Friday Night Burnaby Velodrome Racing

If the week couldnt have been any longer for us the diehards still made it out to the track to grind it out!


Early last week Defrancessi and myself took part in a second CCA track development camp here in Vancouver. It was another tough three days only made worse by the cold air in the track. I was at the last camp in LA and forgot how much of a privelidge it was to have palm trees outside of the track! By Wednesday both of us were pretty tired and used Thursday as a very well needed rest day. On Friday we were both still pretty sore but headed back to the track to train all afternoon. While Defrancessi did some motor work I focused my time on continuing to bring my speed back up with some extremly overgeard efforts. I must say Im impressed at how quickly my speed is coming up in short time. Before breaking for dinner I decided I would return at night to race, Its been soooooooooooooo long since Ive race on a velodrome and when I found out it was keirin I said to myself there is no way I can miss this.

When it came time for the keirin heats there was only two of us that are dedicated sprinters. Shin Saito and myself. But at this point in the day my legs are feeling super heavy, if one of the faster enduro guys jumped early and dragged me out I would detonate in quite the spectacular fassion. Before the nigh even started I was in trouble as I thought the raceing started later. In simpler phrasing, I got 3 laps of warm up! In the first heat I was punted onto the motor from the start, I dont ever like riding a keirin from the front espessialy on a semi warm up gear! When the motor pulled I kept a solid watch behind me waiting for somone to jump, actualy I was praying for somone to jump! Going into the bell lap one of the Coastal riders jumped and took the lead, I quickly took the sit and waited untill the last turns to launch a rush. I was able to shut it down at the line with a comfortable win witch put me strait into the finals.

In the final I drew second wheel behind Shin Saito of Japan. Bewteen qualifying and now I had gone up in my gearing a few inches for my own good. Shin however was rolling on a monster gear. Id guess it easily as a 96 or 98. When the motor pulled I let Shin out on a long leash, He really started to ramp up the speed too. When a surge started to happen with those left behind him I started to make a run into Shin. I went over him in turn 4 going into the last lap and stuck it to the line spite fading a little bit. It was nice to win the first race back, regardless of if it was a Friday night club event or the World Champs its nice to be back competing.

The last race of the night was a scratch race. I just did my best to stay in. By the end I had ridden myself into a pretty good position to win it but had nothing left in the tank. Just finishing the race was enough for me.

While all this was going on Defrancessi was looking like a pro model on the infield, mind you he did do a rad job of being my holder on the line!

Shake and Bake!