Riverside Racing

This weekend the Riverside Cyclocross festival featured races on both days with a reversal of the course on day 2. The venue is very close to home and sat right on the Missouri river next to one of the riverboat casinos in a sweet little park. The course would test the handling skills of the best riders. Beautiful sunny weather around 60 degrees both days, can't beat it.

Day 1 - Good start, sitting in 3rd, but just can't bridge up to my teammate in 1st. Head through Harter's Horseshoe, a downhill rutty section toward the river where it turns to sandy dirt in a horseshoe shape and back up. The Up part was dug out to make back 2 back ditches that were "rideable" but sketchy. #2 goes over his bars in front of me and I run it, sittin pretty. Next big feature is real off-road, a log across the trail that is easily one foot tall, maybe 14 inches with a steep hill right behind it. Bunny hop the log and ride the hill. 20 feet further, another smaller log with a downhill on the other side, bunny hop and into the rolling downhill double track, its wicked FAST. Out to the twisty grass and turn it up. Onto the sandpit/volleyball course and I decide to ride... the deep carbons cut through it like butter and actually gain speed coming out... Kick Ass, I knew those things were worth it! Barrier section guy comes flying by me bunnyhopping the boards!! Not the bump and jump type, full-on BMX both wheels off clearing 'em by several inches and Supafast! I catch him on the straight sections and get by him. He does it again on the next lap, AHHHH! Next thing he blows a corner and goes through the tape, ah I got him now. Well he continues down the side of the course and cuts the tape back in. Now I'm gonna protest if he beats me. Well it didn't come to that as on the next to final lap, in the wooded section I get up and over the big log and hill then got bucked on the 2nd log and endo with front wheel turned into the brush. Pick myself up and ready to go but the tubular is partially off the rim, FUCK!! I scramble to get it put back on the rim, finally get it pushed on and ride it gingerly half a lap back to the pits. Change out the front and of course now several riders have passed me. I try to ride the sand on the bell lap, but the Ksyrium on the front just didn't cut it, bogged down at the end, guy passes me runniing. Relegated to 9th, aint that a bitch. No protest but I tell the guy to go back in where he went out next time. The barriers were low and I'd like to see if he could actually do that on regulation barriers. Photo is Jim going over the bars, but is probably what I looked like too, except I was flying on a downhill slope.


Day 2 - Pissed off ready for vengance. Big field today with 40 starters (Lucas and Songer included due to the payouts). Good start and rolling with the front group of 5 or 6, hear a crash after the first tight corner, at least its behind me.... that's why the start is so important. The tight technical turns aren't feeling that smoothe today. One downhill tight left is getting me everytime where I actually lock it up to make the turn. The uphill swoopy double track section is fast and now there is a step up jump over the log, hit it perfect every time. The front group has formed into 4 guys and I'm leading the chase but they are on my ass, especially in the corners. Lucas pops of the front and Brendan passes me, so still in 4th. Josh passes me and Mike goes on the pave' section... I jam it to not let him pass, looking down as I floor it, I miss the cones and blow through the corner. So frustrated, turning around to get back on course only to see a couple riders get spots on me. Bury it to get back on, Mike crashed and I pass him. Hammer it to the finish and still end up out of the money. 7th place.

So mad about a weekend full of mistakes. Both days mistakes cost me several places and some cash. I had 3rd locked up on Sat and probably 4th on Sunday. What did I learn?? Well.. 1)Pay attention in those technical sections with jumps, be smart and dont try to go too fast 2)Don't land on your front wheel with it turned, Doh 3)Its ok to let somebody pass as long as you stay on their wheel and pass them later 4)Keep your head UP you dumbass! That's why you missed the corner. The bunny hopper is actually a supafast mountain biker who regularly wins Expert and Open categories so that makes me feel a little better. Think I'm gonna start practicing those jumps.

O' Ridley Where Art Thou?

Oh my F'in God!!! It has been over 6 weeks now and still no X-Fire. I knew there would be a wait, but this GD ridiculous. The bike was supposed to ship from Reno on Monday via UPS and it is Friday today, so it better get here. There's probably not much of a chance that I'll be able to race it this weekend. Even if is shows up today, I spend several hours building it up, I won't feel comfortable racing it. I guess Sunday could be a possibility, but that is predicated on the thing arriving today. Each day the UPS may just rolls by without stopping, Oh the disappointment. ARRRRRGGG!!!

Boulevard Cup Race Report

Another gorgeous day for 'cross at a great venue. The course design proved to be challenging and my legs were feeling a bit heavy from Saturday's effort in the 1/2/3 race. Nationals is only about 6 weeks away and racers from around the region came to check it out. The start is an uphill grind that dives off into a slight down hill field, around a pond then back up the hill and across the road into the main area of the race. The course snakes its way around the field through off camber and other tight technical sections. Weather could prove to make this a very difficult course. Long sweeping off-camber turns that were fast on Sunday could turn to slippery sliding turns where you just try to keep the rubber side down. At the end of each lap riders face an uphill dismount that will be laden with 40 ft of stairs, a 180 at the top and back down the hill followed by another 180, then back up another set of stairs. After the remount at the top of 2nd set we rode about 50 feet then another TIGHT 180 onto an off-camber section. This area will prove to be decisive. Lastly back onto the road for the uphill grind to the finish.

I had a decent race, but got separated from the front group in the first lap and couldn't get back on, so I held on to my spot and battled with another guy for awhile until he was out of gas. One young buck on the front, actually rode in Paris-Roubaix this year as part of the US Junior National Team, went out in a spectacular explosion. I've raced with him a bunch last year and once I saw him ahead of me, it was pedal to the metal and I made up another spot through the fast downhill corner. Check out the great video that local Keith Walberg shot for Gizmo Productions.... good stuff and a firsthand look at the Nationals course.

Capital Cup Race Report

Race #3 of the season was out in the capital city of Kansas. Topeka is around 75 miles or so from KC, had to budget a little extra time in getting out there on a great fall day. The morning was a cool start in the mid 30's with mid 50's expected at race time, purrrrfect. I finally broke out the Cane Creek carbons with the Dugast Rhinos on the long flowy course. Front row start and ready to rock it... break my chain in the first 500 meters. So I dug into the 'cross survival kit I take to all races and fish out a replacement chain.

Sign up for the 1/2/3 race, feeling a bit nervous as I'm lining up with Steve Tilford and some of the other fast locals. I take a 2nd row start and ease out of the gate. It didn't seem like a fast start but quickly the pace picked up and the field strung out until I was dangling off the back. The rest of the race was pretty much a solo effort aside from trying to chase down the 2 guys in front of me. Its all good experience and if I had to do it all over again I would have been more aggressive at the start and tried to hang in. Finished 13 of 16, not last and I didn't get lapped by Tilly.

Boulevard Cup Pre-Registration Tonight

Get down to the Boulevard Brewery Tasting room tonight from5-8pm to prereg for the race on Sunday. The race will be held on the same course as December's National Championship of Cyclocross. This is a great opportunity to get your cross on and feel out the course we've all been waiting for. While at the brewery, sample up some of the great offerings they've been cooking up over at Boulevard.

Nationals Course Preview = Boulevard Cup

Sunday's Boulevard Cup will be a big race and riders are expected to descend on KC from all over the country. They want to feel first hand how bad its going to hurt come mid-December on the Nationals course. The word on the street is it will hurt bad. It always hurts, it just depends where and how much. I've raced in this park several times, but Bill has changed it up some and I'm looking forward to getting a true preview on the Nationals course. There are double sets of stairs (railroad ties) added back to back stylie, a large sandpit, and of course enough road to help make up some time, I'll need it. This is a great opportunity to a sneak peak and actually race on the course early. Not that it will give me a big advantage over the likes of Andy Jacques-Maynes, but I can use all the help I can get. Saturday is the 2nd race of the DeStad Cyclocross van Kansas series which will be in Topeka, then back to KC for the Bully cup on Sunday. I'll take some pics and post a good race report on the course after I've felt its wrath.

Boss Cross #1

The weather on Sunday was supposed to be in the low 70's and sunny, so I wasn't too excited about the persistent warmth. On the way up to the race the sky clouded up and wind was gusting in the 20's to 30's. A park in Platte City was the race venue for this revival of the Boss Cross series. The new venue was rumored to be hilly, but upon arrival that rumor looked to be very true. The pre-ride on the course was eye opening, this was going to be hard... 3-4 rough rutty sections that warranted 3 inch suspension and 2.2 tires, hills that were waiting to suck every ounce of snap from my legs, turns littered with gravel, and of course that wind was starting to howl out of the west. There were a lot of technical turns too which looked fun but somebody was going down. As much as I wanted to run the Dugasts, I opted out seeing all those rough ruts and gnarly rocky sections. Michie Mud clinchers with 32 lbs front and 35 rear will be my weapon of choice today. In the Masters race that I missed most of, Jeff's Challenge Grifo blew out the sidewall like so many others that I've read about. I'm staying away from those clinchers, might try a tubie.

Cat 4 Race
Matt-Cat, Brent, Scott, and one of my team-mates Brian were in this race with nearly 50 starters. Ready Go! and field flies up the paved start to the holeshot and into the worst rutty section of the course. People are bouncing all over and at the first turn, bump, bump, boom. Brian gets tangled up with Scott, goes over the bars, and hits the dirt. His bars were completely turned down, shifters full of mud and he limped back to the parking lot. As we were digging for an allen to fix the bars and scraping out the dirt, POW! I turn to look and a few turns later, Matt has blown a tire. Apparently, someone's tire got into his and rubbed for several seconds before exploding. The Hutchinson Piranha had blown out the sidewall across a 5 inch section. No spare wheel, but a generous onlooker offered one up at the pit and Matt was back in the race.

Matt Cat after the holeshot and ruts

By this time, Matt was getting lapped by the leaders, but got in the chase group and started picking off the other lapped riders and ended up in 22nd. Brent on the other hand, in his own massochistic way, opted for the single front 42 chainring and a 25 on the rear. Nothing too eventful for the 13th place finisher, except the continuous frying and burning of his legs as he pushed that gear up those hills. He's going back to the double, not a bad choice.

Brent in the Pain Cave

Scott leading the chase

Cat3/4 Race
The warmup was pretty weak, but still got 20 minutes on the trainer with a few laps on the course. Several accelerations up the monster hill reaffirmed the pain that was about to ensue. Lined up in the front row this time, early bird gets the good start. The chief ref gave her usual spiel and then a very unsuspecting Ready GO!! WTF I said as I immediately punched it and sped toward the holeshot in about 8th place. I bomb it through the rough section and make up several places, around the first corner easily and up the first steep hill, hit the short uphill road section and grab a wheel. There's a lot of jockeying back and forth on the first part of the first lap. We head up the 2nd short upclimb, and people start spinning out and dismounting. I manage to stay on the bike and pedal through them amidst the traffic at a near standstill.

Brendan and I jockeying up the big hill

Through the rocky off-camber section where the line changed every lap cuz all the big rocks kept moving around. By the 2nd lap, we've pretty much got the top 10 out front. I'm sitting on Brendan's wheel and we go through a downhill turn to an off-camber section and he goes down in front of me, I take the section high and go past him into 3rd. Gun it up the next hill by the pits and onto the long daddy hill and through the backside of the course. There was one barrier section with triples and as I approach it, I'm stuck in my left pedal, finally get out at the last second and bounce my bike off the first barrier and manage to get through the boards and back into my pedals, wooo. Brendan and I battle back and forth for a lap or two and I notice that he's slowing a bit on the hills, so next time he goes around me I just sit on his wheel for the next full lap and let him pull me into the wind and up those hills. When we go up the hill by the start/finish he dismounts and starts to run, time to make my move...I gun it and blast past him up the road and don't let up for at least half a lap. On the long uphill, directly into the wind, I also bury myself to get enough separation that I can maintain. Another couple laps and I've managed to keep them all back and nobody is close enough to challenge for my spot. First and second were far enough ahead I knew I couldn't close the gap on them without taking significant risks, so I took the bell lap at a reasonable pace and held onto 3rd. All's good on the podium. Team X grabs 1st, 2nd, and 4th... gotta keep an eye out for those guys. Pallito is looking good and the young Chris is screamin' fast. A big thanks to Jeremy Haynes for designing this challenging course and putting on a stellar event, can't wait for December in Parkville for Boss Cross #2.

Jeff Chasing downPlumer in the Masters

Green Monster

Wow, check this Belgie flyover planted in the bluegrass of Kentucky. The green monster is going to challenge the legs and skills of all riders this coming weekend at the first stop of the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross in Louisville. It has the run up on one side and a ride down on the other. I'd be fine on the run up, but getting in the pedals for the steep downhill on the other side immediately would be sketchy at best. I can easily see many riders rolling down on their saddle only and getting bucked at the bottom (yee-haw!). At the beginning of the season I had planned to make this race, but it's too much travel for the fam right now. This course is going to be sick on the remnants of an old golf course, it will be true Belgie style with this new flyover. Rain is in the forecast for the first part of the week in KY, so it could be a weekend of mudfilled mayhem.

Season Opener ... Chris 'Cross Intl

Finally the Cyclocross racing has begun. It poured rain yesterday with a high in the 60s', and the thought of cold weather and mud filled my dreams last night. But as the day wore on, it became a balmy 78 degrees with sunny skies. Sweet, I only have a long sleeve skinsuit as the rest of my kit hasn't arrived, nor my bike (another topic). On with the race report.

kB pulling the train

Rolled up to the start and got a decent position in the 2nd row, but as I looked around it became apparent that there were a couple local legends that were going to lay it down. That just meant the start was even more important. Ready, GO!!! Fast start down the pavement, sitting about 10th into the hole-shot. I quickly made up ground on the first bumpy section and moved up about 5 spots. Through the quad barriers that were 2ft high, the winding whoops section, treacherous creek crossing with rocks and log(photo of Matt-Cat), and back out onto the road.
There was lots of gravel and rocks so I opted to not use the Dugasts today and went with the Ksyrium/Mud combo(good choice). After we got through the first lap, things spread out some and it was me, Ridley teammate Jeremy, and young Team X'er sitting in 5,6, &7. It really stayed that way for the next several laps until some guy came blowing through us, I tried to stay on his wheel but you know how that goes. Down to the bell lap and Team X kid moved in between us and I couldn't shake him with multiple accelerations. He sat on my wheel until the last turn onto the pavement and passed me, then my teammate rolls by. Lost 2 spots in the last 50 meters, boo. All in all the day was good, with no major mistakes, and I'm happy with my placing. Could have had a better start, and should have communicated more with my teammate about some alternating attacks to drop that kid. Shouldn't have pulled the whole race either. Off to Denver in the morning and a rest week, woo hoo, then back to racing next weekend, can't wait. Just want my freakin' X-Fire delivered, SOON!

Poetry in Motion

How beautiful is this clip? This photo is courtesy of David Chui and shows the elegant display of bunny hopping barriers by the master himself, Sinsei JPows. One of these days I'll man-up and give it go.... on the porta-barriers cuz I'm a wussy and probably end up on my face. This is not something you can try in a race unless you have it down perfect EVERY time. Jeremy is also rolling the new SRAM RED on a Ridley X-Fire (it better get here soon!) Straight up Badass.

Fave Riding Partner

Today was a rest day, so Ella and I cruised it up for a good hour or so. She chatted away in the back with her dolls while I played sled dog up front. Mush Mush daddy! Pulling the chariot around isn't easy, but definitely enjoyable with her.

Do They Grow on Trees?

Since there aren't any races in the metro for another couple weeks, we must improvise. Today a few of us gathered at Loose park for the circuit. Set up a couple barrier sections and went for it. The wind was jammin' (30-40mph gusts) and the 80 degree day made it exceptionally tough in the tall grass. Mitch and Brent are captured here approaching the barriers before wind tunnel hill.

Brent's De Rosa was hangin' out in the tree, just ripe for the pickin'.

Another One Flies the Coop

One of my recent acquisitions just flew the coop this week. This 2007 Trek XO2 was around for a couple months, but had to make room in the barn for the real deal. The Ridley X-Fire will be here soon and although its hard to have too many cross bikes, the wife has a different opinion. The wait seems endless.
OUT




IN

Defecting to Ridley Factory Team

Well I'm making a change in teams for cyclocross this fall and will be with the Ridley Factory Team. It is very much for the better and I'll be on one of sickest rides out there... the all carbon X-Fire. Now its just the impatient waiting for the boxes to arrive. With most of the cross world out in Vegas at Interbike this week, it may be a longer wait than normal. The sizing is a little different on the Ridleys so I'll have to post after I've got my frame built up and out for a test ride.

Cross Season is here

Well today the rain finally fell and the temps dropped into the 60's. Oh how I've been longing for this weather, cloudy and cool. This morning I was able to get out in the pouring rain for a quick 25 minute run and that was nice with the little one. Although she stayed dry in the Chariot, I endured the downpour. I just sold my 2007 Trek XO2 so thought I'd take her out for one last spin on the brewpub road ride tonight. Will be exchanging it for some duckets tomorrow so wanted to keep it somewhat clean ready for delivery. I got lots of comments tonight like "It looks like you're ready for cross" or "Do you race cyclocross?", duh you fools. Cyclocross is eminating from my very soul each and every day, so my response was always a pleasant "Yes" with a shit-eating grin on my face. The first real race isn't for a couple weeks so all I can do is prepare and prepare and prepare. Got in an easy 30 miles and looking forward to the final cross clinic tommorow night.

Bully Cup Preview

Yesterday the Boulevard Cup preview was out at Wyandotte County park where the Cyclocross Nationals will be this year. It was a hot and sunny day pushing 90 degrees, certainly not cross weather, but any day is a good day for cross. Rolling up, it didn't appear there were that many people, but they came out of the woodwork with probably 40+ locals out to jockey it up. We did an easy lap together then hit up a real start and bombed it. The pace was pretty high in the front and I was dying of thirst in the heat. The course was mainly in rolling grass with a couple of short paved sections, one barrier, and the railroad tie runup (look for that one at nats). We did a 45 minute session that left most of us red-faced and needing something cold to drink. Luckily there were some cold ones on hand for recovery. It was a great time to blow out the cobwebs and turn it up a notch. That level of intestity can't be replicated until you get a bunch of competitive guys together and say GO! Can't wait for the next one.

Du-Du- Dugast

Well the Rhinos are finally mounted up and it took a full week. This is my virgin glue job as I've never had tubbies before and I'm hoping for the best. I did a quick and easy spin around the park the other day and they felt good. I had too much air in them but was a little nervous about running them with very low pressure for the first time out. I put them on the spare Slingshot DD-X that I'll be using as a training/pit bike this year.

They look sick and can't wait to put them through the paces, although I have read a few posts about people rolling them (yikes!) Lets just hope I have enough glue in all the right places. I may peel those stickers off the wheels too, they look a little much and all black is always BA.

Tour of Missouri

Well the Tour of Missouri ended almost a week ago but I'm still buzzing from the great race that took place locally. Living so close to the first stage I was able to get up close and personal with many of the riders. We went to the gala and team presentation on the eve of the first stage. It was a little overrated but nonetheless a humbling experience to see some of the world's best cyclists in one setting. They are all semi-dwarfish, I guess logging and insane amount miles does that to a person. Some of my favorite moments were meeting Tim Johnson and Jeremy Powers, being the cross supastars they are. The day went a little like this... hang out around the start, watch the start and then jam it up to the feedzone to just catch the break going by with Tim Johnson leading them. Head back down to Meyer fountain to watch the circuits, again Tim Johnson pulling like mad. Finally down to the finish were TJ gets gobbled up and Ivan Dominguez hammers the sprint for the win, on the hoods no less. What a day!! Check out the pic... chillin' with J-Pow before the start.

Long Time No Talk

Well it seems that a million years have passed since I last posted here. MTB racing has more or less ended and the focus is solely on cross now. We did a sick 12 hour 3 man team here in the heartland called Rapture in Misery about a month back now. Smoothe B, LT, and myself placed 4th in the Open SupaFast category and had a jolly old time in the humid heat. Those two just got back from Chequamegon last week and put in a respectable 2:45ish time. Not close to the muletia but still they had a good time. So much to write about in the cross world so will just start adding more posts and start mind dumping... beware

The Boggy Monster of Landahl

The swamp of Landahl had its way with a few of us this past weekend. Although I was able to scrap out some additional training miles at the end of the week, it did NOT pay off. New mud tires were mounted tubeless replacing a perfectly sick set of Maxxis CrossMarks, but the mud conditions warranted it. Sunday turned out to be a great day sunny and warm, but the prior rain had turned the trails on the climbs into a soupy peanut butter that clung every inch of you and the bike. Little did I know that I'd never make it to the start. On a warmup ride, I rode out the start and up the initial climb with not much issue other than the slippery mud and wondering what it was going to be like with 20 of my "friends" elbowed up trying to get a few seconds on each other in this mess. Well on the way back down to the start I encountered a few guys doing the same, but in one instance I had to veer off the trail into some rocks and think I got tangled up with a stick. Once I got back down to my spot in the lot, I noticed that there was something wrong with my chain as it was all sideways and clicking. The derailleur was all twisted up and the hanger was cracked/broken. Of course nobody has a spare as I ran around frantically with less than 10 min to start time. Even had I found one, the derailleur itself was broken too so either single speed or no-go.

It set in, I wasn't going start. Should I be pissed or just roll with it? I was on my game, the last month was spent training for this race and I was sooo ready. Maybe it wasn't meant to be.... maybe I would have crashed and got hurt, who knows. Several others got banged up and quit, some mechanicals, and some flat out given' up from being exhausted. If this had happended during the race I would have surely had to walk out thru the muck and that would not have been fun. I quickly decided to just roll with it and hang out and not let it get to me... that took a lot of effort. So watched the race and took a few shots, here is a pic of Pat Cat from our team coming around after the first lap in the Expert group. Check out his water bottle flying right at the camera (double click it for a nice close-up).