You've Been Cooked: Tour de Georgia Stage 6 and 7

(Here's Matt Cooke's latest update from inside the pro peloton. Matt raced locally as an amateur with Lateral Stress Velo and in 2006 was the Elite National Road Race Champion. For 2007 he landed a pro contract with Navigator's Insurance, and this year is racing for the Health Net Pro Cycling Team. He'll be contributing regularly to GamJams, beginning with updates throughout the week on the Tour de Georgia.

Questions for Matt? Ask away in the comments and he'll get back to you. But probably not until after his massage.)

You've Been Cooked: Tour de Georgia Stage 6 and 7
by Matt Cooke
Health Net Pro Cycling Team, presented by Maxxis

Hi guys.  I'm short on time right now because I have the good fortune to have a flight back to Denver tonite  rather than the morning.  I wont call it home, cuz DC still feels that way or at least has since my real home burned down....

ok so as for the race.  Yesterday was Brasstown Bald.  I was protected all day and that made a huge difference but I still kind of messed it up in the end.  19th is respectable I am told but its not what I wanted.  It was only 5k but I am totally wasted from it, still, and its a day later.

So then today was pretty much a 100k crit but on a 10k loop in downtown Atlanta.  It was like the circuits at Univest for those who know that race.

I got in the move right at the start.  My teammate Matt Crane was there.  The two MC's in the break.  We were riding really hard and pulling through often but there were about 12 guys sitting on.  Crane went to yell at them and hit the wheel of the guy in front of them and went down taking out a Gerolsteiner guy also.  I kept going but the fatigue of the day before was creeping on me and I had to sit on the back for the last half of the race, otherwise I woulda dropped myself from the break which would have been a bad thing.

We got up to 1 minute 5 seconds and stayed at 55 seconds for nearly the whole race. It came back but it was good I got in the move.

My shuttle to the airport is leaving soon so thanks for reading and I hope you liked it.

Comments

[John P.]

Thanks for the updates Matt, I really enjoyed reading them each day. Good luck with the rest of your season. I bet that first morning after a long race feels good eh?

[Harry F]

Thank Matt for your personal insight in to the Tour de Georgia! It was fun to follow you and your team in this classic pro race. What's next on your agenda? Mt Hood? Are you going to report on that too? Good luck on your upcoming races.

[matt]

You got it, Mt. Hood is next. Does anyone want me to report on that?
I was thinking Gila but I need a little rest right now. I am eating cereal and watching cartoons as I write this.
Thanks for the well wishes.

[matt]

Also just a few more notes that I forgot to add in the post.
On the Brasstown stage, I heard some Spanish in my ear piece at the start of the stage and I thought, 'what? oh its probably nothing.'
And then there was a Belgium accent and it could only be one person, Johan Bruyneel. We had the same frequency as Astana the whole day. Johan is very good, very positive and knew the course well.
The other thing is the wheels I rode for that stage, the Mavic Ultimates. Its not because they are a sponsor but these are definitely the best wheels I've ever ridden.
Stiff, light, good braking surface, great acceleration. I dont have to money to buy them but if I did, I would. Just so you guys know.

[Rob L.]

Matt,

Great race, would love to read more from your next race(s).

[MB]

Thanks for taking the time to write these up, Matt. Enjoyed them.

(Saw you getting hit up for a couple of autographs at the rider sign in on Stage 7. I was too slow with the camera to catch it. Maybe next time, eh?)

[fdsgh]

I haven't been cooked. You have.