After a poor showing a day earlier in The Coldspring Road race (I got pulled over by a rogue state trooper mid-race, who wanted to shut down the whole event, thus taking me out of contention entirely) I really wanted to show everyone that I am getting in top form at Houston Grand the following day.

Before the race started I found Phil, who had an incredible present for me, our long awaited team kits. Hincapie really knows how to make great looking clothes that are just as comfortable. The plan for the race was very simple. I would aim to get in the winning break. Phil and Alec would try to control the field and sprint for top positions in the pack finish.

As the race started I quickly moved up to the front of the field. Having three full lanes to do so made this very easy. For me, racing the Houston Grand resembles competing at Holland Racing’s Driveway Series, a smooth course that is equally fast and easy to move around in. As we rolled the first couple laps I waited till they rang the bell for the first of many cash prime opportunities.

I jumped out of the group and started motoring for the prime. I quickly got caught by a small number of other riders and ended up getting nipped at the line for the prime. But as I rolled with my small group I could hear the cheers from the crowd, including the voices of my friends and family that came to root me on.

Taking a flyer on the first prime lap.

After my group was reeled and the race progressed, I kept note of every single person trying to get up the road. People think just because the Houston Grand is a large circuit there will not be break. They are wrong. Every lap the field got put in the gutter and the strong cross winds thinned out the pack as we approached the far end of the course. I was not fazed by the wind. Mentally the wind has always helped me, and I knew I was riding the best equipment in the world to battle through it. My Specialized Venge, as well as my Mavic CXR 80s cut through the wind like a razor blade.

Once the race started to gain momentum I saw a hard attack go up on the right as we crossed the start finish. It was Brant Speed and Kevin Kremke. They moved quickly up the road and caught the small group ahead of them. There was now a group of 4-5 riders. I was looking around and saw no immediate reaction from the pack. As we went through the u-turn, I moved up to the front few riders in the field and was sitting fourth wheel when I attacked and sprung from the field and tried to bridge to the leaders.

Stefan Rothe quickly joined me and the two of us turned on the afterburners and closed the gap to the leaders. To our delight there was a delayed reaction in the pack. A lap later we were joined by Logan Hutchings and Heath Blackgrove and started to put some more time on the field. The lead group was a bit large, getting close to 12 riders. I knew with a group this big that people would try to sit on and get a free ride. Luckily that worked to their own disadvantage. I made sure to never fall further back then 6^th rider. As people started skipping pulls, gaps were being opened. And the pressure was never taken off the front. The opening of gaps, a result of the cross winds and the pace we were churning at the front, quickly got rid of the excess riders in the break. Soon we were down to eight strong riders.

Bridging across to the break.

Phil covering the chase from the field.

The eight of us worked very well with each other. With everyone doing even work we slowly but surely pulled away from the chasing peloton. Every lap the cheers of my friends and family motivated me to get a good result on the day. As we inched closer to the finish of the race the promoters rang the bell for the crowd prime, which totaled a ridiculous $1630.00.

I was getting worried. I knew that with few attacks within the group there was going to be a mad dash for the line. Heading into the final 500 meters of the crowd prime lap the Elbows leadout began. Logan Attacked with Heath in tow. I was on the front this time—scrambling to find a draft. We hit that sprint at full speed and I was gapped.

As we crossed the line for the prime and they rang the bell for the final lap. I was doing everything to try and close the gap to the leaders. Luckily the group went so hard for the prime that they were sort of eyeballing each other and not trying to keep me off the back. As I was chasing I looked up and saw that Logan had put in a small attack, which was quickly covered by the group. I was still chasing and knew that if I did not get back onto the breakaway group by the time the counters started I was going to be done.

Luckily, after the group caught Logan there was a brief lull in the pace. I was able to get onto last wheel, Heath’s wheel, just as he started winding up for the counter. I was already locked into his draft and held the wheel. The two of us went screaming into the u-turn. Behind us, Kremke was chasing into the u-turn a little too hot and unfortunately slid out.

Driving hard in the break.

This opened up the gap a bit more and Heath and I had room to fly. I sat on Heath for as long as I could before he started making me work with him. I was so blown from chasing half of the last lap that I did not know how long I could stay with him. As we approached the final two turns, he attack and I lost the wheel in the crosswind. It was everything I could do to try and keep pace with Heath. I looked back and could see the chase was pretty far back. I was able to hold them off and take 2^nd place in the Houston Grand, behind a very strong Heath.

Happy camper on the podium.

After struggling with back pain through much of the spring, I’d finally regained my form, and a flood of motivation from the Houston Grand podium. Also, I was proud not to have lost too much fitness over the past couple weeks while struggling to stay on top of an endless amount of exams and projects. Now that I’m finished with finals I can put my focus solely on the bike. I can’t imagine a better way to start my summer.

Understanding and skillfully exercising these unwritten skills on a bike ride with others not only makes the sport more enjoyable, but safer, as well. The best bike riders know how to calmly and quickly react to the nuanced flick of an elbow, or pointed wave of a hand.

On April 27th, Super Squadra will lead a roughly 30-mile bike ride and skills clinic covering the various intricacies of road cycling, including structured group riding, pace lining, echelons, and introductory racing tactics for interested attendees.

While this event is for Bicycle Sport Shop Club members, the club is eagerly looking for new cyclists. If you’re not a member already, you can become one, here.

Details below. RSVP, here. And please, contact us with any questions.

Location and time: Bicycle Sport Shop central location (517 South Lamar Boulevard, 78704). Meet at 8 a.m. for brief discussion preceding the ride. Depart at 8:30 a.m. sharp. Return ~ 11 a.m.

Route: 26 to 32 miles in southeast Austin. We’ll ride as one group to the Texas Parks and Wildlife headquarters, where we’ll break into three different skill and fitness level based groups, beginner (12 to 14 mph), intermediate (14 to 16 mph), and advanced (16 mph and up).

Skills covered:

Advanced (16 mph +)

- 2 x 2 group riding
- Single file pace lining
- Echelon pace lining
- Attacking and bridging

Intermediate (14-16 mph)

- 2 x 2 group riding
- Single file pace lining
- Echelon pace lining

Beginner skills (12-14 mph)

- 2 x 2 group riding
- Quick starts
- Brake modulation
- Single file pace lining

There’s something you should know about the Haga brothers. It doesn’t matter how far apart you take us, we will always be on the same wavelength. Drop one of us in Redlands, CA and the other in Tyler, TX and we’re still both thinking on the same telepathic channel. We feed off each other, we motivate each other, and we push each other. And we both, REALLY, REALLY like to win bike races.

Case and Point:

This past Thursday, Chad took the win in the opening time trial at the Redlands Stage Race. Since he refuses to acknowledge it any time an interviewer gives him the chance, I’ll say it for him. You’re welcome Chad. I know you couldn’t have done it without my help training with you all winter. No need to thank me, now that it’s out there. Anyways, that win was huge. And a win that huge necessitates a win on my part as well. Fortunately I had the opportunity to complete the Haga-single-day-double-win at the Driveway that same night. However, as the race came to a close it was not meant to be. An incredibly close finish declared me second best for the night.
All hope was not lost, though. Chad held on to the yellow jersey in Redlands on Friday. Perhaps the Haga Double was meant for the GC win in two different stage races? After all, the Cyberknife Stage Race in Tyler, Texas was fast approaching.

The start of the near misses. Photo courtesy of J.A Hicks

I was the first to arrive at the host house and meet our incredible host, Paul. I got full reign of the lakefront property as he left to tend to administrative duties with the race. I got to enjoy the last hour of sunlight reading on the deck watching boats cross the lake. I also had the chance to get acquainted with Paul’s taxidermed hunting history, and spend some time in mental preparation for the weekend of racing that was soon to begin.

Relaxing by the lake between races. What a view!

The first stage on Saturday was the road race through the rolling hills around Lake Tyler. Going into the race we had settled on the plan to bring it down to a field sprint, and that’s what we did. Alec and Dillon did an incredible job covering moves and we all worked well to discourage any breakaways with obvious GC contenders. However, when it came down to the line I was bested by Dalheim, yet again. It was clearly another frustrating result, but the second place finish placed me in the top three in GC with a 5 second time bonus on the field.

Dillon patrols the front of the field.

A post race recon lap of the time trial course had us all excited for the race in the afternoon. The rolling hills and technical features of the course in combination with the ever increasing wind were sure to create splits in times. David drilled into my head all afternoon that it was a TT I could win. After an afternoon of kicking back by the lake and napping, I began to tap the brotherly brain connection to channel my inner Chad in hopes that he would lead me to victory. I mean, the kid obviously knows something about time trials, even if he is the slow Haga. As it turns out, Wenger was right, and my inner Chad led me to victory with a time of 11:09, putting me in the lead for GC. And with just one day left in the Cyberknife Stage Race and Redlands, the likelihood of the elusive Haga double was looking better and better.

Chad in yellow at Redlands.

Recovery massages that evening put our legs in a good place for the crit, and our spin Sunday morning had us feeling confident about defending the lead. With 14 seconds separating me from 2nd, our goal was to get into the time bonus sprints and keep as much of a time gap as possible. As the first time bonus approached, the plan began to unravel. A two man break up the road left only the third place spot which I was unable to secure. The second bonus was claimed entirely by a larger breakaway, leaving only the time bonuses for the top three finishers. The fatal mistake was in failing to realize that Colin had already gained five seconds from a time bonus when he made his daring move on the last lap. The late chase and sprint where just inches from pulling him back, but Colin’s heads up riding earned him first place for the day. I crossed the line 4th, just missing the time bonuses again. His total time bonuses amounted to 15 seconds which put him in first place for GC, yet again devastating the hopes of the Haga-double with another painful second place.

GC podium on Sunday. Colin worked hard to earn the top step.

As it turns out, Chad had a similar experience in Redlands suffering the loss of the yellow jersey in the last stage. While I was disappointed in my result, I was even more bummed to find out he didn’t get the win we all wanted so badly for him. The second places are tough to bear, but this weekend and recent races have shown that for the Haga bros it’s just a matter of time. The win is just around the corner. I can feel it.