Author

Kyle Wiberg on May 17, 2009

Race name: LaRue-Denzer / Wheels on Willy Race date: Sunday, May 17, 2009

I am going to summarize the three following race reports with two words. All you really need to know is: HED Wheels.

LaRue-Denzer-LaRue May 17th

Temp was just shy of being perfect. The terrain was great. However, I did not preride this course or warm up sufficiently. As we rolled out, Doug from Tower Racing was chatting on how the season was going, la-de-da. “Have you done this climb yet? It’s a ball buster.” As I missed the break away of 3 riders and Doug and I was drifting out the back of the chase group, I was thinking “wow, he is so right.” My attempt to bridge up left me in no man’s land looking for the downhill that was to slow to arrive to do me any good. Next lap on the stairstepper 2 mile climb, Matt G gets up kicks the chase group in the teeth and takes off. But that no man’s land is a lonely and windy place. I attempted to clean up the field sprint. However, 2 stragglers from a previous field were riding 2 abreast across the whole lane. I had to hit the brakes and MadCity guy pipped me at the line. Sixth place and hightailed it back to the waterpark.

This is an incredible race and should not be missed by anyone under 175lbs. Safe, beautiful, tranquil, and super competitive.

Wheels on Willy, Madison Capitol Square.

Master 4/5, Perfect 65 and sunny with a lite breeze. Safe picturesque course. Cronometro Brazen Dropouts put on a great safe event at an incredible location.

There were a lot of attacks and flyers in this race. I spent my time about 10 to 15 wheels back. Happily sucking wheels and observing the lines and the other racers. At 3 to go*, I had to go get the guy that took off at 5 laps to go. Let 2 others pull through for lap 2. Last lap, I accelerated up the hill between turn 2 and turn 3. They didn’t catch me on my HED wheels.

*oh yeah, at about 5 laps to go, I start hearing tink, tink, tink.... The guys behind are yelling for me to abandon with my broken spoke. It feels fine to me, I roll it. After the race, I found an opened safety pin stuck in my back tire. Pulled it out and bye bye air. Luckily, Machine Works was only 2 blocks away and actually had Vittoria pit stop in stock. Rolling once again on the carbon rocketship.

Master 3/4, The last race got me the upgrade points to get me to the 3’s. But this race started much much faster. Some serious racers tried to put a real hurt on the pack and get away. I thought that several of the breaks would have escaped but they all came back. About 5 laps to go, I found Bob, el presidente, carving up the pack all artful and zen like and it reminded me that the race is ON. Totally snapped me out of the droopys. Took off between turn 1 and 2 and they didn’t catch me on my HED wheels this time either.