Boulevard Cup - Kansas City, Kansas

Big fields turned out to get a sneak preview of the Nationals course in December. the 2 sets of stairs weren't build yet but the single planks and the run-ups still gave everybody of taste of things to come in a December. the course was FAST. Super hard-packed grass that was mowed to about 5mm's. After yesterdays Capital Cup race, I was looking forward to a better result. the uphill paved start was less caotic than i'd expect. Tilford and his Trek/VW boys all over the front leading off the pavement and onto the grass. Entering the first set of barriers on lap 1, Tilford and Shadd Smith worked an early advantage while teammates Bill Stolte and Adam Mills settled in to 3rd and 4th. Behind them I found myself together with Joseph Smaltz (Team X) and we kept the gap to Bill and Adam from growing. Behind up the race was fragmenting but a large chasing group was now forming that had some serious fire power. The exposed course and light wind gave an advantage to the well-working group while me and Joseph continued but couldn't keep the gap. The large chasing group contained Tom Price, Bill Marshall, David Hejduk, Tony Wilhelm, Jeff Winkler, Cale McAnich, and Troy Krause. The pace was fierce as Wilhem and Hejduk fell away from the big group. I resigned that it was better to get caught and work(or hopefully draft) in the group than continue with Joe so I let the Team X rider slip away while I got swallowed up. Over the last couple laps everybody in the group was attacking each other and pushing every turn hard. On the bell lap, I sat comfortably on Bill Marshall's wheel before a sharp acceleration by Tom Price sent everyone sprinting for a wheel to get on. It killed me but I managed to get on a wheel of Cale McAnish but he had already lost the wheel he was on so it was over. My break-away companion Joseph Schmalz hung on for 5th, while Bill Marshall won the sprint for 6th with Wikler, Price, and Krause. McAninch followed in by himself for 10th while I tooled in for 11th.