On the Road to Valley of the Sun...

My name is Diego Binatena. I’m 14 years old and a new addition to Team Specialized Racing Juniors. With Valley of the Sun coming up this weekend, the team’s first big stage race, I was anxious to test my fitness this past weekend at So Cal’s Boulevard Road Race, a very demanding 44 mile road race.


Boulevard Road Race
I rolled up to the start line in my Team Specialized Racing kit for the first time. As all 100 Cat 4 racers arrived, a rider moved over to me and said, “Hey kid, where did you get that kit?” I said, “I’m on the Junior Team.” He gave me the thumbs up and wished me a good season. This kit is so pro!


Lap One – Look Good, Feel Good…
The race started with a short climb and was followed by a bombing descent that covered about 7 miles. I didn’t have any problems staying in the front on the descent. There were no attacks at all, as all riders knew what was coming up in miles 10 through 21.
The race really took off at mile 10 with a 3 – 6+% climb. At around mile 12, the 100 member peloton split and at least 30 riders dropped off the back. The pace up the remaining 5 miles spit out twenty or more of the field. I was still in good form at mile 21 and waved to my parents as I completed the first lap in 4th position.


Lap Two – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly…
After the short pitch climb we had the bombing 7 mile descent again. I felt so good that I thought maybe I should have skipped the 4’s race and gone straight to the Pro1-2 race. However, as we started the final gruesome 4 mile climb to the finish, the engine room notified me that we were losing power. I couldn’t maintain the pace and began to drop off with about 10 other racers. Now, it was every man (and one Jr.) for himself as we struggled to the finish.
I crossed the finish line in 28th place. The race was 42.11 miles long with 3,928 feet of climbing. This wasn’t the finish I wanted, but considering I was laid up for 10 days sick with the flu, I finished ok.


Red Trolley Crit
The next day was the Red Trolley Crit in San Diego. Great So Cal weather and the Cat 4 field maxed out again at 100 racers. This was a short, .6 mile fast course with a swooping climb out of the fourth corner. The last lap of the race was scary fast with bumping and banging. I lost some spots coming out of the last turn but managed to sprint for 9th place. Again, not what I wanted, but decent given this is only February and I’ve got a long season ahead of me.

All in all it was a good weekend of racing. Next up, “Valley of the Sun Stage Race” in Phoenix, AZ, where I get to spend 3 days and race with the best team in USA- Team Specialized Racing Juniors!