Stage Win and Leaders Jersey!

I look a little comfortable in this photo, don't be fooled, I was ripping into it and hurting

David giving it a dig on the climb for 9th place.

Podium! (photos: Greg Descartes-www.descartes.com)

I am off to a good start here in British Colombia. Actually a surprisingly good start. I won the stage and am in the leaders jersey tomorrow. It wasn't an easy stage to win. Obviously I felt pretty good. My typical race routine, "I don't think my legs feel good", turned into lighting it up. The course was a steep climb with 18% grades in spots and seven hundred meters. The format was a two up drag race for the first heat up the climb but it was timed. You could definitely go to hard to soon and blow up before you reached the top. I tried to take it easy for the first 100 meters and not go to hard, then hit it for the rest. The riders that post the 5 fastest times of the day up the climb have to do it again in a 5 up sprint. The firs time up my arms were numb, legs numb and loaded with lactate, and totally cross eyed out of breath. My time was good enough for the 3rd fastest time.

In the finale it ended up being Canada vs. Shriver. I went up against 4 other Canadians, 3 of them being strong Symetrics riders. Recently crowned National Champion Cam Evans and Andrew Pinfold were the two guys I was most worried about. I started out the climb and was at the front most of the way up sticking to the right side of the road. The finale wasn't as hard until the end and was much more tactical. I had to watch each guy and try to keep in good position. In the last pitch with about 300 meters to go Cam Evans took off. I jumped on his wheel and looked back, it was just the two of us. The crowd was awesome and as we went over the climb the road split into two, I went right and Cam went left. With about 100 meters to go we were both totally cracking ( I was for sure anyway!) and sprinting in the hoods. I went for the drops, weaving and gasping for air. After hitting the drops it was much easier to give a good dig for the win.

It was exciting. The Symetrics guys are tough and will be out for blood all week. It will be tough to hang on to the jersey because this is an omnium and means I have to be in the top 10 of each stage. Who knows what will happen? The legs feel good, I am positive, and happy! I think that will be enough to do well this weekend. Tomorrow is the crit. There should be some good photos soon. Thanks for stopping by!