Redlands Bicycle Classic
by Phil Tinstman (MRI Endurance P/B Monster Media)
Redlands Bicycle Classic
by Phil Tinstman (MRI Endurance P/B Monster Media)
A little over a month ago, there was talk amongst the team that we were trying to field a team for Redlands and the U23 squad obviously was going to be the focus. With the team number limitations and the limited overall experience of the U23 team, there were a few spots going to be open for a few masters guys like me. I saw this as an opportunity! Chris DeMarchi and I wanted to be part of it, so we earned ourselves a spot and we also picked up New Zealander ace Dion Smith as his team was left without an invite. Making my Redlands debut at the ripe old age of 38 was going to be fun, right?
The opening day at Big Bear was going to be rough at elevation. Jumping up just short of 7000 feet from sea level is never fun. I had only researched the course profile and watched a video that Chris Demarchi had filmed from his car a month or so earlier while on a family getaway, so I had an idea, but I didn’t exactly know what the TT course had in store. It was a hard, rolling course. I felt alright, but catching my 30-second guy and nearing the halfway turn-around I was gasping. ” I don’t like this elevation,” I thought to myself. 7.8 miles later, with a time of 16:34, 1:41 back from the leaders, I thought, “Whoa, I’m not in Kansas anymore!” Our top time of the day was Dion in 87th with a 16:09 and Hunter Grove, Demarchi , Teko, and I were all within 16 seconds of each other followed by other team members Orlando, Diego and Cory. [Read more...]
