Ben King in the white jersey at Nature Valley Grand Prix
Stage 3: ???
What was supposed to be a 66 mile road race, turned into a 45 minute race. With a strong wind… very strong, the field was nervous and dangerous. When a moto official rode up and told us that the race was being stopped because a tornado had touched down 5 miles away, I was the first one to hit the brakes and yell “everyone into the ditch!” It seemed like a joke, definitely a first, but it wound up being “the worst natural disaster in Minnesota history.”
Stage 4: 30 mi. twilight criterium (1 km circuit with six 90 degree turns/lap)
With one crit under my belt this week, I was quicker through the corners, but with Kelly Benefit Strategies still in control we took a conservative approach to the race. If they were working to defend their lead, then they were also working to defend our lead in the under 23 category, and big days were coming. The laps counted down until 10 to go. The pace slowly ramped up to the finish. With 8 to go a group of riders crowded into a corner. I was on the outside, and got pushed right off the road. Realizing I was going down, I looked for the most comfortable option, and plowed into a stack of hay bails. Nothing but a bruised knee. I took a free lap (riders with mechanicals or crash victims report to the pit and rejoin on the next lap), but got shoved in at the back. Fortunately, the field stayed together and nothing changed overall.
Stage 5: 95 mi road race
Our tactic was still to play off the strongest teams. A series of extremely steep hills stung everyone late in the race, and tight finishing circuits kept things single file. An early break established a maximum lead of 2 minutes, but KBS ground their lead down. On the final climb, we had 5 of 6 guys in the top 20. As we entered the circuits, teammate Nate Brown bridged across to the break solo. The break stayed away until 3 miles to go. Iggy sprinted for 10th on the stage, Gavin 15th, and myself safely around 20th, still in the white young rider’s jersey and 10th overall. Nate hung on to the front group and is still top 15 on GC.
Stage 6: The infamous Stillwater Criterium
The lore of this course’s intensity precedes it. The winding course is nothing but 20 laps up and down a sheer climb off the river. KBS lead by a mere 3 seconds ahead of two time winner, Rory Sutherland, guaranteeing a showdown. 5 laps in, 3 riders held around 10 seconds over the field. It appeared that KBS may want a break to succeed and steel the time bonuses from Rory, so I bridged across. We stayed for just 3 laps, and I worried about the cost of the effort. The selective course helped the strongmen ride up front. After 10 to go, we lost chunks of riders each time up the climb. The move we’d been waiting for came from Rory on the climb going into 1 to go. He attacked with 2 others. I jumped up to the wheel of the yellow jersey. He can close it down. The gap to 3 leaders stretched. He can’t do it. I sprinted halfway across on the climb, turned to see my closest competition for the young rider on my wheel. I did not want to give him a free ride to the time bonuses at the finish, so I tried to bluff him into helping close the gap. He didn’t pull through, so we waited and hoped someone else would take over. We never caught the leaders, but I got up the hill one more time and finished 6th on the stage, moved into 7th overall, and kept the young rider jersey.
Ben King drilling it in the Stillwater criterium
Nate, Charlie, and I are having a blast with our host family (getting smoked by their kids on the wii). The other guys are staying in a separate, equally awesome home. Next stop, Bend Oregon for U23 nationals.