Day three of the Colorado Classic saw an early morning threat of rain pay off in a meaningful way. A heavy, brief downpour soaked the women’s criterium course inside the Velorama festival and the men as they raced over Lookout Mountain and other peaks in their race’s biggest day of climbing. The mood was somber, and the effects of a long season of racing around the world, and a long late-summer stretch, has taken its toll on energy levels across the board. It didn’t stop Emma from sprinting to a podium at Velorama, and as quickly as the rain came, it was gone, and the hot mountain sun returned.
After six weeks on the road, the weariness is evident on the riders faces. With two days left in the stretch, the light at the end of the tunnel is bright.
Soigneur José is the caretaker of the team RV and cooks up some amazing meals while the riders are out racing.
16-year-old Megan Jastrab getting in the zone while the rain falls.
The weather was ominous and it turned ugly, but only briefly. For about a half an hour before the race, it rained heavily, and it made for a slick course for the women’s criterium.
A Boy Scout color guard blessed the start line with some patriotism.
It takes a seriously elaborate setup to film a bike race, with boom cameras, stationary rigs dotting the race course, and helicopters.
Emma White still sporting road rash from her tumble in Vail.
The helicopter was busy covering two races, as the men raced up Lookout Mountain a few dozen miles from Velorama.
Emma White is dangerous in every crit, and the Velorama oval was another chance for the sprint specialist to go for the win. Emma is rarely happy with anything but a win, so her third-place finish was bittersweet.
The festival was packed with bike art, but this wheel exhibit was the definitive highlight.
Unique style from head to toe gets you a shout out in a Rally Cycling photo essay!
The newest member of the Rally Cycling fleet is the rear-mounted scooter on the RV. It helps for motorpacing duties and general errand running.
The guys didn’t get the result they were hoping for, but they seemed happy and relaxed after the race after an all-out team effort brought back a dangerous breakaway.
Often time the riders need to cool down their legs as much as their heads.
Ty Magner, Kyle Murphy, and Evan Huffman contemplate the fact that they have only a few days of racing left in the 2018 season.
