Finishing Well and the Mail Man

Legacy Energy Ciclismo is made up of a classy group of guys. It has been my privilege to work with these riders this season. We have come to the end of the year a little worse for wear. August has been a month of adaptation and improvisation. Some of our riders are injured from the shoulders up and some from the shoulders down. Either way, they are no good until they recover. The team has had to change travel plans, plane tickets, entry fees, and racing strategies continuously the last three weeks. As a director, it’s times like these that you count on the Mail Man.

Every August the best Criterium riders in the world descend on Downers Grove, IL for the National Criterium Championships. The course is always the same every year for the Pro/Am race on Saturday and for the main event on Sunday. It is a great criterium course with a small hill and 8 turns. It is hard and fast and can end with a break or a field sprint. Initially, the team’s goal was to add an Elite National Criterium Championship to Phil’s two collegiate titles. Unfortunately, his back did not let him attempt this feat. I guess we’ll need to wait until next year to see that come to fruition. With our goals revised, we decided that we needed to be in the break if there was one and to have a rider finish in the top 10 at the Championship event.

The team went to Chicago with two riders, Paul (Mail Man) Esposti and Rolf (Steak) Eisinger. Rolf’s aunt and uncle put us up in their home and showed us great hospitality. We also found out the family has been trying to “get some meat on Rolf’s bones”. They think he looks like he needs to eat a steak or eight. Yes, we do have some good stories to tell from the family.

Saturday night our game plan was to play the role of the opportunist and get into a break. The boys rode great taking turns and tagging moves. There was not a break without our pinstripes represented. Rock Racing and Team Kelly Benefits wanted it to come down to a field sprint. The lead-out train got rolling and nobody stayed away. Rock Racing ended with a win for the night and our Mail Man delivered! Paul was the first place amateur in 13^th. It was a good ride and the way the boys rode gave us optimism for the Championships on Sunday.

The big event started at 12:30. Our competition was against California Giant Berries and the defending champions, Team Texas Roadhouse. Each team had eight riders. We were definitely out gunned. Rolf was on fire and attacked the race head on taking on the role of five riders. He was in every big move. The big team decided it was going to be a field sprint this year. As the race came down to the final 3 laps Rolf and Paul put themselves in position behind the three lead-out trains that were battling for control. Cal Berries took over the lead-out on the final lap and destroyed the field! The Mail Man made his way through the chaos and delivered a top ten by finishing 8^th. A great result for a team without a field sprinter in a field sprint finish! Rolf and Paul were asked to be successful at an event that does not fit their strengths. They truly showed their commitment and heart.

Nicely done boys.

AC