Tag: flying bobcats

Bikes and Beer:Stories from the 2014 Season-DNF

mattmay2jpgThree letters you do not want next to your name, DNF. Did Not Finish! The Pedal for Proceeds Bicycle race in Whitewater was on my racing calendar this week. I always look forward to this event because it is usually flat and very fast just the way I like it. It is short as races go just over 23 miles and usually there is a very strong head wind in some direction. This year was no exception as the wind was in our face for the first 3 miles. Ouch!
5 of my Flying Bobcats teammates were along to keep me company on this day and I would need every one of them since the Big Ring Flyers lead by Nate Phelps keep the pressure on by sending folks off the front. Each time an attack was launched Tim Skinner, Dan Valenza or Tyler Byrnes would be there to cover the move. Matt Wurz and I were kept safe in the peleton in case there is a needed bunch sprint. Now that sounds like a good plan and it was working great up until about mile 17. I looked down to see my rear tyre completely flat! My race was done.
With me out of the way it would free up other members of my team to try and finish off a good placing for the team. Matt Wurz got into a good group of three riders with about two mile to go and aided by the other members of the Bobcats blocking and covering any other attacks, Matt was sure to be on the podium! Matt has a real strong finish and his sprint can pack a punch. As the breakaway splintered in the final few hundred meters matt was able to finish off the day with a strong 2nnd place finish for his second podium of the season!

Matt Wurz in the winning breakaway
This was a great day for the Bobcats placing 3 in the top 10 and 4 in the top 15. For the next couple of weeks I will be focusing on training for the Bone ride. I need to do a series of longer faster rides to get the ole legs into riding distance shape and get the Butt use to the saddle a little more. Thanks again for reading.
Pedal For Proceeds Results
2nd Matt Wurz
5th Tyler Byrnes
8th Daniel J Valenza
11th Tim Skinner
54th DNF Matt Hanson 

    Bike and Beers #3

    March 27, 2014 was my last day of training indoors.  Time to put the Fluid Trainer away, and hit the asphalt of Dane county for the rest of the cycling season. I always look forward to the first outdoor rides of the year. I get to check on my riding form and see if all the hard work done indoors pays off in performance on the road.

    Riding outside is a lot different than indoors, wind, hills and surface of the road are constantly changing which makes training in the elements a fun little factor to play with as a rider. My early season rides usually consist of using my small chain ring to work on my spin and leg speed. My cadence is 87 RPM so I am constantly checking on that.  If I get 30-40 miles in for a ride 3-4 times per week over the next two to three weeks I should be ready for racing.

     matt blog3

    April 6th is my first race of the year for 2014. The race is 35 minute criterium at Research Park here in Madison. My race is at 12:55 PM and I hope that a few of my fellow Bobcats will come out for the race.  Crits are lapped races and usually start fast and stay fast for the 30+ minutes that they last. They are also good races for spectators to watch because I come riding by every few minutes without the spectators ever moving from where they are siting.

    When I race I am constantly trying to hold my position at the front of the field and keep an eye on my competitors. I like to ride 3-4 riders behind the front rider so I get the draft of the riders in front of me and I am able to mark any attacks off the front and possibly get into a break away. The crits that I race usually come down to a sprint finish and over the years I have become quite good at sprinting.

    I like racing bicycles and after 30+ years, I think of it as just a part of me. Over those 30 years I had many teammates so I always look forward to the first race of the year and seeing the new racers. I sure hope my blogs become more entertaining with stories of success on the racing circuit this year. Winter training and lifting weights, while fun, do not make for good story telling.

    Last year was a great year for the team and me so I am hoping for more success this year. Next week I will be able to give you a full report from the world of training outside on the road. My Regular racing bike, De Rosa Dual HF, is still getting tuned up for the year so if you see me out there I will be riding the Trek training bike.