After finally recovering or more so hoping that we had recovered from Qing Hia Lake 10 day Alititude Stage race over China we head towards Chicago, IL for the Alekian Brothers Elk Grove Stage Race weekend. As we all show up from our places of origin you can tell that the team is a little different this go around. We know that we have just put in some serious training and racing coming up to this point and understand the importance of this first race leading us towards our collective goals for the later half of the season.
We line up for the individual Time Trail, hoping our legs are ready to shine, but as we feared our week and a half of recovering for China has left us blocked and lacking the red hot intensity that the Time Trial required. Over analyzing the effort we cross our fingers that the next days Road Race will go a little smoother or at least less painful as we just blew all our rest week cob webs out. The road race started off as expected fast and very aggressive as teams attempted to gain precious seconds off the front to hopefully make it to the intermediate sprints just in time to grab up so well deserved points and time bonuses.
Although funny thing…the race bible states that each sprint will be on a specific lap, but the reality of that was far from the truth as the person manning the lap counter must have been taking a nature break the first time through as we were a full lap off(7.5km). As you might think this caused some very disgruntled teams, because all our efforts were completely miss timed. Thanks Lap Counter Flipper person! Luck did look our way when we were able to win the mid-race big money sprint. Fast forwarding to the finish the three main teams were attempting to set up there specific sprinter and speeds were high. Barreling towards the last corner the front team was a little too eager and ended up stacking it right in the apex of the corner. Leaving everyone behind grabbing handfuls of the estrogen levers and making evasive maneuvers to avoid the carnage. We lost our sweet position and Nic Sanderson had to through in one of the most impressive hell marries I have seen in quite some time. Coming from now where placing to just reach the last podium spot 3rd by the finish line.
With the rest of us limping in with our bikes and bodies still intact. With the general classification still tight moving in to the last day criterium we knew that we could still possibly make something happen as long as we were attentive. Lap after lap we were able to sit pretty as our long legged recently married man Bryce Mead was holding tight up in the main break of the day. Taking one for the team is just part of the job and Bryce really stepped up. In the final laps things were once again heating up after Toyota United had controlled the race for nearly the entire day.
Team after team attempted to come to the front and over take the race lead, but the course left just too many possibilities to the opportunistic team willing to risk loosing to win. Lucky for the Jelly Belly squad we show patience under pressure from all side, holding tight near the front, and waiting for our chance to shine. In the end we nearly lost the race as Kelly opened the gap or attacked through the final corner leaving Toyota to place the race leader with in striking distance for the stage and overall win. With the final meters came quickly upon us we showed once again why we are an underdog that should not be overlooked. Thinking that we still had Nic Sanderson in prime position to throw in another impressive hell marry we hit out just as we were inside 300 meters. With Kelly still dangling in front of us as the finish approached we hit top speed just inside 100 to go and grabbed victory from the almost certain with of Kelly. Nic fighting his way in to 4th and our final lead out man Brad Huff winning the day.
Without the amazing support of our host family The Stenbriekers non of this would have been possible. I think that the next time we show up we will not be bringing a bike box, but instead a dog crate as about half the team wants to steal there lovely female boxer Scout. I mean old man boxer Buck is great too.
