Chris said Belize was cool, the people friendly, the country poor, the food bad. Typical weather for the races was 85F and 85% humidity leaving it to feel like high 90s F. Team USA did well, 1st in one stage (Bjorn Selander who stayed with us and trained here before the race), Chris got second in the final stage The team won the team TT on road bikes when the other top teams had TT bikes, helmets, and kits. Eight US guys finished top twenty-two, with Chris in 17th.
Noel the coach saw this as a training/race before they go to Europe. They had a tiny team car (which threw a wheel in the next to the last stage, Chris said it bounced deep into a swamp), no team van or bus, they had to ride to the start and back from the finish of each stage (30k on average.) Chris started a break in the queen stage, spent 100k off the front with Michael Olheiser who I think is current world masters TT champion, from an all-star masters team. Unfortunately they got caught. The next day he started a break with 12k left and towed a local to the finish, where the local won after taking no pulls in the break. All in all, a successful trip.
Chris is glad the US team did not do the Tour of California this year, especially after seeing the conditions on the Big Sur leg. He is off to Belgium Wednesday for 3+ months. He returns to the US start of June for a training camp in Lake Placid before a Nations Cup race in Canada, then back here for 1 month or more, thern back to Belgium for 3 months give or take. Chris is looking forward to his second year racing in Europe. He misses his Vendee U mates (four of whom race for Bouygues Telecom now), but is looking forward to the types of races the National Team will do and racing with his US friends.
- Ride safe, ride smart, Peter -
Bicycles of Ojai is a full service bicycle shop located in Ojai, Ca.
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