Tuesday, April 15, 2008
















Hi guys

After being here for just four days of which only three days have been on the new bike, I've won my first race as a Pro!!!!!!!!
Three days leading up to the race has been 3-5 hours a day of riding in mainly the freezing rain which have sucked, but I love it.
The race was on Sat the 29th April and it was a 95 km road race consisting of seven 8 mile laps.
The day started with minus 4* Celsius in the morning and reached a high of only 8*. The wind ripped through you, it was the some of the most unpleasant conditions I've ever raced in !
Especially coming from 35 to 41* in the past week in Melbourne, I've never dressed with as many clothes, even when racing in the snow. lol. There were 93 starters and from the gun I went out strong, in the first lap I initiated three break aways and in the second lap one succeeded. I turned around to see I had two of my team mates behind me, with three other riders sitting on. On the third lap the bunch was catching us, the three passengers had droped back to the bunch but whilst this was happening we gathered two riders from the hard chasing peloton. Myself & my three team mates were the only ones working in the break for the rest of the race and those two riders with us where just free loading. I soon realised I was the strongest in the break and possibly in the field. My team mates and I were working great; We got a lead up to about a one minute forty five on the peloton and it was brought down to one minute thirty with three laps to go. I had been pulling longer turns than the rest as I really wanted the break to succeed. Near the end of the third last lap I was thinking of where to break away and asked one of the boys Jake, who was with us if he wanted to come. He told me to go as I was feeling the best. As I came through the start/finish line the word came through the radio from the team manager and we were directed to drop the two weasels sitting on. Yes, I was happy about that, as I was planning to do that anyway. With a lap & a half to go I attacked on one of the small steep climbs on the course. One of my shoes broke but it didn't stop me from caneing it to the finish. I had one of the two guys just manage to hook on to my wheel, as it was a head wind. I rode with him for around 3-5 mins making him work then attacked him from behind, I gave it death & smashed him up another climb, and with a convincing lead rode off on the the last lap by myself. With half a lap to go the lead car made me slow to not pass the bunch ahead of me as they were going for the sprint finish in another grade. They pulled up to me & told me you've already got it sown up so don't go past them. Fabulous! I went across the line with the Victory punch which was soooo good. It's my first out right win since Jan 06.

The next four riders came in three min or so behind & the bunch 4 - 5 minutes after. With most of my Team riders coming in the top 10!!! I had been on the go for the whole race which was a pretty good effort. It was awesome riding with my new Pro team Rite Aid,( www.riteaidprocycling.com ) they were great and I know this is going to be a great season and the start of good things to come in the future

I've got to do training for crits tomorrow & a bunch ride which will be round six hours of riding which should be fun. We have been getting to know the team, going rock climbing etc, we are all staying in the same house for a week which has been great. Tomorrow will be the last day of camp & all the domestic riders will drive back home, we all live around 5 hours apart. In the next month I'll be living in three different places which will be great to see the country side.New York here I come.


I have to race this coming weekend so hopefully I can have another good ride again.


Thanks for reading, & talk soon

Miles

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