If you’re off the front with a seasoned pro 10k to go in a road race, that’s really good news, or really bad news.

In my case: really bad news. We got swallowed up with a few miles to go after some really, really hard riding by me and Rally Pro Cycling rider Tom Soladay. The difference between me and him, though, is that Tom won the race, and after we got caught, I got spit straight out the back. NOT LIT.

All day Saturday at the THK race I was a little too aggressive. We had a pretty full team there and I decided to try to get into a breakaway. Nothing stuck for the first 40k or so, and I should have known to sit up and to try to keep my powder dry, but I just had to keep riding hard all day, hoping that the metaphorical elastic would break somewhere, somehow. But it never happened. The most promising move I got in was the one with Soladay, and then, off the back.

The next day, Gopher Crit, was a new day. It was the culmination of months of stress and work on my part, as I directed the race. I never thought it would have turned out so well and without a hitch, but everything ended up being fine. There was only one crash, with no road rash (Ben Kollaja of UMCT rolled into some grass and still took 3rd) and everyone was happy and paid, at the end of the day. Weather was just a touch cooler than perfect, but the sun and beautiful sky made well up for it.

As for my races I wasn’t sure if I was gonna be able to turn out based on my race directorship, but I ended up being able to race twice. The Collegiate A race was nothing to speak of, as we got outfoxed by the lone UW rider, Andrew Einspanier for the wind (@cheetoluvr_enticer on Instagram and Strava).

I came in dead last, I’m pretty sure the only DFL result of my career. I asked Louis if I was trash, he said no.

I raced the P/1/2/3 Race (first race in Apollo Velo Colors) after running around and manning registration in the sun all day. I was planning on racing for Logan but ended up in a stacked breakaway I looked around and saw Rally Pro Tom Soladay, Flyover Champion Brandon Krawczyk, superstrong Sam Fritz, Junior Worlds Selectee Bjorn Larson, and local legend John Heinlein. Soladay must’ve thought the break was too big and attacked, dropping Bjorn and gapping me and John Heinlein. They took the lap on the field, with Krawcyzk winning and with John and I finishing 4-5.

I had Easter dinner with the Mueller’s ending an exhausting yet fun weekend. Collegiate Regionals in my hometown of Madison next week, and then on to Nationals!

Jack