Awesome teamwork!

Kat in the sprinter jersey... me in the points jersey. Yesterday was all about teamwork!

WOW! I am still so impressed with how well the team did. The course was 115k long with two climbs and three sprints. We had anticipated that it would come down to a bunch sprint and there are not a whole lot of sprinters here since this is very much a climbers course.

We decided to have Kat go for the sprint jersey and I would save for the finish. The first sprint....

HANG ON- on hold... we just finished stage 3. I lied when I said that we have internet access here. Despite paying 24 euro for the week... the signal is so horrible that internet is practically useless. I was so annoyed that I have not blogged. Instead, I have been fighting to send even the most simple emails. Anyway, so I will have to catch up.

But I wanted to give a quickie blurb on what has been going on so far... yesterday, long story short- we did a fantastic job and landed Kat in the sprint jersey after some great team work on the lead outs and I finished 2nd on the heals of the best lead out that I have ever had. Unfortunately, I would have probably won had I seen the finish line. I was on the wheel of Diane Zilute (Safi Pasta) waiting to jump around here and looking for the finish line. There was no big banner, so by the time I saw the strip on the ground, it was too late. DOH!

Today was a double day- a hill climb time trial with a descent. I was thrilled that I finished 24th- mostly because it was an insane downhill where I could make up time. But my legs are feeling good, so I did not climb too badly. That for me is HUGE. Remember back to Redlands- I finished 72nd on THAT hill climb time trial! So that was good. Kathryn was our top finisher and I think that she was 6th or 7th.

But the big news was today’s stage- not going into details since I am tired and have to go to bed. I will try and write up a report at some point, but long story short... we had a goal of getting Kat to the sprints that came after two good sized climbs. We did. She won BOTH! That was awesome. Then we hit the 15k cat 1 climb and the plan was for me to try and hang on to get to the finish line. We had 23k of downhill and Jim thought that it might come together as a bunch kick finish. Fortunately for me, a Spanish rider attacked the base of the hill and we watched her ride away solo, into the wind. She neutralized all the climbers, since they just let her ride, knowing that she would get caught later. So, with her off the front and me working hard to keep my good positioning, I was able to easily hang onto the climb. Better news- so did Kat. She also took the THIRD sprint! Now she is crushing the sprint competition!!! After the last bonus sprint, the team shifted into lead out mode and worked SO hard to get me to the line. We started a bit early and we were fighting a lot of head wind. I saw 5k to go and was already working really hard even in the draft! One by one, our riders blew, but would rest and then find their way up to the front to drive it again. With 2k left, Kat was my final lead out and she gave it her all before blowing... Ali got up there just in time to drive it a little more. Once she blew, I was on my own and things were getting hectic. None of the other teams were getting lead outs and I was in danger of getting swarmed and boxed in. Just then, Kathryn comes (after doing two other hard efforts earlier) to the front and I grab her wheel. She does the last 1k to 600m and keeps me safe. Other riders jump then and I follow wheels. I was watching- this time- for the markers and I saw 300 to go and was in good position. 250. Wait. 200 GO! I jumped hard and gave it my all. I could feel Zilute coming around me as I closed in on the last 100m and dug a little deeper. I hung on by about half a bike length for a win after great team work! Both today and yesterday... this is a great team! Have said it before and I will say it again... I am proud. This team pisses excellence (as Jim would say)!