh Valley Velodrome - Keirin
ISGP - Lehigh Valley Velodrome - Sprint, Elimination
Fastest Man on Wheels, Lehigh Valley Velodrome - Sprint
Independence Day Grand Prix, Colorado Springs Velodrome - Sprint, Keirin
Dan's Camera City Tandemonium - Elimination
American Velodrome Challenge, Hellyer Park Velodrome - Sprint, Keirin
Festival of Speed, Lehigh Valley Velodrome - Keirin
Air Products, Lehigh Valley Velodrome - Keirin
US Elite National Track Championships, ADT Center (If Qualify) - Sprint, Keirin, Elimination
Revolution #17 - Sprint, Keirin
Revolution #18 - Sprint, Keirin
Revolution #19 - Sprint, Keirin
Revolution #20 - Sprint, Keirin
Track World Championships (If Qualify)- Sprint, Keirin, Elimination
As you can see I'll be racing primarily at the Leigh Valley Velodrome in Pennsylvania, but I will also head to Manchester to take part in some of the Revolution races. Also, i'll try to get into the U.S. National Championships and the World Championships if I can.
Also, a new scoring system has been implemented. You get points for your overall finish in an event based on this chart:
If I have enough points in a discipline to qualify for the U.S. Nationals I will go there. And if I do well enough there I will qualify for the U.S. delegation to the worlds.
I will play this when I can, but I only have access to the game 2-3 days a week, and for a limited time. So expect this story to move slowly.
Edited by Deadpool on 29-08-2008 12:36
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
Michael was so happy about my decision to do some Track Racing that he commanded that I should make it my main season focus. So, after kicking some ass around the track in my training rides, I was all geared up for my first race of the year. In good form, I cruised into the semi-finals, where I was the only American left. Each round from the Quarter-Final's on has three races:
I was put into a group that included former Sprint World Champion Theo Bos. I didn't know he competed in the Keirin, so when I saw him I asked what he was doing here, he said that he wanted to "diversify" his racing, but he wanted to start at a lower level to get a good introduction into the event. Besides him, none of the other members of the heat were very well known:
I was nervous as the race began, but I had drawn second, which I know could be very beneficial:
With a lap and a half to go, the group had squared up into two lines of three:
As we turned the last corner before starting the last lap, I saw an opening and decided that with the pace as it was, it might just be now or never, so I jumped:
And after we turned the second to last corner I looked back and was surprised at the gap I had gotten:
Despite a hard charge by the rest of the riders, I was able to hold them off:
Needless to say I was thrilled, I had managed to win one of the first competitive races I had ridden on the track in years. Also, I was very well placed to advance to the finals.
For Race Two, I drew the third spot, after my win in Race One I was very comfortable, as all those pre-race butterflies had disappeared:
By the time the beginning of the third lap came around, the group was still rather spread out:
However things were tightening up, and as we entered the final corner I was trapped:
Luckily the Italian's moved down, and I was able to come over the top, and ended up edging out Guarnieri for 2nd:
As Race 3 began, I looked over my shoulder, it was not a pretty sight, as I had drawn the lot to lead-out the race:
As the third lap began, I was being passed on my right, but I had nowhere to go:
And that would hold to the finish, as I was blocked off and took last in the race:
However my first and second in the earlier two races was enough for me to comfortably move the the finals:
I am thrilled at what I had done, and am looking forward to the final's tomorrow. Michael called an said that he was thrilled with the result, he seemed to be bothered by the fact I had to wear a U.S. and not a Rock Racing jersey though. Well anyway nothing that he said could bring me down, I'm in a very good position and I really think I could win this.
Its final's time, the riders in the final's aren't the strongest I've ever seen, but I'm enough of a veteran to know that when the final's rolls around it doesn't matter, its going to be a tough test:
I drew the sixth spot, and so was looking at five fat asses right in my face as the race started:
The race was still in its original form as the second lap began:
But by the time the third lap started a gap had opened up on the inside and I took it to move to the front:
But as we moved into the final corner I was trapped, in a position reminiscent of Race Two of the semi-finals:
Yet again a gap opened up, and yet again I flew through it and took second:
For Race Two, I drew the third spot, which is always a good starting position:
Heading into the first turn of lap three, I was stuck behind everyone else at the bottom of the track, and I thought I was stuck:
However, a gap opened up when the German rider went to the bottom of the track, and I moved through:
And I was able to just edge him for a win, after the race I turned around and was shocked by the gap we had gotten:
And that meant that heading into Race Three of the finals, I was in the lead. With this being my first real race in years, I started to feel some butterflies:
And, as if the gods of track cycling were punishing me, I drew the lead-out:
As lap three started, the race was still status quo, but I had moved back into the fourth spot:
As we turned onto the penultimate straight, a gap opened up to the outside, and I took it:
I was fighting with Stark as we went around the final turn, if we went 1-2, then whoever won would win the overall:
It was close as we neared the line:
But he was able to hold me off, and take the overall. I was barely able to hold off the charging Italian to secure second both in the Race and in the Overall:
The final's results were like this:
And the tournament tree looked like this:
Although I hadn't won, I was still very thrilled with the result, and, needless to say, so was Mr. Ball. With only four days until my next event, also in Leigh Valley, I don't have much time to rest up and get ready. As Adam Duvendeck only took fourth the Keirin at the Pan-Am Championships, I'm ranked first in the American standings for the Keirin.
U.S. Rankings -
Sprint:
1. Michael Blatchflord (20)
2. N/A
3. N/A
Keirin:
1. Michael Creed (12)
2. Adam Duvendeck (6)
3. N/A
Elimination:
1. N/A
2. N/A
3. N/A
General:
1. Michael Blatchford (20)
2. Michael Creed (12)
3. Adam Duvendeck (6)
Edited by Deadpool on 29-08-2008 12:34
The first elimination race of the season for me. The elimination is also on the first day of the meet, while tomorrow I ride the sprint competition:
We had a good field, which included another American, Colby Pierce:
And as the race started I was all geared up and ready to go:
The Dutchman Stam was the first to fall, with McNally narrowly beating him to the line:
Next was Dajka of Australia:
Then Martinez of Spain was caught out:
Followed by Perkins joining his Aussie teammate on the sidelines:
And then, in great news for me, Pierce got stuck and was eliminated, no points for him:
He was followed by Radyonov of the Ukraine, whose exit guaranteed me points in the rankings:
Then Grasmann became the first of the two German's to falter:
After him, the second Spaniard Alonso was eliminated, ending Spanish hopes:
And the next time around, the Brit McNally would just be eliminated:
Then the Swiss rider Rast was forced to roll off into the center of the velodrome:
Although Bodrogi of Hungary appeared finished with just a few meters to the line, he would pull ahead of Burghardt to eliminate the final German:
By the time the group rolled around the next time, the group had split by a small amount, I made the front group of three:
While Riblon beat Bayley to the line:
Riblon was able to rejoin the front three, but he couldn't come around Usov as the line neared, and was eliminated:
Then it was Usov's turn to fight to rejoin, and then falter at the elimination, as Bodrogi outlasted him:
Bodrogi came back, and I was in a good spot on his tail with a lap to go:
When the time was right I jumped:
And had huge margin, by the time he crossed the finish, I was beginning to turn:
Needless to say, I was thrilled at the result:
Well, I'm happy as hell, I'd won the elimination, and Michael was ecstatic. The only issue was that I was feeling a little tired, not good going into a tough, four-round Sprint tournament the next day. With no races in which an American competed between the two races, the rankings were the same, not including my triumph.
U.S. Rankings -
Sprint:
1. Michael Blatchflord (20)
2. N/A
3. N/A
Keirin:
1. Michael Creed (12)
2. Adam Duvendeck (6)
3. N/A
Elimination:
1. Michael Creed (10)
2. N/A
3. N/A
General:
1. Michael Creed (22)
2. Michael Blatchford (20)
3. Adam Duvendeck (6)
Edited by Deadpool on 02-09-2008 02:14
VueltaMaggot wrote:
You do know that's Cippolini don't you?
EDIT: What DB?
Hahahaha, A that's not Cipollini, B you botched his name up sooooo bad.
Macquet wrote:
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race."
