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In am effort to save everyone a bunch of time on 18 different race reports, I’ll just recap the conversation we had after the final race of Superweek.
“What was you favorite part of Superweek?”
For me there were a few highlights. The first race of the series, Beverly Hills. A technical course with a hill, I made the break and missed winning by inches. On the first night of doing so well you simply think, “Ahhh, I’ll get another shot…”
Jump ahead a week. Jonny and I were looking through the race bible and discovered a different point structure in the sprint competition then the one the race had been using. I brought it up to the race official and low and behold I should have been in the red jersey for the previous 5 days. I was in the red jersey by two points… only to lose it that night.
On the yellow jersey front, Jonny was inching ever closer to the top step. Coming into the second road race the standings were tight, REALLY tight. Everyday our legs were getting better and better. At Whitnall Park I was having an amazing day, my legs couldn’t have felt better. A break got up the road that we were unhappy with, and after some deliberation we went to the front. We had a bit of help from another team, but basically Ryan and I but the field on stun as we attempted to drop each other. It was the first time we took the responsibility to try to defend the top step (even though we didn’t have it yet). We caught the break and Jonny ended up taking yellow that day.
Kenosha is a race I have always done well at. This is the night I ended up taking back the red jersey. It was game on front the first lap, as Sterling Magnell tried to get away from the start. The first 20 km I was cross-eyed as the attacks and counter kept flying. Finally a break went and it ended up lapping just before the first sprint. Of the 28 passable sprint point available that night I scored 27. Back on the podium, back in red (and still in yellow). I think the thing that hit home the most was how many people came up to us and congratulated us, and thanked us. So many people were excited to see us in the leader’s jerseys.
And of course the final night in White Fish Bay. With 40 km to go I had the red jersey locked up. All attentions to the Yellow fight. With a mere 3 point separating the top it was still up of grabs. Luckily the legs we were missing the night before had shown up ready to battle. Things were tipping in our favor. With 10 laps to go I jump out of the field to snag the $500 crowd prime. As the Columbian national team went to the front, we were poised and ready. Sterling made a last ditch effort to jump away with half a lap to go but Jonny was right with him. Out of the last corner it was a mere formality as Jonny won the bunch sprint and his yellow jersey.
Podium celebrations are always fun. Getting doused with champagne and beer and water. We went to battle and we came out on top. The joy and the feeling of accomplishment is always so strong between our small group. Thank you Ryan. Thank you Jonny. Thank you Alana. Thank you Amy.
Thanks to everybody for cheering for us. Thanks to Superweek for providing the setting. Lets see what else we can do now.

-Chad Hartley

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