The Cascade Classic turned out to be one of the most aggressive and exciting races of our season. Top notch competition flooded the field – BMC (home from the Tour De Swiss), Slipstream (the guys that didn’t make the Tour De France), Toyota United, Rock Racing, Health Net, Type 1, Bissell, … and Astana, who arrived with none other than last year’s 3rd place Tour de France finisher - Levi Leipheimer. Oh, and did I mention all the best amateur teams in the country, including Team Legacy Energy, rolled into town and worked hard all week trying to get noticed. Lined up and rolling off the line on the first day, all this talent added up to an average speed of 29.8 mph and 84 miles on the first day!
Team Legacy Energy Ciclismo had a challenging and great week. As a team, we grew 10 times over. Weeks like this one will make us the Team we want to be. We have a great group of riders - hard working and talented. I want to introduce the cast we put together for the Cascade Classic.
For the overall race classification, Team Legacy Energy supported Jarred Berger our quiet, hard as nails, TT specialist, Ian Gray, a new member of the team who has the talent to climb with the best, and Rolf Eisinger, a rider who can climb (4th at Mt Evans –‘ 07), Time Trial (even if he doesn’t think so), and ride a criterium with the fast kids.
Our hard ‘old’ men, Paul Esposti, 36, and Rich Davies, 38, rode in support . Our sprinter, Phil Mann, earned his fitness and the respect of his teammates by doing the work at this climbing stage race. Dan Workman upgraded to a Category 1 rider on Tuesday just in time to get into Cascade! “Welcome to the big league, Dan”
Throughout the week, our crew worked together and grew under the leadership of Brad Cole. Brad has not had the season he had hoped for and it’s been a difficult 8 weeks since the Tour of the Gila. His form wasn’t there to lead the team in the GC at Cascade, so he led them on the road. He showed class and commitment to his teammates and we all are better for it.
Starting out, Team Legacy Energy set the bar high. We wanted to be: the best amateur team, have the best amateur rider, and to have a rider on a stage or a classification podium. Looking back at the week, we were successful. Rolf was 3rd in the King of the Mountains classification. We were the second place amateur team. Rolf was the 4th place amateur followed by Jarred in 9th and and Ian in 10th. Three Top 10 amateurs ain’t too bad.
Results can’t show how we developed as a team during our Cascade experience. We grew as a team. Rich, Paul, Brad, and Phil all had a day that they hauled 18 or more bottles from the car to their teammates. We had two bike changes – the second one much less costly and much faster than the first! Thirteen people lived, raced, and worked hard in one house for one week and had no conflict. (The Grays are exempt from this statement because they work best with comedy and conflict! Thanks!)
Our support staff made the week possible. Rob Noble spent his vacation riding in the Team car. He filled water bottles, changed bikes, and was our, ‘Can you get me this?’ guy. Rob Ganger, our main sponsor rode in the car too, supporting the boys and making this program possible. Every team should have parents. The Gray’s, Ian’s awesome parents, volunteered to be our in house mom and dad for the week. They ran the kitchen, took care of the feed zones, and fed the team not only pasta, but energy and charm. If we could only afford for them to come to every race…
Team Legacy Energy Ciclismo raced hard every day and came to some important realizations. We are one of the best amateur teams in the country. We know that we are developing good systems – keeping the stuff that works and rethinking the stuff that doesn’t. Everything from bike changes, to feeds, sleeping, and eating, has to have a system that works. And let’s not forget about the racing - what level of fitness it takes, what kind of power we need, and how tactics and teamwork can change a race. All of these puzzle pieces have started falling into place. It is a very exciting and challenging sport, cycling, and WE are going to be great together!
Thanks you for your support and keep up with the team. We aim at winning a National Championship in the Road Race, the Time Trial, or the Criterium this August and we are happy to have you along for our journey.
--Andy Clark
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