We find the race after a wrong turn and some confusion from leaving the actual directions at home ö thankfully we carry mobile phones and a quick call gets us on track.Ê The rain has been steady for the last 2 hours of driving and it looks like Iâll be making good use of my Bourn protect oil and of course the arm warmers ö heck I could almost use my vest and itâs August!Ê Itâs gonna be an interesting day ö 50 riders, and a course that looks like a upside down parabola ö there is NO flat land here!

Ok ö so race is underway after the usual pre-race warnings/instructions and threats about the yellow line.Ê After a short neutral section ö the hostilities begin.Ê Itâs snappy but everyone together since the first climb is only a few miles up.Ê We hit the climb and I feel ok ö some guys slide out the back though ö unfortunately Jon is one of them ö but he able to chase back on ö only 5 laps to go, Jon.Ê The decent is pretty technical and a lot of fun ö I love fast downhills with lots of turns, curves and undulations that make you light in the stomach ö almost makes the climbing worth while.Ê Anyway ö not much getâs going until a lap or so later and there are three or four guys that escape.Ê They build a nice gap if over a minute (I think ö reports are sketchy).Ê The field quickens a bit though and some attacks on the subsequent laps of climbing whittle it down.Ê Adam Garlapow (Shikluna) makes an attempt to get away but is quickly brought back and almost deposited ö bet that hurt ö looked painful from my view.Ê Well, the attacks a quickened pace brings the break back in sight and then the smell of blood incites the frenzy and with 3 to go it is game on again.

We loose more riders in the following climb but it seems to be small losses ö although you can see some fatigue setting in.Ê So ö 2 laps to go ö thatâs 25 miles left.Ê Some guys sneak off the front an dI figure itâs time to make something happen ö I jump after them.Ê Of course it is the downhill before the first section of climbing.Ê Iâm burning matches quick to make this move, but most all the team have someone so this should stick ö better suck it up and make it happen.Ê We hit the first section of climb and I figure this is gonna snap now ö NOPE.Ê We get caught in the first 400 meters of climb!Ê Great ö my legs are hurtinâ now and then of course, itâs a P1-2 so there is a counter attack.Ê I hang on and try to recover ö as if you CAN on a climb after getting caught.Ê Well, I stick and nothing escapes until later on and then about 4 riders get clear ö Iâm not going after that last punishment, given the result.

The break gains about 30 seconds and by the time we hit one to go they are hanging at about 20 seconds.Ê The Fior di Frutta team has nobody in the move though and they have like 5 guys here today.Ê I talk to this Loius Garneu rider and he says they will get it going soon to launch the yellow shoe cover rider.Ê Ok ö note to self ö follow that guy.Ê Meanwhile as we are on the fist section of climbing another 3 or 4 riders escapes and actually bridges to the break.Ê Câmon, what happened to my yellow shoe cover dude ö is he going or not.Ê All right ö well, no Fior di Frutta guys are up there so I gotta believe they are gonna keep setting tempo and prepare to launch.Ê We close in to about 15 seconds as we enter the section section of steeper climbing.Ê It is about a mile to the top and about 5 miles to the finish.Ê Yellow shoes cover dude is getting anxious and is moving to the right side of the field.Ê Heâs getting ready to go ö I make a clear shot to him and as he jumps Iâm straight on his wheel.Ê I look back and his teammate is on me, so I let up and let that guy ahead to.Ê May as well get as much free ride as I can.Ê We catch a rider dropped off the break under the pressure.Ê That guy gets in my way and I loose the Firo di Frutta wheels and yellow shoes cover dude jumps again to make contact.Ê I jump, but I start to come apart at the seems.Ê A quick glance and the field is not responding!Ê I gotta make it on.Ê ÎYellow coversâ is on now and Iâm stuck 5 seconds off ö câmon.Ê We crest the hill and Iâm hanginâ but not making contact.Ê As we start down the little decent before the last uphill popper I know I gtta get on before that popper or Iâm gonna blow a gasket.Ê I give it all thatâs in the tank and even scrape the bottom a little.Ê Iâm on with about 5-10 seconds to ãrecoverä as we hit the little 150 meter popper.Ê Some additional gnawing on my handlebars keeps me in contact and soon we are on the technical decent.Ê Iâm good to go and the field is not in sight ö this was the move.Ê There are about 10 or 12 guys here now.Ê I sit the wheels now and wait for the sprint.Ê 2 miles to go as we hit the main road.Ê A jump or two but nothing is gonna go clear now ö at least not with me in it!Ê One mile to go· the tension in the group builds.Ê At 1 km the looking around starts and I am focused on not getting boxed in.Ê The first desperate jumps from theÊ non-sprinters starts and ramps the speed up.Ê 250 meters to go and Iâm gonna jump, but Andy Ruiz (CBC) comes by me with a Gears rider on his wheel ö thatâs fine except they stall out and are boxing me in!Ê Louis Garneu Êjumps on the right ö but I canât get out!Ê I BACK around the Gears rider and then punch the gast with about 100 meters left.Ê I blow by the guys that were boxing me in and am coming up to the Louis Garneu guy fast.Ê I am outa rode now though and we hit the line with him about a bike length ahead of me.Ê So I grab second overall ö BUT since the Louis Garneu rider is from Massachusetts ö I win the NY State Road Race Championship!Ê So I add a state gold medal to my palmares for the season!