Story: Los Altos Criterium

This race seemed even easier than the one at Tasajara (see Story: Tasajara Road Race ). It was clear that I was a marked man which had both good and bad points. It meant that the pack would not let me get away, but it also meant that some competitors prematurely backed off in prime sprints. I guess I also had a knack for sprints on sweeping uphills. I had won every prime sprint coming up to the last one, and part way through winding up, I changed my mind and decided to save my oats for the final sprint. As the last prime sprint unfolded, I could have easily taken it, and the guy who did take it gave me a puzzled look for not doing so.

I was completely confident coming up to the final sprint, and I did not disappoint. I unwound just as I had done in the prime sprints, only pushing myself harder, easily taking the finish by several bike lengths. One of my prizes was a case of good beer, but I was stopped by the police while carrying it back to my car as I was only eighteen years old at the time. An older teammate, Adam Cavan, rescued me from my predicament by volunteering to take posession of the beer which later made its way into my father's posession who found yet another reason to have an interest in the sport. I could not be too smug however, as I knew that I would soon be racing among the big boys: the category ones and twos.