Tour of Hermann

Tour ofHermann, first time ever doing this race, wasn’t scared of hills because I can ride them pretty well, last time I will ever due this race because it’s the last time it will be held.  Sad because it was a wonderful race, checking in-out was fast and easy-PAINLESS!  Hopefully someone will pick up the slack and put the race on them selves – can only hope!  

The race gets on the way, didn’t for see one of my main-hand-man David N pop so fast on the hills also Kenny got popped but I am guessing they road together.  David has been having some issues with his leg and stuff but we can save that for later.  Still had Brian L (blood brother), Spencer M, & Chris H.  The field was stacked with equal rider ability to just hammer and keep mph very high even on the hills.  We did something like 3.300ft of climbing in 2 laps 58miles.  So lets fast forward we make it to the start/finish with 1 lap to go after this, we see Gutenberg Wall a.k.a. THE WALL hardest part to the wall is the 15%grade that changes very quickly to 23% grade as Strave says(I also get the KOM on Strave for THE WALL with 13.9pmh and 169BPM)… it was awesome to see the 2 Jr’s battle it out with yelling and tossing of the bikes for the KOM but I had nothing to worry about because I was not in contention for KOM’s because you had to do the crit and TT to get KOM’s.  Back too the race, I was sitting mid pack and made sure I was on the outside for this climb and Spencer made sure he did the same we both watch the kids and ride up the hill after the wall there is a feed zone that flatten out but still on a hard grade Brian sling shots around me and we are in a semi brake 2-3 other rides come with us with the Jr’s to do more climbing!   We are in a break of 8 and 3-4 more dudes join us and after we get over the next hill we follow up with big ringing it’s and hammer time, we try and get a rotation going but nothing really gets to working out smoothly and more people join us 6 more or so and we get more and more riders tacking on… failed brake at dropping the weak.  We where on the brake so much I think I might need new pads after this race… Final 12 miles things speed up and 1-2-3 rows stretching the field out a few people attack nothing sticks.  Spencer and I ride at the front not taking pulls in the wind and Spencer attacks I go with we pick an extra guy 2s that have nothing.. But its not worth it so we sit up and Eric Sphinx and a teammate attack, I latch on with Spencer on my wheel but his teammate kills himself before he waves for a pull through and I take a pull a good one and Eric say’s sorry man…. Spencer comes and he attacks but nothing again.  The peloton settles in for the straight way into town, I was pretty far back when this happened did my best to work my way up was a little sketchy when a Jr. cut me off on the inside and opened the gap on the inside again also in front of him. So I punch it and by this time, people have already punched it before the turn into start/finish I make up a lot of spaces, turn, whined of the gears some more and sprint to get 10^th place.  Spencer gets 3^rd Eric gets 1^st.  Not the result I wanted but only so much you can do.