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| one of the week long goals accomplished |
Downer Ave (Day 10. Roster: Clay, Matt, Justin, Cory, Brandon, Hogan, Max, Andy, myself)
Going into Downer Ave we had one thing on our mind: the elusive super prime. The super prime is a single prime given on a random lap of the race, which is normally worth several grand ($$$$) and given on a separate finish line than the finish used for both the race and normal primes. Our leadout has been getting better and better throughout the week, and today was go the last day to show our stuff before the tour's final day at Tosa.
Race plan for today included keeping the pack together, like we have been doing for the last several days before, with Justin, Clay, and Brandon staying attentive for the super prime. Set up for the prime was crucial as it was only 75 meters after turn 1. The winner of the prime had to come first out of the turn ready, for there was no room for mistakes.
I jumped at the start and was able to move up over 50 positions, before even entering the first turn. From there, I was on top of the first acceleration and kept things smooth. After a lap, Hogan joined me and the two of us were partners in crime, keeping things together. We were trading off who was going after what moves, and at times, both going with each other. As the laps started to tick off, Hogan and I both ended up in a split that got some dangerous time on the pack. Despite getting yelled at, gapped at, swung at, Hogan and I threw wrenches in the break's pace, slowing things down as much as possible until we were brought back into the fold.
Shortly after we were brought back into the group, the announcers rang a bell for a prime, which was swiftly taken by Hogan. Hogan put out such a sonic boom in his sprint that a crash occurred behind him. The crash was large enough that the officials decided to neutralize the race until the carnage was cleaned up. After spending over a half hour sitting near or off the front, Hogan and I lost several positions when the restarted the race.
As we restarted the race I was glad to see that the rest of the Astellas armada was near the front preparing to pounce at the slightest chance of a super prime. Hogan and I kept the early pressure off the team. I knew they were feeling fresh.
When the lap counters began with 25 laps to go, I was sitting a little bit further back then I needed to. I looked up and saw that Athlete Octane took the front and were controlling the race; Astellas wasn’t far behind waiting for the super prime. As the laps started going off, I could tell that the peloton was getting nervous. It was not till 10 laps to go that we heard the bell and announcers start to yell for the super prime. Almost like a flash of light, the pace picked up. I got as low as I can, knowing that there was nothing I could do from my current position in the pack. I knew that Justin was in a good spot for the prime and all I needed to do was wait to find out if he gets it.
Coming through the start/finish line I looked up at the jumbotron to see Justin taking the prime by several bike lengths a corner and half head of me. I did a small fist pump knowing we just succeeded in one of our major goals for the entire week.
After the race, I discovered that Justin was able to get the jump on the Octane train on the finishing stretch, hold his 40 mph sprint through the first turn, and almost coast across the prime line.
Quickly after the prime a counter attack rolled, and Brandon was able to follow it up the road. As the pace slowed down I was able to link up with my teammates and we started to line things up. At this point in the race we wanted to let Brandon go up the road and give it a shot in a 6 up sprint for the win. We were lining things up to keep the team out of trouble, as well as, do a little blocking for our man up the road.
My fun came to an end with 3 laps to go when a swarm of riders came up the right hand side of the field and swung across my front wheel. I was able to stick out a leg and catch the worst of my fall but I couldn’t correct my momentum enough. I was flung like a dried booger into the pavement, closed fist first. After the field came by, I stood up and could feel that nothing was seriously injured.
I walked back to the medical tent to get my hand looked at which had a nasty gash on it from my landing. Nothing was broken, and I was speaking clearly. So I grabbed my bike and started walking to the podium presentation to see how big of check they were going to give Justin. With the team effort on the super prime, as well as Brandon sticking it out in the break, it was a very successful day.
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