Lone Cherry Blossom

Despite
the
pomp and circumstance
of a
big stage race
by
J. Fritzgerald B.
Photo
by
Pat Malach
of
Oregon Cycling Action

Isaac Potoczny-Jones narrowed and kept his focus to not only ride the best race of his career, but to finish the whole four stage event - representing Word-RCB in the General Compilation.

Eating, cleaning and tending to other teammates is more difficult than it sounds at these events especially when RESTING is all you want to do.
Every single calorie is needed. After the Time Trial -before the Crit, if you can sleep even an hour, you recover so much you can feel it. But when you wake up, you need to turn all the systems back on, all the way on! Because you are about to race faster than you ever have in your life.
So you drink and stretch. Eat and do push - ups. Use the restroom and ride rollers. Hurry! it's time to head over there!
Held at night under the lights, the Cherry City Criterium in Old Town The Dalles was a dangerously fast tight criterium. Knowing the shape of things to come, Isaac shot from the start right up into 3rd position. From there he fought for his life. Speeds in the 30s mph, Isaac dove through bumpy tight corners, elbow to elbow with other racers. Slowly slipping as he fought, Isaac finished mid-pack and was elated to be alive.
And you ask about the Road Races? The Road Races. The road races were harder than anything on the standard OBRA schedule. Typically featuring over six thousand feet of climbing, hairy descents overlooking no guard rail and vast valleys below, even dirt roads on the climbs. The only thing tougher was the short Individual Time Trial held outside of Dufur in a wind field favored by alternative power vendors.
It changes a new racer.
We raised Isaac's saddle and flipped his stem. Take a look at him next time you see him and see if he doesn't look a little different, perhaps hardened by the Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic.