Nydam 3rd

Congrats to Scott Nydam for his 3rd place today. The team rode well, Nydam got in a break of 5 guys that took it to the line around 50 seconds ahead of the field. I stayed out of trouble with Sayers keeping me out of the wind and up front for the finish.

No results from yesterday, after a few guys cut the course. David would have gotten 5th and I may have gotten 10 or so. I'm feeling good and looking forward to Saturdays stage.

Toona

It's a bummer about the tour. It's never good when you're involved in a sport, where doping, cheating is such a problem. Its depressing and sometimes you feel like there is no hope. I don't really feel that way. Dan put it this way... he said it's good that these dudes are getting busted, cuz there are jobs that are going to be opening up for the guys who are clean and want to make a good impression on the sport. that is dead on. Even though all this negative stuff is going on ultimately it's good for the future of our sport, getting rid of cancer.

Stage 3 97 miles-
We are beginning to ride really well as a team. I ended up in a small break over the climb only to get caught on the decent by 20 guys. it's nice when you look back and you see 6 of your teammates in the final selection. More guys caught on the decent, with 55 guys racing to the line for the finish. We rode aggressive at the end, I attacked, David attacked. Scott and Ian rode great covering early moves in the aggressive first Hour of the race and still making it in the front group, and Moninger riding well as always. Mike, Dan and ken kept us out of the wind and rode well all day. We wanted to set up David for the win, Menzies took it, (after cutting the course). I think David got 5th. I'm happy with how the team is coming together. I think success is on the Horizon.

toona

Faster Faster!! Today is a new day and I'm looking forward to whats to come this week. We have a lot of racing to go, and we are in a good spot to be aggressive. Todays stage is a new course, it's 50 miles and has a lot of climbing, so it should be good for the team.

(Pic above) is my roommate SN With his new haircut.

Can' t we just Enjoy to tour???

Michael Rassmussen a Doper or NOt a Doper??? I'm going to say No. What do you think????/ last week sinkewizs from t-mobile got busted, and this week it's been all about michael Rassmussen, who is leading to tour at the moment. Today, this former colorado Mt Biker Whitney Richards, confessed to VeloNews that in 2002, Rasmussen asked him to transport a box which richards thought was cycling shoes. But the shoebox, actually contained bags of a human blood substitute.
I think it's cool that the dude cofessed, but why didn't he do it earlier. Rasmussen has had a lot of sucess with winning the KOM Jersey the last two years.if he wanted to get him why did he wait??? why is he coming clean now?? anyway, I think i'm just going to get back to enjoying to tour. scew all this doping shit!!!!http://www.velonews.com/tour2007/news/articles/12851.0.html

Borat at the tour

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lbjtTBA-TwE

Fishing

So I went fishing tonight, out at these ponds near my house. I thought it would be nice way to get out and do something relaxing. Not exactly! My buddy Nate got his leg stuck in a shallow muddy section of one of the ponds,fell in at the same time. He lost one of his sandals in the mud during his fall. I broke one of my sandals trying to help him out. Nate got out, covered in mud. Later after a few laughs, My pole broke and my line got caught on a cat tail. So Even though, we didn't catch any fish and we had a few mishaps, it was well worth it,and it was pretty funny.

An interview with Ian Mckissick

here at Hotel talk with Ian McKissick,
in Bend OR at the Cascade Classic.

Q: last time we saw you in the results was the Giro del friuli.
that was a while ago.. . you got 5th at Hood in the Stage 1 TT .
what have you been doing since?
A: been doing some cyclin'monk training up in the N, north of Seattle.

Q: Let's get a little background here. what's the biggest moment in your life?
A: probably... being born.

Q: whats you favorite food?
A: cookies

Q; favorite cyclist?
A: Nathan O'neil

Q: when was the first time on a road bike,. .
A: 8 yrs old, in Coltus Lake Canada. my cousin's, it was red.

Q: what was that like?
A: i remember the foamy bar pads .. .

Q: why the world would you take a pay cut from your engineering career, to put yourself through pain on the bike and away from the comforts of the the American dream?
A; i still work, to supplement my cycling. . and being on a pro team, it sort of justifies it to my girlfriend.
Q: What is it like being teammates with Scott Moninger and Mike Sayers.
A: It's good... those guys are fast.

Q: Do you prefer to wear Tight Jeans or Baggy....

A: Medium... In the middle.

Last Question..
Q: What is the one thing in cycling you want to be known for?

A: I would like to be known as a GC guy.. Not just a one trick TT guy.

Thanks ian.

Cascade TT and Crit

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2007/jul07/cascade07/cascade073

so close but gotta keep trying

The last two days we have been about 1k short of the win. Yesterday, nydam/ and i were very close but only fading in the last k. Today more of the same, Victoria got up the road at the start of the climb, the selection was made and as Toyota brought the gap down, I jumped across to vics group (took me a bit), it was down to lowder, victoria and myself with a k 1/2 to go. Lowder gave a hard punch and vic was done and I was just trying to hang on with 1 k to go. the group of 8 remaining, had us in there sites. phil z from the navs came across blew my me and moments later so did the rest. at that point is was up to Moninger and Nydam for the win. I think Moninger was 5th naydam was 8th and I was around 10th place?? not for sure? we did put 4 guys in the top 15 so our team GC IS looking good and hopefully nydam is still in the kom jersey. The team rode great and i think our day will come very soon.

Tour Picks

I was reading Nydam's blog, and he had a few predictions for the tour. So, Here is my pick:
It's a tough decison but I picked one of Astana top hopes for the overall. (pictured left) Astana has been keeping him secret until now. I hear the guy can climb, TT, and he is in excellient shape. I always like to pick the underdogs.

Hungry anyone??

Happy 4th to Everyone!!
It's Crazy how fast things change in a year, and they definitely have changed for me. Last Year at this time, I was Living with my parents, I was racing for Einsteins, I didn't have any money, and I was traveling around the country in a van. It may sound like I'm complaining, I'm actually not. I'm very thankful for those Experiences. Looking back, I was hungry and thinking about it, I don't ever want lose that. Something to think about.............

Cascade- July 11-16
Toona- July 23-29
US Pro RR- Sept 1-3
Tour of Missouri- Sept 11-17

Pics are Cool!!!

Left to Right- Arron, Jason, Scott, Me
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of getting in some big miles with a few of my Buddy's. (pic above). Jason D, Scott Nagelkerke, Arron Hune. Pretty Big day, 6 hours 119 miles.