1. Easiest National Criterium Championships I have ever done to date

2. I shifted in and out of my big ring at least 50 times during the race

3. By some freak chance my chain decided to shift it’s self fully off my big chain ring which caused me to completely lose the possibility of winning the National Criterium Championship. 

4. Horrible bad luck, just simply bad luck. No ones fault, not the manager, not the mechanic, not me, just a freak thing because I did tons of sprints in the race and my fate was sealed in one swift pedal stroke with out a chain connected when it all counted.  I blame no one but the Colonel…..Oh, I hated the Colonel with is wee *beady* eyes, and that smug look on his face. “Oh, you’re gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!” 

I was on a roll this whole past weekend in Downers Grove, with flatting in the Pro-Am saturday night with 3 laps to go, then on Sunday with less than 200 meters to go and my chain falls to the outside?  Bad luck for sure.  Great Criterium Championshits for me.

I suffered on Brian Jenson’s wheel…..A LOT!  This 3 day race weekend called the Tour of Kansas City has been around for years, I can still remember watching Moninger lap just about every race he entered there.  Well the torch has been handed to Brian Jenson who feels know pain in his back yard of KC.  This race is great because it falls just before Criterium Nationals with a quality field, good money, and great support from the director.  Being able to include this race in my training regimen will hopefully be a great stimulus leading in to one of my goal races of the year.  Plus I got to kick Josh “Daddy Butthead” Johnson in the shin!

photo credit: Shane Nelson……HAPPY!

and the weekend before this my team and I actually WON a race!
YA we WON the criterium of Tour of Elk Grove.
Sprints are a crazy thing as I was planning on leading out our super star Aussie Sprinter Nic Sanderson, but thing just got mixed up, Kelly jumped us all, Toyota brought them back some, and I just jumped thinking I might take Nic up to the sprint.  At the line it was all HUFF and nobody else!  Pretty cool!!!
As the last time I sprinted well at Elk Grove I was able to follow it up with a Stars and Bars tight shirt!

Now that Friedman is in China. I am quite positive having just
returned from there myself that this will be one of his most extensive
training positions leading up to his race. Remember that even one of
my teammates girl friend’s Asian mother will not even eat certain
foods when returning home! Best of luck on and off the bike Mike!

now I know what some of the older handicape horse races were like, as we race well above the logical altitude for athletic performance.  for 10 days we were above 7000 feet elevation, 3 days in a row well above 10,000 feet, several mountain passes around and over 12,000 feet, and several several KM’s suffering.
I did not even think I was going to make it to the 3rd day when Jermey Powers and I were totally blown off the back on the first road stage and we had to……really push it to make the time cut for more than 60km…..well we actually got some of the hardest motor pacing I have done in a long time to get back to the small groupetto well off the back.  I am already attempting to forget all about the knee suffering elevation gains, hypothermic conditions at times, insane speed at those elevations, french fries/white rice/and snikers bars to survive, and some of the most beautiful views I have seen during a bike race.
Thank God I survived that thing to be able to come home alive and ready for some Mexican food!

http://www.tdql.cn/english/index_en.asp

so just click on the link to this 10 day stage race.  then click on the race link on the web page to view the terrain of the stage race.  Just laugh because that is what I did.  oh ya the stage race is at wicked altitude also.

 Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for “Swifter, Higher, Stronger”.

These simple 3 words have been etched in every aspiring athlete all over the world who wish to achieve seeing the colors of the Olympic rings for their very own eyes.
Most athletes only dream and wish for this too happen….”wouldn’t it be so awesome if I or we made it there!”……”he wins the Olympic Gold in unpresidented fasion….at Olympic record pace…..this is the first time an American has ever won an Olympic Gold in Cycling!”  so on and so on. 
I have worked and worked to come close but not actual make the games. 
Although never did I imagen that I would be able to go the Olympic games.  Well in 2008 I am getting to go to the Olympic games.  I will not be there in the flesh, but I will be there in the heart of my best friend.  Mike Friedman.  Mike Friedman has made the coaches selection to achieve his life long dream of actually compete in the 2008 Olympic games.
I am so excited for Mike and all of the other athletes that will be participating at the 2008 Olympic games.
Although this is a bitter sweet victory for myself as I was so close but yet so far from making the Games.

#1 Taylor  Phinney is the most amazing athlete I have seen in a long long time!  that kid…yes kid but he does turn 18 this week! So is now legal for all you women out there!  Taylor broke the Junior World record 3times in two days and 4 times in with in the week of training our here in LA.  Amazing!
#2 Bobby Lea totally kicked all our asses with his amazing ride to gain an Automatic Qualifing spot for the Olympics.  He left me humbled to keep the words short.
#3 Colby Pearce, Mike Friedman, and Brad Huff have to wait to see if one of us will make the team via Coaches selection.
#4 I could not have done any better or asked for anything more as I gave it everything I had!  and to only have about 5 or 6 weeks of racing in my legs I have to be pleased.
#5 I had an amazing time just enjoying the whole process and it was amazing to see how the energy changed when it was Olympic Trials day.  We all brought our A Game, it was just that one person brought more.

Bobby Lea Killed us all with a 3:17 flying 3km(500meter at sprint pace followed by 2.5km at pursuit pace)

Colby Pearce and I once again maintained our .0000007345 razors edge of time difference with nearly exact 3:23’s.

Mike Friedman would have had the second fastest time for sure, but he sat up with nearly 3 laps to go and still rode a 3:24.
The time we are going for is faster than 3:22 and Bobby for sure did that.
We shall see what happens tomorrow??

oh ya, Taylor Phinney broke some type of speed barrier and set a world record 3km Pursuit time of 3:16.something.  But it does not count as there was no drug testing and UCI bull shit to stamp it valid.  This kid is amazing and he is not even 18….well next week he turns 18.  I can honestly say in my few years in the sport of cycling I have NEVER NEVER seen something/someone so amazing as Taylor Phinney.  He is unreal…..and looks damn good in Oakleys!

Mike Blatchford also made the Olympic team with a blazing standing one lap effort of 17.9!  fastest an american has went in a long long time for a start lap!

With 4 guys: Brad Huff, Mike Friedman, Colby Pearce, Bobby Lea 
anything can happen!
All 4 of us have been riding very consistent times and have shown that we have come to this trials with one thing on each others mind…..Making the team!  So this will be a nail bitter down to the hundredth of a second!  Yes I am serious hundredth of a second….last year I missed the 500 time by .07 of a second and I think Bobby Lea at one time missed it by less than that!  
I will attempt to let you all know how it goes?

Olympic Trials Schedule
  
Sunday, June 15
  
Warm up 3:00pm - 4:50pm
5:00pm - Time Trials
1. Men Standing 250m - Ride #1
2. Men 3000m Mass Start Test - Ride #1
3. Taylor Phinney Pursuit #1
4. Men Standing 250m - Ride #2
 
*riders will draw for starting order
  
Monday, June 16
  
Warm up 12:00pm - 1:50pm
2:00pm - Time Trials
1. Taylor Phiney Pursuit #2 (World Record attempt)
2. Men Flying 200m - Ride #1
3. Men 3000m Mass Start Test - Ride #2
4. Men Flying 200m - Ride #2
 
5. Jennie Reed 1K Record Attempt
6. Taylor Phinney Pursuit #3
 
*starting order will be based on current standing (#1 rider from the previous day will start last)
 
Please also see Mike Friedman’s Olympic Qualifier race possibilities