[late post due to technical difficulties] Spence & I are in Bend for the Elite and Junior Road Nats. We're missing the rest of the AC JT and hey, where are the AC Elites? Bend is an amazing town-- cyclists' heaven. Bike lanes and single track everywhere.
To the racing.. 13-14 field was stacked. Lots of big name teams (Garmin Chipotle Juniors among them). UCI commissaires checking bikes in a jig and roll-out in a precise aluminum tray-- gearing needed to be spot on.
The course was an out-back gradual climb-descent. Full power both directions-- if your gearing was at the max, no coasting. Spence's 52x14 prevented him from spinning out. And he passed rollout with about 2" to spare.
As the race progressed (~55 starters) the time to beat continued to drop-- 20min, 19, 18, 17... Spence came across at 18:12 for 12th place, which I think is an awesome result. Last year's champ started last and finished with an absolutely scorching 16:10 to win again. Spence was the highest placing Californian.
Tomorrow's crit will be very cross-like. Super technical and whoever is in the lead group to get the hole-shot will prolly win it. Spence prepped for the crit by resting and tubing the Deschutes River with some of the other 13-14 racers-- the girls from Proman Hit Squad!
Good riding.
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