jwpennington
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This year at nationals there was a lot more competition for my age =
division, almost 45 riders in the time trial. It was supposed to be a 10 =
k time trial this year, but it couldn't have been because people were =
whipping out average speeds of 32 mph. In the time trial I got a time =
of 12:30 which was only 1.6 seconds over fourth, and only 3.2 seconds =
over fifth, pretty good for me but not good enough for first. The guy =
who got first was only 13 which is pretty unusual and he had a time of =
11:45.
Last year there were about 35 riders for the road race, this year =
there were almost 45, which is a sign that Lance is doing some good. The =
road race was only 18 miles long but was very intense. It was a nine =
mile course with short rolly hills all along the course until about 2 =
miles from the finish where there was an elevation gain of almost 400 =
feet. This was where I was planning on breaking away, or at least =
breaking up the field. On the first lap I went hard up the hill and by =
the top I had six other guys with me. We worked together for a while but =
after a couple of miles we were caught by a chase group of about twenty. =
On the second time up the hill I tried again to make a break, but by the =
top I only had like a five yard gap. The same six that were with me =
before grouped together for the descent to the finish. There were some =
breaks going down and by the last corner, which was about 400 meters =
from the finish, I was last in the group. Everybody went too early =
except Nathan Odio (the winner of the crit.) and me. Nathan went for it =
about 100 meters from the finish and right when he went for it I made my =
move and beat him to the line. =20
The Crit. was unusually fast. People were making breaks all over the =
place, one after another. I made some breaks, a couple actually did get =
a gap, but I went so hard to make the break I couldn't hold it. Anyways =
at the finish I was about to be fourth around the last corner, but =
Nathan Odio blew by us around the last corner along with about 7 other =
guys. I knew I was toast but I went hard anyways and I made my way up to =
fourth.
On the way home (or at least I thought on the way home) my dad took =
me to France to watch the Tour de France. I had no idea that I was going =
to France. I even got through passport checking and customs. I was on =
the plane, people were speaking in french and I still had no idea I was =
going to France. I kept wondering what was going on. . .international =
terminal, passports, foreign language mixed with Engish, but my dad had =
an answer for every question. The only way I found out was by the new =
G.P.S systems on the back of the new 777's. I saw the plane take =
off.turn around, and head over the Atlantic. I was pretty shocked. We =
had a great time in France. We watched Lance go up Mont Ventoux and the =
Col d'Izoard. On Mont Ventoux my dad dressed up as Bat Man and ran along =
side Lance, Ulrich, Pantani, and Viranque. Yep, France was a lot of fun!
I want to thank Bill Cass and my dad for their great coaching and =
encouragement, Mark Ginsberg for a complete "racing wardrobe", the disc =
wheels from ?, and Team O for providing me with my bike and a great =
group of riders to train with!=20
=20
Luke
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> This year at =
nationals there was=20
a lot more competition for my age division, almost 45 riders in the time =
trial.=20
It was supposed to be a 10 k time trial this year, but it couldn't have =
been=20
because people were whipping out average speeds of 32 mph. In the =
time=20
trial I got a time of 12:30 which was only 1.6 seconds over fourth, and =
only 3.2=20
seconds over fifth, pretty good for me but not good enough for first. =
The guy=20
who got first was only 13 which is pretty unusual and he had a time of=20
11:45.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Last year there were =
about 35=20
riders for the road race, this year there were almost 45, which is a =
sign that=20
Lance is doing some good. The road race was only 18 miles long but was =
very=20
intense. It was a nine mile course with short rolly hills all along the =
course=20
until about 2 miles from the finish where there was an elevation gain of =
almost=20
400 feet. This was where I was planning on breaking away, or at least =
breaking=20
up the field. On the first lap I went hard up the hill and by the top I =
had six=20
other guys with me. We worked together for a while but after a couple of =
miles=20
we were caught by a chase group of about twenty. On the second time up =
the hill=20
I tried again to make a break, but by the top I only had like a five =
yard gap.=20
The same six that were with me before grouped together for the descent =
to the=20
finish. There were some breaks going down and by the last corner, which =
was=20
about 400 meters from the finish, I was last in the group. Everybody =
went too=20
early except Nathan Odio (the winner of the crit.) and me. Nathan went =
for it=20
about 100 meters from the finish and right when he went for it I made my =
move=20
and beat him to the line. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> The Crit. was =
unusually fast.=20
People were making breaks all over the place, one after another. I made =
some=20
breaks, a couple actually did get a gap, but I went so hard to make the =
break I=20
couldn't hold it. Anyways at the finish I was about to be fourth around =
the last=20
corner, but Nathan Odio blew by us around the last corner along with =
about 7=20
other guys. I knew I was toast but I went hard anyways and I made my way =
up to=20
fourth.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> On the way =
home (or at=20
least I thought on the way home) my dad took me to France to watch the =
Tour de=20
France. I had no idea that I was going to France. I even got through =
passport=20
checking and customs. I was on the plane, people were speaking in french =
and I=20
still had no idea I was going to France. I kept wondering what was going =
on. .=20
.international terminal, passports, foreign language mixed with Engish, =
but my=20
dad had an answer for every question. The only way I found out was =
by the=20
new G.P.S systems on the back of the new 777's. I saw the plane take =
off.turn=20
around, and head over the Atlantic. I was pretty shocked. We had a great =
time in=20
France. We watched Lance go up Mont Ventoux and the Col d'Izoard. On =
Mont=20
Ventoux my dad dressed up as Bat Man and ran along side Lance, Ulrich, =
Pantani,=20
and Viranque. Yep, France was a lot of fun!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> I want to thank Bill =
Cass and my=20
dad for their great coaching and encouragement, Mark Ginsberg for a =
complete=20
"racing wardrobe", the disc wheels from ?, and Team O for =
providing me=20
with my bike and a great group of riders to train with! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Luke</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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