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Remembering a friend
Published: Oct. 20, 2006
Jonathan Dechau was a friend of mine. Like many, I was shocked tohear of hispassing. I hadn’t talked to him a couple of years and it was a shockfor me to come across it on all the cycling websites. It was almost surreal.Jon and I had both started out racing in New England and had gotten toknow each other. I got to thinking about Jon again after recent developments.Years ago Jon and I were both chasing the dream. We were bothracing the better part of the NRC schedule that year and seeing each otherat all the events. In that same year the Olympic trials were held in JacksonMississippi and we ran into each other again. Jon was riding quite welland it was a pleasure to see how much he was enjoying himself at the events.
I recall that that year in Mississippi, the weather was terrible forthe men’s road race that we were both doing. The course was pretty flatand the race was just blazingly fast for the duration. Jon and I had exchangeda few words before the race but once we started it was all business.
Mid-way through the race I flatted and had no team support so I hadto wait for the race caravan to pass before the Mavic guys could get tome. They gave me a pretty fast wheel change and I was able to get goingagain. At that point of the race we were flying and I remember yellingout loud to myself while I was chasing that I had flatted at the wrongmoment.
While making my way up through the caravan I saw a lone rider comeout the back of the pack and sit up and look over his shoulder. As I cameup on that rider I saw it was Jon. When we came together I asked if everythingwas all right. Jon said he wasn’t feeling his legs and then pulled infront of me, slapped his hip and towed me up to the back of the group.Then he pulled up next to me and started emptying his jersey and puttingall his food and Extran in my jersey. Then he asked me if I needed a vestor a bottle.
I was shocked! He had come out the back of the race, picked me up andtowed me back to the group, restocked my race food and then quit the race.I thanked him profusely and he said “you can repay the favor later.” Hisgenerosity saved my race and I was able to finish with the group and evenpretend I was in the sprint. I repaid the favor at the nationals a fewdays later by feeding him since I was racing as a pro and couldn’t do the race.A similar scenario unfolded at the Univest Grand Prix later that sameyear. Even though it was a 100 mile road race, we went out of town likeit was a criterium and pretty much flew the whole way.During the race again, Jon came and found me in the group, asked ifI was ok and then handed over his Extran and other race food. I askedhim what his plan was and he said he would ride as far as the circuitsin town and then see how it went. Again, his generosity saved my race andI ended up going to the finish with the group.Jon went on to get married and create a family and so have I. Lookingat it now, I am both embarrassed and ashamed that I haven’t met his wifeor children. Or that he hasn’t met mine for that matter.Jon was truly one of the best. He was a talented cyclist, an authenticindividual and one of the nicest people I’ve ever known. I admired Jonbecause he said what was on in mind and he had a lot of integrity. We trulylost one of the best. I will miss him and my thoughts go out to hisfamily and his community.
Ainslie MacEachran
Head Coach/ Owner
www.GeminiTrainingSystems.com
CU Cycling Coach
