May 01, 2012 (Athens, Georgia) – The way this Crit Series goes is a big strange. They have the biggest race on day one – the Athens Twilight isn’t just big, it’s huge. This four corner crit attracts huge crowds and the atmosphere is like no other race around. Being on the front line was incredible. Even though I got to enjoy it last year as well I just don’t see it ever getting old. The truth is, the staging of the race is half the show.

The announcer down here loves his job and does a great job getting the crowd into a frenzy. When he yelled “Athens are you ready?” the response was deafening. Just like last year I had trouble clipping in. To be on the front line and then lose 40 spots in two seconds is embarrassing, but it happened for the second year in a row. Something I do with ease 99.9% of the time now has me looking down at my shoes and fighting the cleat like it was my first time. It’s wild what 20,000 people staring at you can do.

The race starts off fast just like I expected and I’m sprinting out of corner two breathing like a fat kid in less than a lap. The first few laps are hard but with last year’s experience under my belt I now know the entire race is in the corners. I had two United health care guys explain this to me. One was at the bathroom stall before a race. I asked for a tip and he said “work on your lefts”. I felt like it was a brush off but then when I had another one of his team mates explain what he meant, it all started to make sense. You can save your legs and your entire race if you just know how to corner well. On a four-corner crit you can save some serious energy being close to the front.

The key to staying there is making up spots in the corners. By being the last guy to touch his brakes you can hold or advance your position and exit the corner with momentum not having to sprint as hard trying to catch up all the time. “Working on my lefts” had me prepared and in a good position to be aggressive and challenge for the lead.

Last year I was never in an aggressive position once and was just holding on for dear life. This year I got in a few moves and led a few laps. Like last year though I did come second on two primes. The guy who wins the sprint gets a couple hundred dollars, the guy who comes second gets laughed at.  The race was 90 laps of a 1-km loop and took about an hour and 40 mins. I don’t have my calculator in my pocket protector but the average speed had to be 50km an hour. I don’t need a calculator on this one. My legs made the calculation for me.

With ten to go I was about 35-40 places back and fighting to keep it. I had seen my teammate Brandon Spencer a few times around me during the last few laps but hadn’t seen the others for some time. Once inside 10 to go the pace went up even higher. I battled with myself trying to advance to the front. I knew that the sprint wouldn’t really be a sprint like I’m used to.

The last two laps are over 55km/hour and the final stretch out of the corner you are lucky to pass one guy. Whatever spot you get going into on the last lap is pretty much what place you get. The pace is so high most guys pop on the last two laps and the what is left of the group just kinda blows up all at once.

Inside 10 to go I could feel my back tire moving all over in the corners. It was getting soft and almost felt like the tire was going to roll off the rim. I just kept on it knowing it would all be over soon. With two to go it was full gas and I had got a few spots and figured I was top 30. On the 4th corner the rear tire felt like it moved a foot across the road as I sprinted out of the corner. One lap to go and it was almost on the rim. The last lap was full gas and scary.

When I say scary I mean people were taking chances. I had too as well. I took corner 3 on the inside and slid through it getting a few more spots. Corner 4 was the same and the sprint got me two more. As I crossed the line I was sure I was top 20. The last few intense laps were all done and now I could hear the crowd. I was in such a zone that I had blocked out everything around me. The extreme focus wasn’t needed now and I looked up and soaked up the love.

Lets just say the cool down lap was awesome. The crowd had their hands out and I was giving high fives like it was going out of style. I had more than one beer passed to me and screaming and the chants of “RealDeal” were out of control. I couldn’t control the ear-to-ear grin on my face. This was worth every minute of pain.

I stopped at the finish line and put my head on my bars not knowing if I should laugh or cry. It was an incredible race but finding out I was outside the top 20 hurt (again) I really thought I had done it this time but no. Brandon was the first to roll up and when I saw him I was so happy. This 19-year-old kid impressed me in a huge way. He battled and battled all race and as soon as I saw him I grabbed him and gave him a huge hug.

One by one the rest of the team rolled up and we shook hands and had quite the moment together.  I wish I could bottle that feeling. I didn’t want it to ever end. To be on this big stage with my guys taking pictures and even signing autographs was incredible and it will keep me coming back year after year. On to Roswell…

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