Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for “Swifter, Higher, Stronger”.

These simple 3 words have been etched in every aspiring athlete all over the world who wish to achieve seeing the colors of the Olympic rings for their very own eyes.
Most athletes only dream and wish for this too happen….”wouldn’t it be so awesome if I or we made it there!”……”he wins the Olympic Gold in unpresidented fasion….at Olympic record pace…..this is the first time an American has ever won an Olympic Gold in Cycling!”  so on and so on. 
I have worked and worked to come close but not actual make the games. 
Although never did I imagen that I would be able to go the Olympic games.  Well in 2008 I am getting to go to the Olympic games.  I will not be there in the flesh, but I will be there in the heart of my best friend.  Mike Friedman.  Mike Friedman has made the coaches selection to achieve his life long dream of actually compete in the 2008 Olympic games.
I am so excited for Mike and all of the other athletes that will be participating at the 2008 Olympic games.
Although this is a bitter sweet victory for myself as I was so close but yet so far from making the Games.

#1 Taylor  Phinney is the most amazing athlete I have seen in a long long time!  that kid…yes kid but he does turn 18 this week! So is now legal for all you women out there!  Taylor broke the Junior World record 3times in two days and 4 times in with in the week of training our here in LA.  Amazing!
#2 Bobby Lea totally kicked all our asses with his amazing ride to gain an Automatic Qualifing spot for the Olympics.  He left me humbled to keep the words short.
#3 Colby Pearce, Mike Friedman, and Brad Huff have to wait to see if one of us will make the team via Coaches selection.
#4 I could not have done any better or asked for anything more as I gave it everything I had!  and to only have about 5 or 6 weeks of racing in my legs I have to be pleased.
#5 I had an amazing time just enjoying the whole process and it was amazing to see how the energy changed when it was Olympic Trials day.  We all brought our A Game, it was just that one person brought more.

Bobby Lea Killed us all with a 3:17 flying 3km(500meter at sprint pace followed by 2.5km at pursuit pace)

Colby Pearce and I once again maintained our .0000007345 razors edge of time difference with nearly exact 3:23’s.

Mike Friedman would have had the second fastest time for sure, but he sat up with nearly 3 laps to go and still rode a 3:24.
The time we are going for is faster than 3:22 and Bobby for sure did that.
We shall see what happens tomorrow??

oh ya, Taylor Phinney broke some type of speed barrier and set a world record 3km Pursuit time of 3:16.something.  But it does not count as there was no drug testing and UCI bull shit to stamp it valid.  This kid is amazing and he is not even 18….well next week he turns 18.  I can honestly say in my few years in the sport of cycling I have NEVER NEVER seen something/someone so amazing as Taylor Phinney.  He is unreal…..and looks damn good in Oakleys!

Mike Blatchford also made the Olympic team with a blazing standing one lap effort of 17.9!  fastest an american has went in a long long time for a start lap!

With 4 guys: Brad Huff, Mike Friedman, Colby Pearce, Bobby Lea 
anything can happen!
All 4 of us have been riding very consistent times and have shown that we have come to this trials with one thing on each others mind…..Making the team!  So this will be a nail bitter down to the hundredth of a second!  Yes I am serious hundredth of a second….last year I missed the 500 time by .07 of a second and I think Bobby Lea at one time missed it by less than that!  
I will attempt to let you all know how it goes?

Olympic Trials Schedule
  
Sunday, June 15
  
Warm up 3:00pm - 4:50pm
5:00pm - Time Trials
1. Men Standing 250m - Ride #1
2. Men 3000m Mass Start Test - Ride #1
3. Taylor Phinney Pursuit #1
4. Men Standing 250m - Ride #2
 
*riders will draw for starting order
  
Monday, June 16
  
Warm up 12:00pm - 1:50pm
2:00pm - Time Trials
1. Taylor Phiney Pursuit #2 (World Record attempt)
2. Men Flying 200m - Ride #1
3. Men 3000m Mass Start Test - Ride #2
4. Men Flying 200m - Ride #2
 
5. Jennie Reed 1K Record Attempt
6. Taylor Phinney Pursuit #3
 
*starting order will be based on current standing (#1 rider from the previous day will start last)
 
Please also see Mike Friedman’s Olympic Qualifier race possibilities 
  

This weekend will be the day of reckoning for 2 of the 4 Cyclist that are qualified to participate in the Olympic Trials competition that will determine who goes and who….doesn’t.

Me, Friedman, Pearce, and Lea 50/50% chances for all of us?  This will be tough.

We are all good friends and this will be a very interesting time leading in to and during the competition as we all are very competitive and very determined to succeed.

The Times will tell.
 

quick note…in the last 3km my sprint finish was limited by a double leg cramp that slowed my ability to beat the surge of the sprint, so I had to be content with just sitting and spinning as fast as my cramping legs could handle.

So J-Pow informs the Beach Bum Nic Sanderson about the clinical
condition of “pizza legs”
Nic has been beside himself since this well informative night. I think
the person that has been over the top has been the man J-Pow. Who was
about to throw the pizza to the dirty floor while slapping Nic at the
same time. J-Pow about shit his pants when I reached over and grabbed
a half slice that was left.
Beware pizza legs is a real condition and can destroy any man or woman
desire’s to suceed in life or bike races!

So just after I bridged to the breakaway yesterday in the CSC
criterium I had to swing just a little too wide and bashed my cleat
and pedal directly on a curb. Well if you look were the two limit
screws are supposed to be on the side edge of this cleat you will
notice one missing. Let’s just say that with one limit screw gone I
had to focus just a little extra to control my foot movement. So with
that running through my head I was a little pre-occupied with how my
body would handle this broken cleat situation. I held on but my
fitness ended up being the limiting factor in the end. Maybe I can
continue this great luck I am having and end up a few steps higher on
the podium?

found these sweet tubes on my last outing!  Lucky me!