08, Tucson, AZ

scott This weeks Shoot Out Commentary was written by Scott Biaggi of VeloLaw.com.

For a map of the Shoot Out click here: Map of the Shoot Out

The older my children get the more cycling becomes a seasonal sport for me. Especially in the late summer and fall. Coaching and shuttling them from sporting event to sporting event leaves little time for training and unfortunately the shootout.

However, once January comes around my family knows it’s “bike time” as Ralph says. My 4-5 month absence does provide me with a unique perspective to note the changes I observe in the shoot out.

First, I’m amazed how many people have been turning out for the shootout these days. I’d guess 200+ riders showed up yesterday. In the old days you would only see numbers this large in the weeks before El Tour. It doesn’t look like the professional drug scandals are hurting the general cycling community’s enthusiasm for the sport.

Second, it looks as though Curtis Gunn has firmly taken over as the shootout’s patron. This has been a position that Gord Fraser has had an iron grip on ever since I can remember. The shootout is too significant, for a multitude of reasons, for this honor to be bestowed upon anyone other than a professional who is able to dedicate their full time to the bike.

On to the shootout of January 26, 2008: Once we passed the light at Drexel the speed predictably heated up to a single file pace line. The speed rarely slowed. Just after the Mission, at the S-bends, a small group containing Curtis, Matt Cooke, Peter Brown and maybe five others began to separate. They were brought back into the fold a little after the first cattle guard but not without a little sting in the legs. This pace would not slow down until the bridge. Usually the shootout seems to be either a constant hard tempo or a surgy attacking affair. Today it appeared to be a little of both. The tempo was very fast. Every time I looked at my computer it read 26 mph, plus or minus. This is going up hill!.

As a side note, I’ve been using a Power Tap for training lately. However, during the shootout I’ve decided to turn off the current wattage reading because every time I would look down the wattage reading would be so high I think it caused me to feel more pain than I would if I didn’t know the reading. When you’re hurting and you catch a glimpse of 450 watts, I don’t know about you but I start thinking there’s no way I can keep this up, game over.

Up to the bridge there were a couple hard attacks. First, Curtis went solo off the front. Then Matt Cooke took a flyer, and I think Curtis went again. At some point both Curtis and Matt got away in small group of studs. Once past the mailboxes the chase was flying as we had them in our sights. I don’t remember going so fast to the sprint hill but the pedal was down. Just prior to the sprint hill Curtis made another last ditch effort to get off the front and nearly made it. It reminded me of Ekimov. The only one who could keep up that kind of speed and stay off would be a track pursuit guy. At the base of the hill Curtis was back in the group and paying for his effort. With a Herculean effort Kyle Akin of Team Rhino , pictured to the left, took the victory at the top. I got the names of the second and third guys over the top but as Ricky-Bobby says “If you’re not first you’re last.”

Back into town was double pace line as usual. There were no flyers to note and the pace was fairly moderate. Just prior to the sprint the lead out was started by the Waste Management boys and Tyler Ford of GST Racing. About 500 metes out and we’re starting to fly when we get the red light at Hughes Access Rd. This light is killing the sprint! From there we’re waiting for the green and it becomes a drag race to the 45 mph sign. Tyler begins the lead out and there are four of us going balls out to the sign. About 50 meters to go Kip Metzger comes from behind and takes the sprint with a fist pump. Very well done!

About a mile before the sprint finish he was asking me where it was. In retrospect I should’ve told him the city limit sign. For second and third we think was taken by members of the Waste Management team. If you know who took 2nd and 3rd comment below and well will change the post.