Oh wow, it's so much fun to make the finals! What an exciting way to finish my track season. And with my family all there to watch!
The Scratch heat was the best!! The night before my race Bobby Lea suggested that I go from the gun going into turn one! So, all night I plotted my move. And it worked like a charm! It didn't hurt that the pack didn't react, and I was able to lap the feild in 3-4 laps! Oh what fun!! All I had to do after that was avoid the pile up in the last lap....and did!
The final wasn't quite as smooth. I paid for overgearing, and suffered from slow reactions, and struggled with the speed. It was great to be in it, and watch Marianne Vos rocket by me like a bullet. She is amazing!
The points heat, guess what I did...yep, the EXACT same move...it just had worked so beautifully in the Scratch heat, why not try again! This time I had 2 ppl join me, Julia Bradley (of team Race out of Canada, who Steff Roorda also is riding for...whom I train with and is also coached by Jeremy Storie) and Aksana Papko from Belarus. We held off the field for the first sprint, I took 2nd...and made my first and classic Kele mistake...lead the ENTIRE last lap going into the sprint...WHAT WAS I THINKING?? uh, I think it was something like, 'I don't want to swing off now and have to come around 2 ppl'...after the sprint we were quickly absorbed by the pack. And, I just watched to make sure the others scoring pts weren't the ones w/ me, and kept an eye for anyone lapping (something I learned in Sydney when I had 5 pts yet missed the final because like 6 ppl lapped the field). But my 3 pts proved to be enough!
Oh the Points final was bittersweet! Andy Sparks had warned me to be very efficient in the first 20 laps because it's after that that they really lay it on. Then I just ended up in the right place at the right time and was able to hang on for 2nd in the first sprint! Then I was so nervous I was gonna blow up, I was so conservative. I learned FINALLY that I really am on par, I can keep up, I am prepared, I have what it takes...a lesson that has been hard to learn. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but it was really a surprise how comfortable I was w/ the pace, and positioning. Where the day before in the Scratch I was on the rivet, here it was fine. I so wish I could race it again, because now I know I could have been more IN the race, and I didn't need to be so afraid of being able to hang in!
Teresa Cliff-Ryan is the girl of this weekend!! She got Bronze in BOTH the Scratch AND Points!! Hells yeah girl! So excited and proud of her! She is such a strong rider, and it's so great to see her succeed! Hopefully, we all can watch her in Worlds next month! (unfortunately, that is a complicated process...but I'm keeping my hopes up for her!!).
Jennie Reed again rose to the occasion with a 4th in the Sprints! Proving yet again, that she is on track for the Olympics in Aug! It's so awesome to watch her perform, her intensity and focus are unmatched! Inspiring!!
Sarah Hammer took the Bronze in the pursuit. Barely loosing her lead in the World Cup Leader position by one point to Romero from Great Britain! But that's okay cause it's Aug that is the focus for her!!
Colby took fifth in the Men's Points final. In his race 11 ppl lapped the field. I guess w/ 120 laps, more can happen! Colby raced yet again w/ great tactical savvy, and such finesse! I love watching him race, he is such a good student of the sport and reads the race SO well. I can learn a lot from him!!
Poor Bobby Lea! He did the move he had me do...but in his race, the field reacted while he was 1/2 a lap up, prolonging his agony. He caught after a long hard struggle due to the packs blistering pace...but he had just burned too many matches and the pack laid it ON, which proved to be a deadly combination for poor Bobby! But hey, at least he raced his bike!!
Great final World Cup! Now it's vacation time for me. A week in Sweden with my in-laws and my Mom! Yeah!
The 'City Hall' of Copenhagen.
Danishes in Denmark...yummy!
Nyhavn!
Kosta Borda glassblowing factory! 1742, man that was a while ago!
In the factory you were able to get right up next to the glassblowers to watch them work! It was amazing!
A Rune stone, and Poppy (not quite as old)
The Moose farm!
The 'School Museum' of Almhult (I couldn't resist passing secrets)
Mike in the Dunce hat in the corner!
At InvaCare (a wheelchair manufacturer in Sweden, where Gunnel works). I use these wheelchairs in my work. It was quite interesting to see the difference in quality between European and American standards.
At Invacare in Sweden, like most employers, they are required to have a place the workers can sleep. In case they are sick, or need to sleep. Hmm, can't say I can remember seeing that in the states.
Me and Poppy! Poppy is enjoying her choke hold here!
A nice old pink church in Pee-ah-tr-id. This is near where Mike's family grew up!
A graveyard with many of Mike's ancestors graves. I learned that there were several sets of twins in the family. And several people immigrated to America.
I know, I know, I know....
A Danish hot dog. All we could find to eat after my racing!
Dinner at Kristina's in Copenhagen!
Vala and Mike.
Mike and parrot at Kristina's
