Go get it, gang. 

This new thang we’re doing is having you all go try to take segments. On Strava. Because that’s where cycling is at at the moment.

This week, go take a run at the McKinley-Center E-W climb. It’s short, steep and tough, with no margin for error. It’s been the site of a raging battle that includes Strava heavy weights Mickey Humpula, Jason Whittaker and Ty Schmidt. The two minute effort of “Murder” Mickey is the new standard set on July 31. That came after the KOM was shuffled between the trio a few times, with each attempt making big gains. Whittaker now stands second position on the segment, a full nine seconds back. He’s two seconds clear of Schmidt.

The trick is to finish off over the top, with the segment ending on a false-flat before riders get all the way to Center Road. Keep the pace high and hold on as long as possible, as letting up at all could be the difference between a new KOM and being just another schmuck on the leaderboard.

Expect undue focus on this one from Sean Kickbush, but keep your eyes on peninsula local Jim Picotte as well. Whittaker views the southern end of Old Mission as his backyard, and he won’t take this challenge lightly.

This challenge ends Sunday night at 6pm, EST. Get it done. The top time from now until then gets noted on here, and absolutely nothing else.

Next week, we’ll pick a segment in the Grand Rapids area, bouncing around the state until kolo t.c. finds some stuff to write about.

mickey humpula	Jul 31, 2013	19.0mi/h	–	471W	–	2:00
2	Jason Whittaker	Jul 14, 2013	17.7mi/h	–	398W	–	2:09
3	Carter’s Compost	Aug 4, 2013	17.4mi/h	–	238W	–	2:11
4	Kris Stegmann	Sep 27, 2012	15.9mi/h	187bpm	371W	–	2:24
5	Adam Norman	Jul 1, 2013	14.5mi/h	–	314W	–	2:37
6	Chris Kushman	Sep 7, 2010	14.0mi/h	167bpm	365W	–	2:43
7	Jimmy McKenna	Jun 29, 2013	13.9mi/h	–	280W	–	2:44
8	Bill Unger	Jul 3, 2013	13.5mi/h	175bpm	286W	–	2:49
9	paul olson	Jun 19, 2013	13.4mi/h	–	282W	–	2:51
10	Jon Throop	Jul 6, 2013	13.1mi/h	–	275W	–	2:54