Two Wheel Blogs

It's Sunday afternoon already? What happened to the weekend? There's nothing like a bike race to make a day go by in a hurry. Yesterday I did the first two races in the 2008 Tour of St. Louis - the Carondelete Park criterium and the Columbia Bottoms Conservation Area timetrial.

The Tour of St. Louis is actually a 2-day event. There is a criterium on Sunday morning in Forest Park. I skipped that one, opting to make the weekend into something better resembling a stage race. A couple of emails and a phone call later I'd landed myself into a couple of hours of hard (for me, at least) riding.

Weekend stats

Photo: 

I had a peak at my upcoming calendar today and realized it's pretty full between now and the end of the month. Counting it all up, there are 2 crits and 5 separate TT's.

That set off a bit of a panic, because it was only yesterday that I began training in the TT position. I might have to race myself into being comfortable on my TT bike.

Oh but wait, can you ever be really comfortable on a TT bike?

Video: 

This is pretty cool for anyone who races and understands, or wants to better understand, the power requirements of a criterium bicycle race. Team Clif Bar Midwest created a criterium video shot from a handlebar mounted camera. What's so cool about it is they overlaid it with the PowerTap power meter file, synchronized with the race.

The video runs a little over 9 minutes from start to finish. But unlike most internet videos you see, this one seems like it's over before it starts. It's exciting to watch. Kraftwerk's a decent choice of music too. The only real drawback is internet resolution doesn't let you see the criterium powertap file better.

Sorry Chris. I know, I know. I said I was taking this one for your blog but when I got it home and found it was about the only decent one I took all day I had to hog it for myself.

Go ahead and steal it if you want to. You deserve it, because I sort of promised it to you. BTW, you looked good out there today. And your bike too... Very nice.

Video: 

It has been an interesting weekend thus far. Here is a quick update for those following along....

Great news this morning. I've been invited to race in the Tuesday World Championship series.

Getting invited to compete in any world championship competition is a huge honor. And this one is an honor I frankly didn't expect. After all my racing career is only just beginning, what with the Ouachita Challenge coming up at the end of the month and all. The selection committee obviously has seen beyond my lack of experience and realized I have what it takes to compete at this level.

As I said, I had not expected this. With further thought, however, I've realized I do after all have the qualifications to compete at this level. I have a bicycle, a helmet and a license. I ride occasionally. Some would even call it training.

Not least important among my qualifications: I had the $20 registration fee.

Welcome to the Tuesday Night Worlds. The series starts next week with the A-race only. In a couple of weeks the longer days will permit the addition of a B-race and a C-race.