So, I know that it's been a good long while since I've written on here, but now I truly have something to write about, so off we go!
So this past weekend marked the official Team Sonic-Treehouse Racing debut! After months of working to align sponsor commitments, straightening out kits and bikes, struggling through too many nights on that dreaded trainer, we were finally ready to step out into the Tennessee morning air and give it a go. Our first test was the one-day race, The Hell of the South...hmm, sounds benign.
So this past weekend marked the official Team Sonic-Treehouse Racing debut! After months of working to align sponsor commitments, straightening out kits and bikes, struggling through too many nights on that dreaded trainer, we were finally ready to step out into the Tennessee morning air and give it a go. Our first test was the one-day race, The Hell of the South...hmm, sounds benign.
The Hell of the South was a first edition race that was slated as a "classics" style one-day race created to test the meddle of each racer with plenty of rough terrain, some fast downhill sections with lots of decreasing radius turns, a few little kickers and a sweet little pave' section just for good measure. For a small, first edition race, HOS drummed up quite a good bit of buzz throughout the southeastern racing scene and, as such, all of the southern states were well represented by some of the best riders in the region. With 2 broken saddles, hundreds of flats, thousands of orphaned water bottles and a lost saddle pack, the HOS certainly lived up to its name as a rough riding hard-man's course!
The morning was cold and overcast but warm enough to do without all of the bulky winter riding paraphernalia. Since it was the first Tennessee race of the year, the pace was extremely high from the gun as everyone was excited to show their form - or lack thereof. Over the first 10k, we averaged about 34mph while the pack swelled and slimmed over the undulating terrain - everyone anticipating that first pave' section. Just as we thought, the pave' made for a nice place to attack as a group of 5 went up the road over the loose uphill sections. Luke came off the pave' in no man's land and chased the break for a few miles without success and was soon consumed by the field. Thus went the race - up the road. Travis made some very strong turns on the front later in the lap to pull the break back into sight though, it seems that everyone assumed it would come back into the fold...it didn't. While the break dangled at around 10 seconds for a few miles, at some point, the they punched it and we never saw them again.
Speaking of punching, did I mention that Travis punched an old man on the course?! Okay, so, he didn't really punch him and I don't think he was really that old (not Robert G. old anyway...) - just gave him a nice firm hand on the hip to let him where he should have been riding, as opposed to setting up camp on Travis' back! Later on, Travis did the team one better when, sensing the time was right, made a great move to the front of the group coming in to the finish and completely dusted the field for 5th place on the day! The only downside of this is that the old man that Trav love tapped got his revenge and pipped ol' Travis at the line to win the field sprint. I guess Travis' back was the place to be all along! Who knew?! This, though, is how lessons are learned and all in all, the team rode very well for a first effort despite missing the early move. Both Philly and Sam were active at the front of the group to keep the pace high and were involved in several mid-race moves that just couldn't make it work.
Next up, the team will be split this weekend as most of us - Sam, Travis, Philly, Luke, and Lyn will be heading to Tuscaloosa for the aptly named Tour de Tuscaloosa. Bradley will be the lone racer for us competing in an early season time trial and criterium in the Charter Communications Sprung Forward Omnium. Good luck to all of the guys this weekend and stay tuned for more updates!
Cheers!
Team Sonic-Treehouse Racing
