Sometimes you are the assassin and sometimes you get assassinated.

Rolf Eisinger said “Andy, we came out here with high expectations.” Yes we did Rolf--that is the thing about setting high goals. They are hard to reach and sometimes, most times, we don’t get to be successful at the first attempt. Rolf was Team Legacy Energy’s lone finisher in the RR taking 10^th in the field sprint.

Before the RR let’s look at the Time Trial on Wednesday. Jarred and Robby Ketchell had invested everything into this 33km TT. Robby had worked with Jarred on his position, his training and his mental focus. Since Cascade Jarred has worked solely on this TT. He had everything ready, his brothers were there to support him and everything ran tight. Jarred started at 9:24:30am and ran the plan to perfection. He started well and was catching people on the first climb. As he rode into his effort he keeps bring back the riders that started in front of him. Just over the half way point Jarred had caught 4 riders including the one that started 2 minutes in front of him. The as Jarred was preparing for his final effort on the last climb with 10km to go his brad new tire on his new disk blew out. For it to be equally unfair there is no support allowed on the road. Jarred’s ride was over. His sacrifice and hard work had him in second place with 10km to go in the TT. Everything Jarred and Robby did worked, and that is our only consolation from the TT. Great work boys we all know how much you sacrificed to be ready to succeed.

The Road Race was a sleeper and turned out to be brutal. The course took much more energy than expected and when combined with the heat the race took its toll on the field with only 68 finishers, half of the starting peloton. The last 90 minutes where the hardest on team Legacy Energy Ciclismo and devastated the team. Jarred showing his class overcoming his personal devastation and came to the support of the team and attacked till he had his teammate Ian in the break. His job done he came and helped feed his teammates in the feed zone. Phil Mann countered Rolf’s attack and bridged across to the break. Eighty miles into the race, Team Legacy Energy Ciclismo had two riders in the break of 20 and Rolf was trying to bridge. Everything was going to plan.

As the race entered its final hour the team came apart. Phil’s back could not hold up to the stress his legs where putting on it and he had to retire from the race with pains shooting down his legs. He is ok and will be working on his back now. Ian’s hamstring showed the strain and cramped so bad he almost crashed and had to get off his bike. This happened with 18 miles to go and the break was down to 15 riders. Rolf was left alone repeatedly trying to bridge the gap to the break. He was unsuccessful and managed a good sprint to take 10^th in the field sprint, 26^th for the race.

We take one more shot at a title this year at the Criterium Championships in Downers Grove Illinois next weekend. Rolf and Paul will be our only two riders and we will be aiming to bring home some hardware next Sunday.

Thanks for the support AC