March 28, 2009
Brent Davis takes 2nd in a rain, snow filled day at Independence Valley Road Race
Rochester, WA - In a rain and snow mix, with temperatures at 35 degrees, the race was going to be survival of the fittest. Brent Davis showed that his is coming into form with his second place at Independence Valley road race.
With a 19 mile circuit and 2 climbs, the race was going to be tough. The first climb is the most difficult followed by a desecent with 10 miles of flats until the second shorter climb. Galen Erickson initiated the first attack. Riding off the front in the first lap of 4 laps. Galen managed to hang on to a 30 second to a minute lead of the first lap. During the second lap, Ryan Iddings, Brent Davis and Shawn Ongers were all looking strong on the climbs.
Across the flats, a small break managed to get up the road and Brent Davis was able to join the move. They rolled off and by the third time past the finish line, they had two minutes. Ian Mensher, Galen Erickson, Sam Johnson and Brent Davis had formed the lead group. Sam Johnson soon was to receive bad luck when he flatted out of the break.
Meanwhile, back in the peleton, the Lenovo riders began to freeze whilst the snow and rain continued to come down. On the third lap, Brad Marquardt flatted out of the race, and new comer to the 1/2 squad Travis Venable also managed to flat out of the race as well. Within the same lap, both Mike Hone and Shawn Ongers had enough and abandoned the race. The only two Lenovo riders in the race were Brent Davis and Ryan Iddings.
On the final lap, the lead group were able to stay away from the various groups of chasing riders. With 1km to go, Galen Erickson attacked Brent Davis and Brent had to respond. The Gin Optics riders were tag teaming brent and all Brent could do was chase down each rider. It was going to be a diffiicult task for Brent to follow each attack. Brent chased down Erickson. It all looked like it was going to stay together and at the 200 meters sign, the sprint was on. Brent tried his hardest to get the win, but came up a little short to take second over Ian Mensher. It was definitely a brutal day out there and Brent Davis road a really strong race and it is great to see his form coming around. The Independence Valley road race is one of the hardest one day races in Washington and with rain and snow mix and temperatures at 35 degrees it makes it even harder.
Congrats to Ryan Iddings who was the only other rider to finish the race in the main group after the break away riders.
