Super Squadra

After spending the night at the Haga’s house and enjoying their great hospitality (minus the bathroom laden with all things Aggie, from the shower curtain to the soap dispenser) we started our trek to Oklahoma City for two $10,000 criteriums. The first race was around the Oklahoma capitol building which was a lot bigger than I expected. The course wasn’t very technical with the race literally being on the roads that surrounded the building but it was still very hard. A straight headwind was ripping into the section heading toward the start/finish area.

Individual riders tried to get away but with the wide, open roads it was easy for the field to pick up the pace and bring back the lone escapees. About halfway through the 90 minute race a group finally established a lead of around 10 seconds and we started attacking trying to get someone in the group. After our attacks the other teams played it perfect and would counter all of our moves, putting us in a big hole. Two groups had come together and we were lacking representation. In a last ditch effort I attacked and was joined by two others as we crushed ourselves for three laps to finally reach the lead group.


Not long after I reached the front group I had a mechanical and was stuck riding in my 53 X 11. This obviously made a hard situation pretty much impossible as I just tried to stay in the wheels and save as much energy as possible. Ian ended up bridging to the lead group with around 15 minutes left and did a great job covering moves but a group rolled off and Ian and we were stuck sprinting for 8th place. I tried to find Ian to tell him my problem with my gears but we couldn’t quite hook up and trying to sprint into a fierce headwind with my huge gear didn’t quite work out. All we could manage was a top 20. We rode home knowing we raced hard, but were still dissapointed on our results from the weekend so far.

Sunday was an important day for the team as our last chance to dip into the ample prize money on hand before returning home. Luckily, we received reinforcement from an on-form Wenger. Everyone felt motivated to race smart and dig deep in order to get some better results than the days before.

After Ian used his OKC connections with Chris and Justin Wolfe, we found a replacement part for my bike mere hours before the race thanks to the owner of Schlegel Bicycles. I cant thank him enough for being so generous and helping me out. It would’ve been a big downer to travel all the way up from Austin and not get to finish up racing on Sunday. When Phil was finished fixing my bike in the parking garage we headed to get some lunch and enjoyed watching Germany crush Australia in the World Cup. Alan dropped his soccer knowledge on all of us and we just waited to hear the announcer yell GOOOOOOALLLL!

We made it to the race and were glad to see a smiling Wenger in the Durata truck (a.k.a. dood canoe). As we got ready, we noticed the same howling wind from the day before. With the team finally at full strength, we talked about how we were going to reverse our fortune. Dave was very attentive from the beginning and was covering moves like crazy. Everyone on the team fed off his early performance and we started placing riders in all of the dangerous moves. Eventually the move went and Dave and Ian were in it.


The rest of us just followed moves behind and Phil ended up getting in the second break. Alan, Chad, and I waited for the finish, and the two young guns jumped the rest of riders and took the field sprint. Dave ended up placing a strong 4th place and Ian and Phil ended up in 10th and 11th. Overall, it was a great way to end the trip with such a good team effort.

On Friday night in historic downtown McKinney, Texas was the first annual Bike the Bricks cycling race put on by McKinney Velo. McKinney Velo had been pumping up this race for quite awhile and let me tell you they didn’t disappoint. The Pro 1-2 race started at 9:30 pm and had a stacked field of almost 90 riders with all of the big teams present.

After riding a few warm up laps it was obvious with the narrow roads, tight corners and a big field racing in the dark that it was going to be key to have a good starting position. After pulling a veteran move and sneaking up through the crowd, I placing myself on the front line. After a few call ups for the big names, such as my handsome teammates Ian Dille and Phil Wikoff, I was set to race.

The first 20 minutes of the race were a big blur as I tried to just stay on the wheel in front of me and not botch a corner too bad. I remember thinking to myself when is it going to finally settle down and when will I be able to stop jumping out of every corner. The answer: Never.

Thirty minutes into the race 3/4 of the field had dropped out or been pulled by official. The prime bell started going off offering riders $100 primes and merchandise like Oakley Jawbone sunglasses. Chad decided to make a move and ended off the front winning the matte white Jawbone’s (fortuitous since he lost his previous Oakleys in Tulsa). A break countered Chad after he won the prime and Ian bridged up to the seven riders that had powered away. The group kept the pressure on and eventually Ian succumbed to the pace along with a couple of other riders. Chad and I tried to secure a top ten for the team but little groups kept getting away and I found myself in the fourth group on the road. After sprinting my little group I ended up 15th with Chad in 22nd place.


The best part of the night came as I was cooling down. My two of my biggest supporters, my mom and sister, surprised me. They had driven to the race without me knowing and were cheering for me the entire time. It was a great way to the end night having my mom and sister there after taken part in such a cool race. Super Squadra cant wait till next year.

Images courtesy C. Haga Photography.

The three days between the State Championship crit on Monday and day 1 of Tulsa Tough flew by. Dave, Phil, and Steven were sitting Tulsa out in preparation for the weeks to come, and Alan was meeting me and Ian up there. After enduring midday Dallas traffic on the Austin-Dallas leg to pick me up, Ian handed over the keys so I could drive us to Tulsa. The problem? I couldn’t drive a stick.

“Jump behind the wheel, let’s do this,” he encouraged me. After a jerky and tense lap around the neighborhood, we were Tulsa-bound! We arrived at our host house and met the gracious couple that would be putting up with us for the next few days. After a quick PBJx2 dinner, we got ready to race and found a spot close to the course to park. Alan was already getting after it in the 1/2 race, but got caught behind a big crash and was unable to chase all the way back to the pack. After a brief warmup, Ian and I found ourselves at the start line. This was my first night-time race, and my first NRC race. The crowds just put the environment over the top; it was rowdy and loud and I couldn’t wait to get going.

Shortly after the race kicked off, I found myself at the front and then off the front getting in a few moves. There were huge screens around the course and the ever-present man-with-the-mic Dave Towle was screaming at fans, and I wanted them to hear my mis-pronounced name! During the middle third of the race, I was off the front a handful of times, once or twice solo. Rounding a corner to see an image of my own face on the screen ahead was a new experience for sure…. Ian made his way up to the front and got in the mix as well. Aside from nearly being scared out of my form- fitting lycra from fireworks at the adjacent baseball field, the race was uneventful; dodged a few crashes and stayed out of trouble. With just 20 laps left on the short and technical course, I was too far back to really mix it up in the sprint and just hung back to finish the race.

In my excitement to drive back to the house, I was uncharacteristically absentminded and left my helmet, sunglasses, and heart rate monitor on the roof of the car; they were nowhere to be found when I returned 30 minutes later. After a late-night dinner, we met our fellow houseguest, an opera singer.

We awoke saturday morning in no particular hurry, and after a hearty breakfast pedaled out to Tulsa’s river hike-and-bike path for an hour-long spin. Robert, our host, had graciously lent me a mid-90’s Specialized helmet (got to represent the sponsor!) to protect my noggin. Lunch was accompanied by the sound of vintage vinyl records, then a nap, and finally it was time to race again.

Alan finished his race amidst the sprinters, then made his way to our start line for a quick helmet swap with me. Once again I made several efforts to get away from the pack but our groups never survived much longer than a lap. Ian was following the moves when I wasn’t, and the laps ticked by. When it became clear another pack sprint was in order, Ian and I began the struggle for position. On the last lap, I knew the outside of a particular turn was the wrong place to be even at just 15 riders back, and sure enough the riders crushed together at the turn’s exit against the curb and a pile-up ensued. I almost saved it with a last-ditch skid but still ended up atop the pile with a few scrapes. Thankfully Ian was on the inside of that turn and escaped free for an almost top-11 finish.

After we collected ourselves, the Sound Pony bar on the backside of the course (where spectators had been rowdy all night) was beckoning us. The cyclist-owned bar was quite the place to be with plenty of fans, racers, post-race refreshments, and a photographer present.





The late-night dinner was highlighted by our host’s special homebrew. After a restful sleep, Sunday morning was a replay of the day before: hearty breakfast, river trail spin that spilled over through an industrial park that piqued the nostrils, lunch, nap, race. The final race of the ‘Tough is unique in that it features a mean hill on the backside of the course, complete with a rambunctious party spilling over onto the course.



After biding my time until the half-way point, I followed a few moves. We looked golden when a group of 8 got away with 15 laps to go. We got about 15 seconds on the pack at one point but were not working well enough together to stay away. It was the move that went right after we were caught that stayed away–another race of would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. Ian claimed the last spot that payed out. As we thanked our hosts, we learned that the record that had us so enamored for the weekend (with a personal note from Boy George) had been a prank forgery. Oh well…. After a quick shower we were back on the road, ready for the next weekend of racing (after a quick stop at Braum’s, that is).



Race photos by our host, Robert Billings. Thanks for everything!

The marquee event of the Memorial Day weekend crits is always the state championship, and on this particular Monday the full Super Squadra crew descended upon Fort Worth ready to do battle. After being stymied the previous two days, we didn’t need much pep talk to get excited. This year’s edition was earlier in the day than usual, so we wouldn’t completely melt in the 90-minute slugfest. Also, the Cat 2’s were given a separate race for the first time so it would just be 50-something P/1’s going round and round the traditional downtown course.

The race started with fervor, as full crews of Metro VW and THSJ had plenty of riders in the mix in addition to many from smaller teams. Our plan was to make sure that we had at least one rider in every move and to keep the intensity up. The race is often one of attrition, which we expected to ultimately benefit us. Just 15 minutes into the race, I launched off the front during a brief lull to see who I could draw out. After two laps alone, Chad Cagle of Dallas Racing joined me for another two. By the time I returned to the pack, it was clear that San Jose was racing for a pack sprint.



As the laps ticked by, the race never slowed down. Every rider in red spent time off the front in an effort to get away, but with so many fast racers present it would have to be the perfect combination to get away. We never found that combination…. Around 4 or 5 laps remaining, THSJ set up their 8-man leadout at the front to control the pace. Phil slotted in a few riders behind the green train with Wheeler behind him. Dave and I were positioned a little farther back, biding our time. I was definitely feeling the previous two days of racing and my efforts from earlier in the race. When the final lap bell rang as we flew by, the race started to break apart. On the bricked back stretch of the course, chaos broke loose in a battle for position, sending multiple contenders sliding across the pavement, including Phil, Steven, Kremke, and Fawley.



Josh Carter of THSJ brought home another win, while Dave crossed the line for 8th and I rolled in 18th. Not all races have happy endings; this one just stoked the fire for races to come….

Photos from C. Haga Photography. Thanks!

It is not quite the production of Holland Racing’s Driveway Series, but King Racing Group’s first-year of promoting the Thursday Night Criterium is certainly a success. I’ve spent many a Tuesday evening at the historical Tuesday Night Crit in Plano but had not yet made it out to the newest Dallas racing scene. After sitting through an hour of Dallas traffic, I arrived at the undeveloped neighborhood tucked away in quaint Sunnyvale, TX eager to see what this race is all about.

It’s the little things that matter–porta-john near registration with toilet paper and hand sanitizer: check; quick and painless registration: check; easy and plentiful parking: check. With 30 minutes to kill before my race, I warmed up on the miles of lightly-trafficked and nicely-shaded road just outside the course.

Okay, so this race has all the amenities that racers like, but how is the racing? With the Memorial Day crits kicking off in two days, this week featured many of Dallas’ P/1/2 racers who were looking for a tune-up race. Metro VW had several riders in the mix, Johnny Sundt made an appearance, and a small crew from RBM including Andrew Armstrong on the hunt for his 4th straight win at this race comprised some of the 1/2/3 field. As a bonus, we got to race with Ben Spies–the current World Superbike Champion. Thankfully his bike was less Super and more Specialized for this race!

As all training crits should be, everyone raced aggressively. Metro VW was constantly sending riders off and I kept myself busy covering their moves as well as others’. The course is not very technical, which makes it quite difficult to get away cleanly from the pack on such a fast course. I took a few digs of my own during lulls to keep the intensity up, and finally a group got away with just ten minutes left in the race. The games finally started on the final lap, and Sundt decided to drive the pace for the lap. Andrew Armstrong ramped the pace fast with 500 meters to go; I was 2nd wheel. It seemed as if I was getting a perfect leadout, but Armstrong knew–and I learned–that if you lead into the final sweeping turn 100 m from the finish you stand a good chance at winning. The turn isn’t very hard at normal speeds, but when you have to chase around the outside at 40 mph you notice the turn! Andrew held the inside line and was able to hold me off for the win by half a wheel.

I didn’t get any of the several primes offered, but I did get some money for 2nd. As I walked up to collect my prize money, Ginny handed me an ice-cold bottle of water. I’d call it a good day.

We’ve had a great run over the last month at The Driveway Bike Race Series. Phil won the last race in May, I won the first and the series overall, as well as the team getting podiums and primes every week. June would be another important month, we’re gearing up for Nationals in Bend and these races are the best way for us to measure our strengths and weaknesses before heading out of town.

By now, after five seasons of having my Thursdays dominated by East Austin happenings at The Driveway, I’ve figured a few things out. First, East 2nd street is a smooth, flat way out to the race. Second, if it rains, I’m more worried about my ride to and from The Driveway than about my racing on the tacky surface at the race track. Third, you’ve got to have a plan. If you get on the podium, how are you going to ham it up?

The big story of the day good was news that Teammate Wikoff will be raising the next generation field sprinter. Motivation was high to welcome the news of Phil and Daniele’s well-timed November child. Keep in mind that this will be a disadvantage for Young Wikoff with racing age determined on 12/31 of the current year, but as the child ages into the masters categories, YW will have a distinct advantage. Clever. Ah, the advantages of having smart parents.

The 5/3 Driveway race was spartan in attendance due to competitors traveling north for Tulsa Tough and the weather conditions being too nice for just a 1hr race. 73 and light sun made most folks want to go for more, thus, I rode out to the race and slotting several wheels back in the 30 rider group. The race stayed a steady 27.3mph for the first 15min as a large early split gained an advantage. THSJ lost their rider in the move, then Casey Crosby and Will Ross took to the front to pull things back. Nerds, the first 15min of the race was at 2.9w/kg.

The prime bell started to ring and the race picked up a bit. Several riders went for long solo moves to make the cash, or bar tape, but the only rider to break from the field for a signficant advantage was Team LifeSize’s John Korioth. Once he was caught, I attacked for the next prime, and kept going. To get the prime, it was a 900w jump and 1:40 438w effort to get to the finish line clean, but my gap was good enough that I figured I’d see who I could draw out of the field to play off the front. Several laps (9) later, I reached the finish line with an average speed for the break at 27.3mph, 4.3w/kg, roughly 310w, and a well-thought out victory pose.

About three laps before the finish, I knew I had a monumental task. I had to come up with a victory solute worthy of a new Wikoff. Do I sprint and toss up both arms? Do I perform the Lion’s Roar from the ‘09 Pace Bend win? Do I simulate popped Daniele’s Eggo’s in the toaster and have them snap up into the air? No. I rocked the baby, err, next generation field sprinter, all the way to the finish.

There’s a new category in Texas, the Pro/ 1. There are not that many professionals that show up to these races, but holy cow the Cat1s turn out for reasonable size fields. About 40 riders started both the Gary Glickman Memorial Criterium and the GS Tenzing Criterium, and teams showed in strong numbers. We entered four riders each day, Metro VW with about seven, Matrix with three, and Team Hotel San Jose with eight. If the right mix of riders made it together, the field would split each day and gradually the gap between them would grow.

At Glickman, Chad and I made the move of roughly a dozen riders that included three Metros and five THSJs. No one drove the move, it just sort of went around the course without much motivation aside from some digs to see if the group could split. With strong THSJ numbers, they played a thier hand by pulling back moves and nudging us closer to lapping the field. As we did, Chad and I had less and less of a chance of pulling off a move to win without lapped riders participating in a chase to limit our gains. As the last two laps approached, the sprint became chaotic and it was clear that to finish, we were going to have to ride to the outside of the group and just swarm back around the field after they swarmed us. In the final kick to the line, I finished 5th, Chad 8th.

The next morning (which was beautiful, btw) the GsT crit was pretty much the same story but Ian made the split with us, as did Josh Carter. Coming into the bell lap, we were catching the field and they were allowed to participate in our last lap and sprint. More chaos, so we free-lanced our finish to more top 10s, me in 4th, Chad in 5th.

Dave and I met up with KEYE Austin reporter Jason Wheeler on Shoal Creek this morning to discuss this weekend’s State Age Based Criterium Championships. Check out what we had to say at the link below.

Cycling championships come to Austin