After starting the race taking it stage by stage, Jelly Belly rider Phil Gaimon is closer to a pedal-stroke by pedal-stroke mentality after a trying stage four.

By Phil Gaimon

I can’t believe I’m still here.

The goal for the team today was to be aggressive, and make it into the early break. Granted, that was our goal yesterday and the day before as well. But this is our first time racing together this year, and three of us are new to the team so things don’t always go according to plan. The elevation profile today looked like a Richter Scale Chart during an earthquake, so the break would probably be out there a long time.

The roads were narrow, so it was hard to get to the front, but Jelly Belly didn’t miss any of the first attacks that went. I was feeling good, and each of us covered several moves that looked promising.

Finally, teammate Matt Crane slipped away with three other riders, and the field sat up. Astana wanted the attacks to cease so they could start riding tempo. Everything looked great for us to be featured in a long breakaway until Floyd Landis bridged up to Matt and the others, effectively dooming the attack (Astana probably remembers the Tour de France when Floyd did that, and no one would make that mistake again).

When that move returned, the course got hilly and the wind picked up. I found myself hurting at the back. We were going over 30 mph into a crosswind, and I expected to hurt, so it never occurred to me that I might have other problems. I figured that out about fifteen minutes later, when I got dropped on the first climb, and realized that there was a slow leak in my tire. The team car rolled up next to me, and gave me a spare wheel, but I was already a minute or so down on the group.

Fortunately, I was able to catch up to a few bigger riders before the top, so I had someone to chase with. I spent the next FORTY FIVE MINUTES killing myself to catch back on along with Bradley White, Karl

Menzies (both Team Ouch), and my teammate Nick Reistad. We could see the race caravan in the distance, but Astana’s tempo is hard to catch up to. I thought it was hopeless, but over the second KOM, we caught the cars, and worked our way back into the race.

Hooray! 80 miles were left in the race.

That was a hard effort. In fact, it was just as hard as being in the break and putting a minute and a half on the field, only minus the fame, glory, and happy sponsors. So, I went from feeling good back into survival mode, but at least I was still in the race. A couple days ago, I mentioned that I was taking the race one stage at a time. Today was one climb at a time, but I made it to the finish in the front group. Eventually, I expect it to get down to individual pedal strokes or specific muscle contractions.

I don’t think this hotel has an elevator, so I had to climb the

Alpe d’Stairwell to get to my room (I stopped halfway up for a rest), and I’ll have to descend it to reach the buffet later. Eat like a pig, drink like a camel, sleep like a baby. That’s it from Clovis.

P.S. Thanks to whoever that was shouting my name and ‘Go Moustache!’ on one of the climbs today. Jelly Beans on me if you find our RV at the start tomorrow.

Phil Gaimon is a first year team rider for the Jelly Belly Cycling Team who will be doing rider diaries for Bicycling.com at the Tour of California and throughout the 2009 racing season. Read more about him at his website PhilTheThrill.com.