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Tyler’s Chicago Crit Report

I remember attending the Chicago Crit a year ago as a fresh new Pegasi. I didn’t even have my kit yet. I didn’t race that day but I was impressed by the effort put into the event and the atmosphere associated with it; announcers, Jumbo Tron, tents, bleachers and world class pros in attendance made for an exciting event. I was new to the racing scene but I knew that this was a race I wanted to win. A year later with some races, training, and help from a great team that happened.

When I got downtown I was feeling really tired and not to sure on how I would perform even though I should know that I’m always tired before a race even if I've slept 12 hours the night before. After I registered and pinned my numbers on I rolled around the park to keep awake and checked out the course before Cat 5 heat 2 started. When it was time to line up I tried to weasel my way towards the start/finish line so I wouldn’t get stuck in mid pack. The officials did the usual speech and the race was on.

The pack started out at a decent pace, allowing me to work up to the front quickly and find a place behind a few Spider Monkey riders who did a lot of work for me. I was feeling strong still and I knew that this was only a 30 min race so I wanted to try and cram in as much action and effort as I could. After Team Spider Monkey and a couple other riders pulled, I made a break hoping someone would go after me, allowing us to work together to make it to the finish for a match sprint.

When I looked behind me I saw a Team xXx rider on my tail but he was having trouble staying on. I knew if I slowed to let him catch up the break would not stick, so I went off solo. I held that for a few laps in a sloppy time trial position as the wind started to picked up. After I reached about a 5 second gap I realized this sustained effort would wear me out before the finish and eventually the pack would catch up then spit me out the back, so I let up and let the pack close the gap.

I still had some Juice to stay in the front and worked myself behind any wheel I could find. As soon as I saw any space left open behind a wheel I sprinted up to it and nudged my way in. I held this up to the last few laps when Chris Jensen of Half Acre pulled the pack up to the final lap. At a half lap to go I found my position behind the first three in line. Right after turn 3 before the hill, I started my sprint. I heard someone in my draft so I shook them off, cutting hard to the left as I sprinted up the hill (which wasn’t really a hill more of an overpass) using the slight descent to gain more speed I cut turn four sharp to line up for the final sprint.

I was sure there was still someone in my draft waiting to make a move, so I went as hard as I could, not even bothering to look behind me until I got to the finish. After moving to the drops and moving into one lower gear, I put everything into it and then crossed the finish line with about 2 to 3 seconds to spare. I was very relieved to hear that I'd won since I targeted this race earlier in the season and psyched myself up weeks before.

I really wanted to throw my hands in the air over the finish line or mimic some signature move from a pro (maybe wipe my glasses clean Just like Cavendish did during his stage win in the Tour de France) but I felt that might be a little too cocky. It was a Cat 5 race after all, so ill have to save that for the 2’s if I get there. And as if winning a race was not enough to satisfy my Sunday, a couple hours later teammates Andrew, Henry and I met a few others up in Wisconsin to shoot shotguns at some clay pigeons. So ya it was a good day.