Killington Stage Race Observations

 

 

Here are some random thoughts & observations gleened while attending the 2014 edition of the Killington Stage Race in Killington, Vermont

- If you want to lose weight and get six-pack abs, go stage racing

- Getting on the podium is good

- Seeing your teammate on the podium is better

- Domestiques are the best people in the world

- Everyone should experience a mountain top finish

- Eating yummy food family style with teammates each night beats McDonald's take-out and watching reality tv by yourself

- Seeing one of your friend's kid win a stage brings a smile to your face

- Getting a flat 3 races in a row makes you sad (and makes you want to do laps up Bear Mountain Road to prove to the cycling gods that you are not a bad person!)

- Putting your favorite cycling shoes next to a heater to dry out after a rainy stage, and then leaving them there all night and retuning to find them all shriveled up, well, that makes you feel stupid and disgusted with yourself for being so stupid

- Bringing two pair of everything to a stage race makes you feel smart again

- There are a lot of potholes on Vermont roads (and Maine roads, and NH, and MA, and ... Just lots of potholes and cracks out there)

- Bombing down dirt roads with a bunch of other guys is fun like being a kid again for some reason

- There are a ton of good riders out there

- Testing yourself against national caliber competition begets personal performance growth (that's not illegal, is it?)

 

- Maine riders did an amazing job this weekend with many great rides and tons of mutual support

 

- Big ups to guys who can time trial 25, 26, 27 mph on a course that's slightly uphill and into a headwind. Actually, big ups to all the time trialers who battled their way to the finish

- At a stage race it's amazing how much money you see invested in equipment. Hmmm ... New living room sofa or new wheel set?

- Race directing is a hard job but much appreciated by the racers (so don't forget to drop Gary Kessler and crew a thank you note)

- Getting a stage race jersey has to be on one's career "very satisfying" list

- Racer spouces are special people - thanks for letting us race!!