Boom

This morning the team got up, hit the continental breakfast and hopped into the ETSU van. We then rolled into Rocky Ford, Ga. just north of Georgia Southern University. It was a little chilly this morning but warmed up pretty quick. Four of our guys decided to race the Team Time Trial for a world famous moment in time. They rolled out at 9:50 am and made the turn and back of the 20K TTT in just over 36 minutes. After lunch it was time for the Crit. Our class (C) was up first, the wind was kickin' pretty good but we had a tailwind for the finish. Problem was the second longest straight was headon into the wind! It sucked! We had a team strategy to get to the front right from the start to keep from being amongst the "less skilled" riders in the rear. Mark, set go! Ben rolled out like he was shot out of a cannon with Schyler and myself right on his heels. Ben holeshot to the first turn then Schyler and I was about 6th/7th respectively. A lone rider broke off the front and started laying down some serious lap times, I couldn't sustain this hot pace and I backed it down to a level I could handle. The lead group of about 15 riders including Ben and Alex kept pulling away further and further. I settled in with a small second group and was watching the clock now 10 minutes into the event. I came around the last corner on lap 5 and started pedaling toooooooo soon, caught a pedal on the asphalt, lifted my rear tire off the ground and set it about 3 feet to the right with an abrupt clank. I'm suprised I didn't high side and crash. I immediately felt my rear wheel rubbing and started to slow, I thought I tweaked my new rear campy eurus wheel. Little did I know that I had peeled the bead off the rim and the brake pad was rubbing the bead/tube. About 20 feet and a thunderous BOOM! flat! I was only 50 feet from the finish where the pit was so I pulled into the pits, immediately some dude asks if I want a rear wheel, I say really? He goes to work and had me back on the track with a Mavic SL under my but ready to roll. I roll over to the official and he inserts me back into the race at the same position in the race I flatted, awesome! I tried to step it up a notch but my fitness level denied me. Several laps later on the final lap, 1/4 lap from the finish, here come the leaders. We gave it all we had to the finish. People passing and getting passed left and right it was so confusing. Ben and Alex managed a top ten I think with Thomas, Schyler and myself somewhere in the 20 placing. The field was around 50+ and the wind was super sucky! I will update the road race tomorrow or Monday, it's a real short course for our class so hopefully we will be done and on the road early!

I never blew out a tire bead before



LAter G..................................