A quiet day week for Aevolo Cycling Team after a successful Redlands Bicycle Classic. But not everyone made use of this well-deserved rest week. Gage Hecht, inspired by his Redland Bicycle Classic performance, entered the local criterium Wheels of Thunder, put on by his first cycling team ICCC, last weekend. Hecht gives us a play-by-play report of the event.

​

"I was pretty happy with how the race went," Hecht looks back. "I joined a break of four or five other riders on the first lap, when Daniel Holloway used the strong winds to split the field."

​

"A few laps later, right before the first prime, I had to take a free lap due to a flat - this was quite the relief," Hecht admits. "I had been riding the redline since we had gotten our gap. After rejoining, the three of us that remained continued to work together and eventually lapped the field."

​

"Immediately, Holloway tried going again. The group grabbed on his wheel. He tried a second time and he ended up escaping with a different set of riders."

​

"Throughout the remainder of the race, the field splintered," Hecht says. "I gave a big push to try to bridge up to Holloway's group but was not able to make it. I had a good time racing, as always." Hecht eventually took second, stepping onto the podium of yet another race.

​

"It was really great to be able to race this race that my first team, ICCC, put on and be able to reconnect with many of my original mentors in the sport."

​

Hernandez on the mend

​

Meanwhile Michael Hernandez is on the mend after his Tour of the Gila crash on April 23rd. His injuries included fractures in his right forearm, left index finger and cheekbone, which will need time to heal. But Hernandez is working on his return to the peloton on the home trainer and hasn't lost his good spirits, having supported his teammates from home throughout the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

​

"I am doing okay," Hernandez said. "I don't have much pain anymore, I'm just waiting for the healing process to really start kicking in."

​

"Mentally I'm doing alright as well," he added. "It is hard not riding outside, and being stuck on the trainer. But I'm doing my best to heal quickly to get back to racing with the guys."