Cooper Report: Downers Grove

Last year was my first time at Downers and I was really looking foward to racing this fun course again. I got there early and set up and watched the rain clouds roll in. Ending my warm up while watching the womens race I decided (due to the rain) to not race my good wheels incase I get caught up in some carnage. I slapped my back ups on and rolled out to get a good position. We soon were off (unexpectdaly) and I clipped in, shoved down on the pedals and my chain was flying all over the rear cassette.... My good position was washed away in the rain as every one flew by while I tried and hoped the chain would catch a cog. I spent almost an entire lap riding like this till I found a cog and left it in. By this time I was in the rear with the gear and frustrated as I looked up to see a long stran of riders. I thought, man what luck, should I even contiue? Yeah I decided just don't shift. So I held on weaving in and out, following riders up and passing while riders started up the hill. When people would soft pedal down the hill catching their breath I was still hard charging, sprinting out of every turn. Soon enough I found my self in the top five with a few laps to go. With 2 to go I saw a guy take a flyer and not knowing there was a guy way out front I chased the flyer down thinking it was the decisive break. When it was my turn to pull going up hill I pedaled like I was stuck in the mud and not thinking I shifted. There goes all the mess again. The chain was flying all over the cassette. I sat up and fouind my self in 20th or so. I caught a cog and just left it weaved in and out again and when it came down to the wire I sprinted acrross the line in the top 10-15. I found out later that I misplaced a spacer when I changed the cassette the day before putting it in the wrong spot of the cog set leaving my 15+16t cog pressed together and throwing everything out of wack. If you are still reading this and you know how to get a hold of the people that made the results can you point me to them. I am no where in the results..... I emailed USCF in Libertyville but that is all I really know to do.

Talk to you later-Ryan