Well, Redlands is in the history books and I can say it was one tough race for where my fitness is at right now. 

The second stage road race 105 miles was tough.  I was fine to the last time up the climb with about 85 miles of racing.  Then my legs just gave out and I came off the back of the main group.  I finished seven minutes down and was just happy to have the day over.  I lost some ground on GC and was down in 149^th I believe.

The next day was a 90 minute criterium in downtown Redlands with seven turns with one being a 180.  We started with 180+ riders and it was hard to move up or around.  You would be screaming along and then come into the 180 degree turn and be doing 10 mph out of the turn.  Some time in the first half of the race some one got side ways out of one of the turns and ended up taking a bunch of us down.  I went down, but was able to take my free lap and get back in.  Some of you know Chris Butler who rides for BMC, he took the blunt of the crash, but he too was able to get back in. 

On the last lap the main field split with a bad crash and I ended up in the second group that finished 27 seconds off the leader.  I was glad for that to be done and to come out with just a little road rash and a bruised elbow.  Nothing for the worse though.

The last stage was a 94 mile stage with several KOMs.  I knew it was going to be a tough day in the saddle and it was.  My legs finally gave up the ghost half way into the race.  I could have ridden around again to get a finishing time.  By that point the officials were pulling riders off the course and giving them adjusted times.  When I came off I did so with a large group who did go around and finish the lap to get an adjusted time.  But I thought what was the point, and Axel Merckx (my director) told me to go ahead and get in the car; there was no point in me riding around to get a finish time. 

I know I have several more long races to go to get my endurance up to be competitive in these longer stage races, which I am not used to yet.  But I was happy with how I rode since I was able to move around the pack, and the speed was not too much, just the distances.

I am off to Europe and by the time you read this I will be in Belgium at the U/23 National Team house.  I will be doing a stage race the first weekend of April.  A 210K stage followed the next day by a 18K time trail and finishing with a 198K stage. 

Then the following week I will be doing Leige-Bastone-Leige.  Followed by the Tour of Flanders.  The races in Europewill be with the US National Team.  Then I will come back to race Gila and possibly Joe Martin, and then head back over to Europe to do Paris Roubiax and the Olympia Tour with Trek Livestrong.  Thanks for reading and my next post will be after this weekend’s stage race.  My goal is to keep improving my endurance and learning all I can this year.  I know it is going to be a big learning curve this whole year, but I am up for the challenge.

Nathan Brown
Trek/Livestrong Presented by Radio Shack