28.4.09

Clawing back up

It was the end of the UT road race, and it was just Jacob and three aggies. With an MSU rider up the road. As well as five other people. Considering though that Jacob got dropped quite early in the first lap, and had caught up to a bunch of people, it wasn’t a bad place to be. Except for the Aggies. But as it turned out, it was they who feared him…


Jacob: Hey guys, can I join the discussion?
Aggie: No.
Jacob: You’re planning how to attack me right?
Aggie: This is possible.
Jacob: So are we not chasing the guy up the road then?
Aggie: Uh, if you want to…
Jacob: I’d work-
Aggie: All the work?
Jacob: No.



Just then two aggies went up the road, the other stayed behind to block Jacob the only way he knew how, brake-checking him.

Aggie: You’re the one they call Thunderthighs Dodson?

Jacob: The very same. Now stand aside!
Aggie: Never!

And so they dueled. Jacob attacking, the aggie throwing on the brakes. It was a dance, it was beauty, it was a battle royale. It was also damned annoying.

Jacob: Time to end this nonsense



Aggie: Up! Up!

But his cries were stifled by the howling wind and the other two aggies remained oblivious of the threat growing behind them.

Jacob: Oh, my god! It's me!

Aggie: Thunderthighs! It’s you!
Jacob: So are we going to toy with me or try chasing?
Aggie: Toy with you.

And toy they did, trying a variety of attacks until they managed to get one slightly up the road and the other blocking. But then, in an exciting and dangerous moment, the aggie up the road dropped his chain.


Jacob: That was uneventful.
Aggie: I’m really disappointed how this ended up.
Jacob: You all probably could’ve taken me in a sprint.
Aggie: Aha! So your weakness is revealed.
Jacob: Crap. I mean…I suck at climbing.

Suck in a sprint he did. But, having clawing his way past shelled riders, Jacob moved from dropped on the first lap to 8th. Somehow. His tenacity unquestioned, his relentlessness unparalleled, his leg-shaving skills entirely subpar, Jacob set his sights on the team time trial…

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