Gateway Cup 2006
Posted by: Adam Fuson @ 2006.09.14.0013

Friday morning Nieport arrived at decavirate and drove me to UC's transportation services to get a 15-passenger van. We both drove back to decavirate and prepared the van for the trip to St Louis, while the other boys arrived. We left decavirate headed for the bike shop before noon, but did not manage to meet Aaron until almost 1pm. About 5 hours later we arrived in St Louis and confirmed our hotel reservations before driving to Friday night's race at Lafayette Square. Though the promoters had warned that most races would be closed, most events seemed to have fewer riders than the year before, and fears of Johnny and Aaron racing turned to vapor during Friday night's registration. Nieport and the Noah "the Frenchman" finished the night crit, but I was dropped about half way through the race. They both managed to avoid involvement in the two large crashes of the night.

Ernie Nieport arrived at our hotel room Saturday morning about the time we were enjoying a complimentary breakfast. He rode with us to the new race on Washington and 18th street in downtown St Louis. New lofts and locked private garages are being created in hopes of revitalizing the urban area. We parked on a side street so we could watch the day's racing and prepared for each of our events. Aaron easily finished his first race, but Nieport and I were dropped less than half way through the event. Noah managed to hang on and finish before an M3 rushed across the backside of the course after some unknown spectator was pressuring him to "turn the traction off."

Sunday Aaron was especially nervous about getting to the course on time, as he had been late for his event last year, due to a timing mistake of mine. As usual we parked near turn 3 on the SW side of the course, and John and I walked the course and ate lunch at an Italian restaurant, while Aaron finished his second event of the weekend. We watched him maintain a top ten position in the field most of the way through the race from our window seats in the restaurant. Returning from lunch John and I noticed an old Turbo Volvo sedan, through which we met the Hof family. Most of the remainder of the day we spent lounging in the Hof's front lawn enjoying the races and their company. Though the course is known as the hill, it was much less severe than the Washington Ave crit from the previous day, and I managed to finish ahead of the Frenchman, but Nieport was dropped about halfway through the event. After dinner we drove to the river-front and walked around the Gateway Arch and through the underground museum to satiate Nieport's desires of tourism.

Finally, Monday was our last day in St Louis on the loop in University City and Aaron and Noah both easily finished their events, while Nieport and I were dropped quickly from the big race. Though we were anxious to leave we found time to take some photos with the Dairy. After the race completed we made ready and drove home through an Illinois rainstorm. Hour later we performed the normal post event cleanup and return of the university vehicle late in the night. After missing Superweek for only the 2nd year ever, I was pleased to be racing again and continue racing for the 8th straight year at the Gateway Cup in St Louis over Labor Day weekend. Forego the fireworks next year, and join us for a long weekend of elite bicycle racing in the gateway city!

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