Sprint Jersey Competition, Week 3

Back by popular demand, the Rutgers Sprint Workout treated all participants to a delightful smorgasbord of power output and suffering. With the sun shining and the wind howling, this first day of spring threatened to exceed 32 degrees (that's 0 C, for all you foreigners and engineers), prompting Brandi, Dan, and Don to leave their igloos and get on their bikes. Ted also met us at Brower, but he was on his way to breakfast in the dining hall, and therefore we hate him (we don't actually hate you, Ted).

At Mark's suggestion, we experimented with staying seated throughout the sprints, because getting dropped after trying to close gaps gets really old after a while. Our suspicions that seated accelerations are our weaknesses were confirmed when we couldn't complete a third set. This also may have been due to the fact that we were all unsuccessful in our attempts to make "angry faces". At this point, the judges' deliberations for the sprint jersey competition began.

Dan certainly had the most speed on this day, jumping harder and spinning faster than any other rider. However, he and I agreed that the mere fact that I was able to challenge him each sprint meant that Alessandro is still ahead on points. Therefore, Alessandro keeps the sprinter's jersey - this means that he has both the sprinter's jersey and the KOM jersey, since Charlie and Mark have both rejected the latter, and Rosener has dropped off the face of the earth. Due to Dan's undeniably dominant performance this morning, he is leading the "Most Aggressive Rider" competition (Mark's attack at the start of every crit don't count, because I say so). At next week's sprint competition, Dan's nonexistent numbers will be red, and he will receive prize money in the amount of 0 Swiss Francs (that's 0 Euros).

Brandi was awarded the Fastest Woman jersey, the Fastest Cyclocross Bike jersey, and the Fastest Sneakers jersey. She has also promised to stop saying "I suck" and to continue kicking butt with a positive attitude.

In light of tomorrow's split ride, the KOM competition will be replaced by the "who's knees get destroyed first" competition. Whoever climbs Washington Rd. in at least a 53x16 gearing gets the white jersey (white representing the color of bone in a cartilage-free knee joint) and a free ride in my car to the nearest orthopedist. Seriously, don't do that.