Ready, Set, GO!

Team Priority Health is racing again! We have had a big break, but have bounced back with a fair bit of success. The mountain climbing dudes went to the Tour of Shenandoah and basically dominated - Thor Zirbel won the prologue and wore the leaders jersey before crashing out, but Eddy the Body took over the lead after that, with a superb stage win, followed by Snake wearing the mountains jersey, and then the Brentmeister General Bookwalter capping off a brilliant week with a much sought after win in the overall classification after blitzing the time trial (he also won the U23 jersey). This provided us criterium dudes with a fair bit of inspiration for the criterium series we started on Friday night.

We drove four hours from Lookout Mountain to Athens, Georgia on Friday morning, and had our Computrainer race for grid position for Satuday night's race. Priority Health starred in this event, qualifying all three riders for the eight man final. Our man Teddy pulled off the win ahead of a star field. The atmoshpere and vibe in Athens was phenomenal, and that was on Friday night!

Athens is raced under lights on a tough, fast circuit. The crowd was amazing, lining every inch of the course with young, loud spectators from this 'college town' and they were making a hell of a noise. We raced with radios for the first time and they were useless because we couldn't hear anything other than the loud cheering! The race was won by Davidenko of the Navigators, and we had Rich in seventh place. While we would have liked to go better, it was a good result considering we have had so long off racing. It was such a buzz to be a part of this race, and during our warm down laps the crowd were all handing out beers to us while we were still riding around.

Probably the best thing in Athens was the hot chicks, they were amazing! The training and warming up for races was made hard due to all of the eye candy about. This is a photo of the girls who introduced us for the Computrainer race, and who also did a great job helping out for the criterium race too - my favourite is the one in the middle at the front, Keally! We got to go out with them for a bit after the race to soak up the atmosphere, and to unwind a bit, because it is hard to go to sleep after racing in such an adrenaline rush as Athens Twilight.

The next day we packed up and left for another race, Roswell criterium. Racing in Roswell in the daylight was somewhat an anti-climax after Athens, but it was still a good race. Rich came in eighth, and he maintains his good placing in the series. Personally, my legs were a lot better for Roswell, and I think the more racing I do, the better I will get. I feel strong, but am just lacking that extra punch when I need it. This will come soon, and this current block of racing we are doing will certainly bring me up, and I am looking forward to getting some wins on the board.

Here is Robbie and I getting ready for the Computrainer final, where it looks like I was in the hurt box before the race started (wearing the Australia flag bandana). I think there was something wrong with my machine for the final, because the afternoon qualifying didn't hurt anywhere near as much, as you might be able to see where I am racing against Commonwealth games time trial bronze medallist Gordon McCauley - and he certainly was hurting!

Today we drove across to South Carolina, to a town called Walterboro, and there is very little happening here. I think I want to be back in Athens, because that place rocks! We had a great time, and it was a really nice place with really nice people. It would be great if we could race Athens Twilight every Saturday night! We have a race here in South Carolina on Wednesday, then go to North Carolina, then Alabama after that, so we are doing a lot of racing and a lot of travelling. It can be hard at times, but that is why we do it, and also it should result in wins too!

The other good thing about being on the road and racing again, is that the old boy, Kiwi Glen Mitchell has joined up with us again, and he is great to be around. We learn so much from him, and there are plenty of good laughs. This week we will be joined by our mechanic, and a couple of other riders, so it will be good to get some assistance, and we should become even more of a force on the race track. I am pretty excited about the upcoming races, as I am sure the rest of the team are.

As for the non-cycling side of things, I am expecting a postal delivery from Mum and Dad back in Oz which is going to include some much needed Milo; Vegemite to add to the three kilograms Rich and I already have; hopefully some Tim Tams, and whatever else they decided to throw in.

I hope everyone is well back in Australia, and I guess the cold is starting to kick in. So just think of me over here where the temperature is rising, and we are entering Summer!

Stay cool dudes...