Saturday, January 27, 2007

Title

whew - that was a long hiatus, eh? That's what happens sometimes when you don't own your own computer - the internet time gets cut down to just enough to check your 20 email messages every 4-5 days. Plus, I've been pretty busy heading back and forth between LA with the track stuff and Los Olivos, CA where our team has rented a sweet ranch/house/estate for a month. As of 10:30A this morning, I am a full-on roadie again! I finished my last track race for at least 2 months. I was pleased with the LA World Cup results where I finished 8th with a surprising time (for me anyway) of 4:34.2. That 8th place was good for some UCI points and a possible qualification for the World Track Championships in Spain in late March. But we won't know for sure until the end of Feb. Now my focus is 100% on the Tour of California!!!! THE biggest race on U.S. soil. We're coming in as probably the biggest underdogs of the race so we'll have to prove to everyone that they made a good choice in selecting us to compete. I'm feeling very fortunate to have the opportunity to line up with the best this sport has to offer but also a fair amount of pressure to compete against these dudes that I watch doing the Tour on OLN. At least I could beat most of them in a no-holds-barred UFC match...and that's really what matters at the end of the day. So anyway, if you want to reach me in the next couple of days - it might prove difficult because I'm going to be taking the "Cliff Notes Guide" to base fitness in attempts to get ready for ToC. Here are some various pics from the last month:

My new ride! (the bike not the Vibe) picture different seatpost/saddle, carbon bottle cages, no pump/saddlebag, and aero Easton race wheels for a sexy racing machine.
Here's Brad Huff lining up for the scratch race final at the world cup. he finished 9th - which basically means that I'm better than he is (remember I finished a stellar 8th in my event)
A view from the top of a climb near our house in Los Olivos. Not bad, eh?
A look out at the ocean from the top of a different climb.
I passed this on a solo ride in the area and thought the sign was disrespectful to the cows.
Meatball Friedman, always the crowd pleaser, showing his track stand skills on a bike that is probably only a 1-2cm smaller than he regularly rides.
the only thing the LA smog is good for: consistently impressive sunsets.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey,

Is the tour of CA on OLN? If so i might TV it at a chance of seeing Clear Lakes resident profesional athelete. You need to hit the tour of Iowa this year. It's a tour of local bars, and doen't involve bikes (though it could). Give me a ring sometime....otis

Anonymous said...

As usual, Doreen and I have been trying to follow your riding. We sure are proud of what you've done so far. Good luck with going to Spain. How does this effect your riding for Priority? Will it cut into any road competion and are they good with that?

Just keep dancin' on the peddles.

Don & Doreen

Anonymous said...

hey tom, keep up the great riding and have a stellar tour in ca in a few weeks...may be out again with b hughes but unsure at this point...may be gettng addicted to riding in 14 degrees with all that neoprene on the body here in MI..my best to Garett P and the gang chuck grzanka

Huck said...

Nice one on all your track results dude, sorry for no comments lately, each time i have tried, the comment wont publish...

logangarey said...

Tom, why is there a hanicap dude chillen by the word verification thingy that I have to fill out in order to post a comment?

Is it because it's me or does everybody get the handi man?

Ahh just a few more days until the battle explodes in our faces and we safely watch from our big ass tv's!
Way to put in the work to get where you are!
I'll be cheering for you.

logangarey said...

I guess the handi cap dude was appropriate for me since I have no idea how to spell.
How is Cali? Are you able to hook up with Scott Nydam at all?

Anonymous said...

Hey Tom are you gonna ride in the tour of california? If so, I will def. make it out to cheer for you on sunday in SF city!

Good job in Moscow. btw, I am very jealous of the fact that you got to stay at the ukrainia...

best

Matt

Scott said...

Zirbel...I need an update to get me through these cold dark days