Race Report: WNC Grand Prix

After a month off from racing, I returned with a local event, and the weekend started with some positive TV coverage for the team on the local TV station - WLOS 13: http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wlos_vid_2633.shtml It's important to note that the proceeds from the weekend's events are used for disadvantaged youth in the Asheville area. The team is always looking to help out good causes, and this surely is one of them!

The races started with a Hill climb Friday night, which produce another win for Team ACE/Highland with Andy Applegate showing his time-trialing prowess ahead of the National Championships! While the event itself isn't super-exciting, the result was!

Saturday, the racing continued with a criterium around Lake Tomahawk in Black Mountain. Chris Emory picks up the commentary:

Andrew, Chris Larsen and I (Chris Emory) toed the line with some familiar elite racers from all over the Southeast. The short circuit was very difficult with a 120 degree turn immediately leading into a steep uphill. You could count on a lot of pain every lap as riders attacked this gut wrenching short climb.

At the gun Larsen was out in front of the field, obviously feeling well coming off his Emory training plan which involves staying off the bike and getting into the beer (not helped out by our excellent sponsor!). The field reacted swiftly and failed attacks and surges marked the day but kept the pace punishingly high forcing several racers to drop out of the race. I felt horrible from the beginning; my stomach immediately knotted and gradually got worse throughout the day. Likely as a result of the previous day’s food poisoning… Note to self: don’t trust seafood from a backyard BBQ.

I was able to hang in with the leaders as I felt somewhere between unpleasant and tolerable. The large teams protected the top 5 spots in the field and anywhere behind 15 riders back you would find yourself continuously chasing back into the group. Larsen was caught out in one of these unfortunate adventures as the group split into two. His small group chased back to the group but was gapped immediately afterward as a crash split the field again. Andrew, went down in the 120 degree bender and had to chase back on, bleeding in the process.

I was able to get up front with less than 3 to go fighting for every position at every turn. I remained on the front with 1 and a half to go and unfortunately decided not to respond to a single attack by an unknown rider up the hill who was going after the "gambler’s prime" with one lap to go. Nobody wanted to chase this guy; they were all just watching the main contenders. Sitting second wheel Idecided to keep the pace high so that attacks on the backside didn’t leave me in poor position, but as I rounded the corner no one from the big teams pulled through; I knew I had made a mistake. Hoping to catch a train, I was in the worst position - out in front and unable to see the hornets’ nest behind me. Everyone was on the rivet and unwilling to do any work. About 100 meters before the final turn I was swarmed on both sides as riders attacked, putting me behind the lead group; then came the kamikaze kids who I let through the turn in front of me to keep my skin. I was able to outsprint two riders at the finish to end up twelfth on the day. Larsen was tailed off, but never lapped and won the sprint for "best of the rest" taking home a sweet grill set!

The team started the weekend stronger than we finished, but not a failure given the conditions. I’m done with the rabies shots and looking forward to the impending birth of my son.

Thanks to: Highland Brewing, Trek & Bontrager, Liberty Bikes, Rudy Project, PML Pathology, Mosaic Realty, Honey Stinger, Swiftwick, Carmichael Training Systems, Dr. Steve Miller DDS, Crossfit Brevard, Joe Lilly Photography, and Affordable Home Inspections.