Stage 2 and 3

50 miles on back country roads with steep little rollers was hard enough but with the rain soaked course made it a mad house. The first 8 mile circuit was brutal the field was split up not due to the pace but due to all the crashes and flats. With 2 laps to go, Matt (our leader) and I thought it was the last lap so I set up a hard run in to the base of the final climb. I swung off and Matt attacked. I got to the top of the climb and saw the official ringing the bell lap for one to go. Ahh too bad, the last lap was very fast.  I tried to move up for the last 5km for the final climb but I was spun out on junior gears and had to come back after 2 crashes. I hit the hill dead last in about 60th place and crested it 21st.

Stage 3 was the longest and hardest stage. We had 4 steep climbs all about a 1/2 mile to 1.5miles long. Our team was active in the early moves. Finally, Eddy found himself in the early break. About 30 miles later I found myself following a move up a  steep climb. I brdged to the second group on the road and sat on because Eddy was still up the road. However the second group was reabsorbed. I was recovering at the back and swapping bottles in about 80th place when some dude comes up and tries to fit in between me and another rider and hits me from behind. I hit the ground. Smacking my hip and elbow on the pavement. I got up and took the short cut home and took a time penalty. I wasnt the only one with bad luck today. Matt flatted early on and managed after 20 miles of chasing got back on. Then with 4 miles to go he broke his shifting cable so he had to run up one of the climbs. So yesterday was a complete disaster for the team but that is part of the sport.

David