Hello to all that it is reading this blog! It has been a little while since my last one, so here is “My Multi Race Update”.
To kick things off my first stage race of the season was Valley of the Sun Stage Race. As I raced in the junior category I felt I did pretty well considering the shape I was in. The three day stage race stung a little bit due to some mistakes I had made but I sure did learn a lot! Two weeks later was Callville Bay Stage Race but this time as a category 3. I was still coming in to shape at this time but it was one heck of a hard race. Stage 2 was a grueling 70-80 miles of complete rain in fairly cold temperatures so I was happy to finish this race. The following day was stage 3 and the last day. I did my best and fought to a tough 2nd place, which I was sort of pleased with.
Following Callville Bay was Tour de Murrieta. This was a 3-day race but was an omnium based on points and not time like a typical stage race. Stage 1 went all right placing just out side of top 10. The following day was the criterium where I placed 4th on the sketchy course putting me top 5 overall in the general classification. The last day was a 40-50 mile circuit race. I raced hard and finished 3rd on the day and I happily took 3rd overall as well.
San Dimas Stage Race was about a week and half ago which was also another 3-day stage race. San Dimas Stage Race is a really fun race with the 1st stage being a 3-mile hill climb. Stage 2 was about a 60-mile, 8-lap circuit race, I got in a few potential breakaways with the last one being the most promising. It was with 2 laps to go of the 60-mile race and was unfortunately brought back. My legs were hurting and that left me with just getting a pack finish on the day. Stage 3 came quick and was the crit. It was a fast pace and very technical course. The last lap came very quick as well and I fought for a good position on the last lap putting me 4th wheel coming out of the last turn and sprinted to a very fast finish in 2nd place. Here is the link to the finish on the last day. I am on the right hand side of the picture.http://www.dmunsonphoto.com/cycling-2011/san-dimas-stage-race-stage-3/
This weekend was fun packed with a road race on Saturday and a criterium on Sunday. The race on Saturday is easy to say that it was one of the hardest races I have done to date. It was 60-miles with two laps and 2,500 feet of climbing each lap. It was cold and brutal! I finished suffering in the top ten. Sunday was a much warmer and easier day to say the least. I got in a break or two while bridging up to a break with one other guy with two laps to go but unfortunately this was brought back on the last lap. I did my best to recover from the effort and sprinted to a 2nd place!
I am now preparing for Sea Otter, which is a very big race for juniors on the west. I will be leaving from this race to go race in Belgium and I will be gone for about 10 days and I am really stoked to be going over to Europe for a 3rd time to race my bike! The race I will be doing is the Ster Van Zuid Limburg, a four day stage race with a very talented line up. A special thanks to my main sponsor and team “Cycle World” for really setting me up and providing me with all the tools I need to succeed! Also thank you Oakley for keeping my eyes protected all the time on and off the bike!
Everything is falling in to place and I am enjoying the journey thanks to every ones amazing support!
