Sacramento Grand Prix - A Great End to a Tough Start
By Justin Williams, Trek-LIVESTRONG U23 Team
5/22/10 - Originally my team was asked to do this race, but between everyone in different places with some guys in Europe and others in other states, we didn’t have the man power to get the guys needed to start. I contacted Ryan and asked him one last time to do the race solo, since I had been riding pretty well, and three days before the race I was in. Pumped and knowing good friends Coryn Rivera and Kendall Ryan were going up for the weekend I tagged along.
On race day I got up early, since the race was at 11 am and I wanted to be early. Devan Dunn, who came with me to see if he could help me out to get a big win, was feeling a bit under the weather. He thought racing was a bad idea, which I agreed with since it’s never smart to push your body when your not feeling well, so I was alone.
I picked up my number, got dressed and put my music on. It was game time! I was ready, my confidence was up and I was in love with the circuit. At the start I was a little surprised the field was huge - 165 guys I think. I thought to my self, never leave the top 25 if you want to stay out of trouble. I got a call up which made this easier.
There were crashes all through the race. I could only hear them and one came really close going around turn 4. I decided to get to the front and went for a preem to test out the sprint. I gave it a go at about 250 meters. I didn’t even know what the preem was for, but I won. The next lap there was a two place preem and I was at the front, so I thought why not. I waited until about 200 meters this time and made my move. This time no one was even close. A group of guys countered my move. I thought it best to sit up and wait to get back in the field and think about my next move - sit and wait for the sprint or go across to the break that was 15 seconds up the road.
Justin Williams (Trek-LIVESTRONG U23 Team) stood on the top step
of the podium at the Sacramento Grand Prix after launching the winning sprint.
photo © Mark Johnson/Ironstring.com
I saw that all of the good teams at the race were up the road, so I shot across hoping the field would let me go. Four guys followed me with the field not far behind. The race came back together and it was six laps to go. I felt good and I wanted this win. Not leaving anything to chance, I road at the front and was always in the top 10. The crashes continued with one guy hitting a pole. The motor official tried to neutralize the field, which didn’t work. It was too late with two laps to go and no one was okay with reshuffling. It was on!
I was sitting pretty in ninth place behind the trains of Yahoo and Williams Racing. I wanted Jeremiah Wiscovitch’s wheel and was locked on it. With one to go, the fighting had stopped since we were doing 34 mph on the back straight and no one was moving coming out of the last corner. I was in sixth position and thinking be patient! The sprint started and I drifted right against the barriers, which was not were I wanted to be. I moved left and saw where I wanted to go. I jumped with 200 meters to go and I was in first. I looked over my shoulder and no one was close. I had done it! I put my hands up and let it all out. Thank you God!
