Ben King(US) digging deep in the Nature Valley Grand Prix TT
Nature Valley Grand Prix: 5 days, 6 stages
After another long stint of racing with the national team, It’s great to be back with my Trek-Livestrong brothers. We’ll be lining up with the top US teams to sharpen up before U23 Nationals next week.
Stage 1: 6 mile Time Trial
As I finished my warm-up, the one I learned from British teammate, Lord Dowsett, I watched riders rolling back from the finish and knew from their expressions that I was in for 15 minutes of pain. The course was flat with a steep half mile climb to the finish line. This TT was unique because no time trial equipment was allowed. That means no solid wheels, alien helmets, or aero bars.
I set out at a pace I knew I could maintain, caught my 30 second man, and attacked the hill to the finish. The times were all relatively close, but I wound up in 10th place and am leading the best young rider competition (riders under 23). Teammate Nate Brown finished 16th and is the 2nd best young rider.
We have a few hours to rest up for tonights criterium.
Stage 2: 40 mile twilight crit
Apart from the Gila stage race, I haven’t done a real USA style crit all year, and Gila was just a bunch of skinny climbers (not crit specialists). I forgot how crazy they can be with people dive bombing and chopping corners, crashing, pushing, and sprinting. The big teams easily controlled the field for a sprint finish, while I hung back and tried not to die. After a while, the rhythm of crit racing started to come back and I began enjoying the enthusiastic crowd and counted down the laps. On the last three laps I just closed down gaps and cruised in 21st to keep the young rider jersey.
The race finished at 9 PM and we’re all wound up. Could be a late night!
Ben King (US) on the podium in the white jersey (Best Young Rider) after stage two