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It was fun, it was cold, it was hilly, and it was dangerous. However I came out with a new motivation for what I want to accomplish next year. I'm still pretty motivated to compete this year but there is not much going on. Do to some cat#2 hill 9k into the last stage, I was dropped and spent 4hrs chasing the field by myself. At times I could see the very end of the caravan but as I got closer it never failed that a climb would be right around the corner. I dug deep all the way to the feed zone where I thought I could get some sugar and some fresh bottles but when I got there my team car had just left. I was only 5-10 minutes behind. I was determined to finish the stage. As my sugar levels dropped and I’m starting to bunk and smell peach cobbler, my eyes started to pop out my head because all my glucose if gone.
Long story short, I got in the last car of the caravan in the last 30k of the race because I just couldn’t pedal anymore.
These guys are not “out of my lead” as some reports has said. For me its going to take a really serious off-season on the bike and getting my injuries dealt with off the bike. I hope the team and I can agree on a tactical race schedule that would allow me to develop and adapt to doing stage races. That’s all it is….that’s all it is.
Freddie put it all in perspective for me. He said, name 3 pro’s from the states that has come over here for the first professional race and placed in the top ten let alone the top 5?
I couldn’t name anyone. So he made me feel a little more content with my 5th place result, that honestly without a doubt I could have won . I should have won.
All Bahatiracing.com Photos Courtesy of VeroImages
All Bahatiracing.com Photos Courtesy of VeroImages