Journal of professional cyclists Ian MacGregor and Timmy Duggan

Criterium International, Stage 1

Today was easily the easiest start to a french race I have ever done. Normally the attacks fly from km 0 for 30 min or so before a break finally goes, and is often the hardest part of the whole day! But today two guys just jumped out in front right away into a raging headwind, and everybody was content to let them punish themselves for 200km in the wind.  The chase from behind gradually ramped up faster and faster as the break got a big gap. In the last 50 km, me and 3 of my slipstream teammates went to the front with csc to bring down the gap and whittle down the field in the crosswinds, and we ended up having our two guys for the overall in the front split of 30 riders after the field broke apart in the wind.  I had some problems with my allergies and asthma today and went backwards pretty fast after a while on the front!  Its really frustrating, as I have tried everything in the book to help, but something in springtime triggers my allergies and my asthma and I just breath through a straw from mid March to mid April.  Pretty weird.  If anybody out there has any ideas of how to help respiratory allergies I’d love to hear them! When I get back to boulder this week I will be resorting to accupuncture and hypnosis!
I gotta go to bed now, the first stage of the double day tomorrow starts at 830 am, which is actually 730 with the daylight savings time change tonight. Sweet huh?
I’m thinking big dinner, sleep late, minimal breakfast, a lot of coffee, and a clif gel on the start line.  That should be the ticket for 100km with 9 climbs at 730 am wouldn’t you say?