Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Basking...

both in the glory of a Bissell GC win and the Colorado sunshine! Aaron Olson took home an impressive come-from-behind GC victory at the Tour de Nez last week. It was an awesome team effort to help him pull off the win but don't let his post-race quotes fool ya. He'll have you think that he let Graham and myself do all the work driving the race winning break on Sun. but that is far from the truth. Aaron pulled as much as Graham and I combined and when he came to the front, it was all we could do just to hang on to the wheel! Boys and girls, PT has found himself some form!! As for me....not so much. I was passed in a TT for the first time in my entire cycling career at Nez. Race winner Ian McKissick took 30s out of me in what seemed like about 3 min. (no lie) into my race. Wow. Talk about a morale killer. I think I'm coming around, but boy! does this racing business hurt when you haven't done it for awhile!!! I'm letting my body heal from Nature Valley and Nez and soon I'll be smashing it up the canyons around here in preps for Cascade which starts in 2 weeks. Cascade is one of my favorite races and I can't wait to be reunited with my lil' 4 year old girlfriend Kayla! (w/ the Sheasby host family)
Nature Valley was also an awesome experience for me. The racing I could have done without but the friends and family who showed up to see me race were amazing. Dad, Mom, Karen, Don, Doreen, Doris, Wellsy and Miller - THANKS FOR COMING AND CHEERING!!!

This 5 min. sunset was the highlight of the 6 hour drive through Nebraska. ugh.


Stillwater was by far the coolest thing about Nature Valley. It is an epic race and I was little disappointed to race it on sub-par form, but maybe next year?


CLHS baby!!


View of "The Biggest Little City in the World" from our 11th floor 'suite' in the casino.


Presenting: your 2008 Tour de Nez race winner! PT Aaron Olson!!!


We're close on this team. Sometimes too close (Joao). Donner Lake back drop - beautiful area near Lake Tahoe.

6 comments:

k2 said...

finally...

looks like the Bissell Team takes "team bonding" to a whole different level, that's the secret... eh?

Anonymous said...

Is Donner Lake near Donner Pass? Strange things happen to 'good friends' at Donner Pass you know.

It was a pleasure going to see you at the Nature Valley races. We wish we could have hit all of them.

Hope your bones get a chance to heal while you are away from the races for the next 2 weeks.

Wish we could go to the Cascade Classic. Seems like whenever we see you race in Oregon you come back on the podium. Maybe Bissell would like to send us airline tickets just for the 'good karma' factor.

Aunt D.

TomZ said...

Yep, Donner Pass is just a few miles away...I guess that explains why Joao bit me right after that photo was taken.

Anonymous said...

Shit, I am short. Tommy, good to see you ridin again so soon. Keep rollin.

-JW from the .357

Anonymous said...

Great win for Bissell and Aaron!! Really enjoy Aaron coming from behind... ;-)

scott nydam said...

zirbelicious, you got yourself a plane ticket to cascade???
tell your Dona sorry for lettin her down at nez, but second to biss. .
oh, wait, i wasn't second. shoot.
tell your mom sorry.