August 9-12 - Junior Road World Championships
Cyclingnews.com Time Trial Coverage

Journal of Junior Worlds

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~ Jerika Hutchinson

It all started in a mad rush on the 24th when I received an email with the details of my flight plans. I was to fly out from Sacramento to Colorado Springs on the 25th. We had one day to make sure that all was in order. Thankfully in my excitement of being on the Junior National World’s Team, my mom and I had been packing all week. This paid off for I was ready to go the next morning and I was not missing one item. Since my dad was working, my brother was nominated to drive me on the three and half hour journey to the Sacramento airport. From there I would fly to Colorado Springs and call it home for almost two weeks.

The training at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) went well. The goal was to allow my body to adjust to the high altitude and to continue my training for the TT. The days went by quickly and I felt strong and ready for my upcoming race. I was ready for the day I would leave because that would mean the race would be coming soon in Mexico.

On the 6th, I woke up at 2:30am to take a shower and get ready to leave the OTC to begin my trip to Mexico. It was a long trip. We missed our flight in Mexico City due to customs, so we stayed at the Mexico City airport for around four hours waiting for the next flight to Aguascalientes. We had left the OTC at 3:00am and arrived at our hotel around 11:30 pm. It was one long day. Fortunately, the next day was a rest day for me.

On the 8th I was able to preview the Time Trial course. This was when my pre race ride would also take place. The road surface change several times: from being a little bumpy, to a short section of road pack, and pleasant sections of smooth surfaces. The course was an eight mile loop (14km).The start ramp was about 200 meters from a sharp turn around which would take me up a slowly, sloping hill that starts to kick up about 4km or 5km into the course. When previewing the course, I crested the hill and noticed the long decent. I then did an interval down the hill just to see how fast it really was. It was fast! The fun part of the warm up day was the people who were lining the course to watch all of us train. They cheered for us and I even gave some kids a high five.

My race was to start at 11:40am on August 9th. I woke up in the morning nervous yet confident that I would do well. I ate breakfast, visited, and then I went down to the basement to begin my warm up. I did about a 40 minute warm up before I headed down to the bike check in. Ben and Thom were there with my race wheels which they promptly changed while I sat in the shade and continued to hydrate. We breezed through bike check and then it was time for the race. We were going off in one minute intervals. That was the longest minute in my life as I stared down the road and to where the first turn would be. That was the only thing on my mind as the clock in front of me beeped warning me that I had ten seconds left. I stood up taking a deep breath with my focus intent on my turn. The clocked beeped, five seconds, four, three, I leaned back, two, I breathed deeply, one, I leaned further back waiting for the finial beep. It sounded loud and clear. I launched myself down the start ramp counting my pedal strokes. The turn came up and I went though it smoothly, hitting the rough patches of road as if they were smooth. Then it was time to go up the hill. I kicked up my pace and soon I had tunnel vision and all I could hear was the encouraging honks of Ben and the occasional cheer of the crowd. Then I saw the girl who started one minute ahead of me. I continued to go at my own pace. I was right on her when I turned to go down the hill. I soon passed by her and the 1k banner was coming closer. I pushed hard allowing the rest of my energy to swell up in my legs as the finish line came in view. I put my head down (not literally) and my last bit of strength carried me across the line into second place. I stopped. I was dizzy and it was hard for me to breathe. Medics came over to help me and I collapsed into their arms. They helped me off my bike and took me to a chair where I sat dazed, drinking a bottle of water. I clung to second until the last rider came in bumping me down to third.

Awards immediately followed the race. I walked towards the podium. The awards came with all the glamour as the Tour De France. As soon as the awards were done, I was surrounded by people wanting my autograph and taking pictures. I was famous out in Mexico!

The first day Junior Worlds was a success for the USA. I came in third for the TT and Taylor Phinney received gold in the TT with a stunning ride. That evening we were even surprised with a cake to cap off the wonderful success that our team had in just one day.

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