Pilzn World Cup 2010

2010 Aigle World Cup

2010 Superprestige #1 Ruddervoorde

2010 GVA Trophy Namur

Hermann Night Cross

The cyclocross season is underway (sort of) here in Missouri and this past weekend kicked it off with arguably the best race all year, Hermann night cross. The plan for this year's event was a two day affair with the traditional night race Saturday night and a day race the following Sunday. I had started my cross preparation a few weeks earlier than last year to avoid the physical agony I experienced in 2009 and to satiate my legs that have been under raced all year. I showed up not knowing how it would go, but had felt pretty good at cross practice the preceding Tuesday so I was ready to have a good time.

We lined up for a pavement drag race, somewhat uncommon around here, with close to thirty cat 3's. The siren blared as we took off down the road and into a stretch of carving chicanes before a 180 that led to a few long grassy drags before the infamous stair climb. I started reasonably well, around 8th wheel heading into the grass. A few bobbles by some riders in front of me put me into the top six and I started to reassess my goal of a top ten into a top five. After the stair climb and sand pit, I worked my way to fifth and eventually fought my way around to fourth. I was hanging on to Scooter, waiting for the other shoe to drop and my legs to give in, but I continued to feel good. As a gap opened a bit to second wheel, I pulled through and closed it before setting off in pursuit of Schilling, who had gapped the field, through the start finish of the third lap. We climbed the stairs together and I thought it best to take my own line through the sand which put me in front. There were numerous twists and turns after the sand which I could take a clean line through, eventually providing me with a reasonable gap at lap's end. I was a little skeptical about being in front for the remaining five laps, but I felt better than I had in years and just decided to go for it and see where it ended up. I buried myself on the long straightaways to keep the gap in place, confident that the twisting second half would play to my advantage. The gap grew throughout the rest of the race and I took my first win since 2008. It was all a bit surreal as it happened and I felt as if in a bit of a trance. The course flowed perfectly and I was having an immensely good time on the cross bike again. The support from friends was amazing and I don't think I've enjoyed a race so much in quite a while.

Unfortunately, some torrential storms and subsequent flash floods cancelled day two and ruined the park in the process. It's a shame as the Hermann races are top notch and neither the promoter or those camping deserved that kind of end to the weekend. Hopefully, repairs can be made and we'll be back opening our 2011 account at the same venue.

As for me, I am more excited to race this season than I have been in a long time. Much as I complained about it at the time, I think a lack of MTB season is going to work out well. I am making plans to go to Louisville USGP and Nationals and I have upgraded my license to a Category 2. It feels exceptional to have worked hard enough to have earned that and I really can't wait to see where the season takes me. Here it comes...

Single Speed Midwest World of All Time and Beyond

Success! I completed a mountain bike race for the first time since March! Actually the last two weekends have provided some positive good time competition, one of them went well (and was fun) and the other one was just fun. Let's start with the one that went well.

The New Belgium Urban Assault Ride rolled through town for the second successive year to increased participation and searing heat. Christopher and I had been plotting our domination for 12 full months after he and Margo rocked last year's co-ed class and Lizz and I placed fifth in the same category. We had a strategy, the taper was applied and the pre-race nutrition of fermented juniper and fizzy quinine water was guzzled by the gallon (thanks Dave and Casey!) We showed up bleary eyed but ready for the start, having scored a perfect D+ on our super secret front row earning quiz. The LeMans start was furious and before we knew it, we were knocking down bowling pins at REI, completing brain bending puzzles at Mesa, staddling each other sweatily at Big Shark and drilling paceline style down Delmar for stair sprints up the City Museum. The mayhem ended with a swim at the Holiday Inn and saw us crossing the inflatable obstacled finish line in a dominating display of Urban superiority. The Ranger flowed freely and there was much rejoicing of a lifetime dream finally realized. Lizz and Margo took third in the women's category and we all had something to celebrate. Maybe a little too much, but that Ranger is super tasty.

Fast forward to the following weekend and the Midwest Single Speed Championship. Race summary- I got to my bike quick, did a graceful remount directly onto my top tube (probably need to work that out before cross), rode in fourth for a lap, then fifth, then began crashing a lot. I stopped for a beer after lap 2 and chatted with Dan and Christopher before deciding to finish lap 3 to say I had avoided another DNF. I had a blast and don't care at all where I placed, which was probably poorly considering all the face time I gave the ground and various trees. Maybe I should have ridden Blue Steel a bit more before racing through some tight and twisties, cause it surprisingly rode nothing like my Epic. Go figure. Again, the beer flowed afterward although I kept it in check with a two hour drive ahead of me. DB removed the failures from his new big wheeler (what is the world coming to?), put on a funny outfit, smoke showed everyone else and had many beers after. Riding bikes for fun is fun and I'm glad to see that sentiment shared by good friends. Lets keep this action rolling and remember why we do this in the first place as the months of skinsuits and embrocation come a callin'.

Fizzle

So, the 2010 mountain bike season is largely over and it seems as if I didn't really participate after all. It's a bit strange, as I had put a good amount of effort into my preparation for it over the winter and spring. However, race after race, something occurred to lead to a string of unrealized expectations. I think I had some good fitness in May and was excited to build it into a solid season, but it never got going. Certainly not the biggest deal, but a bit disconcerting mentally. Here's a quick rundown of planned races and the results.

-St Joe. I did the marathon class for training. It was mid March and the race was a total mud pit or "wet but not muddy" depending on interpretation. I did three laps many minutes faster than 2008 and thought that it made for a good training ride. I was placed fifth. Good start, I thought at the time.
-White Lightning XC. Waves of torrential storms led me and my road tripping companions to decide to bag the potential for another weekend of mud bogging.
-Rhett's Run. Five inches of rain in the week before the race led to the worst conditions I have ever ridden in. I was in fifth when I flatted and realized I had left my CO2 inflator on my geared bike. DNF,
-MFXC Non-Race. Had a blast, felt great and won. This bodes well for all the races I'm about to do, I thought.
-Lost Valley Luau. Race promotion made participation impossible. DNS
-Brommelsieck. Flatted in the first five minutes hanging on the back of the lead group. Lost five minutes immediately, chased through the sport field and blew on the fourth lap. DNF
-Sac River. Lack of racing led me to feel that 8 hours in the car was not time well spent after not completing a race in three months.
-Show Me State Games. Rainout, cancelled.
-Spanish Lake. Promoter bailed and told no one. Cancelled.
-Dirt Crit Final. Mysterious cancellation.

So there it is. Who cares really? There are certainly worse things in life and I had a great time riding my bike for fun the entire time. I had a number of great rides throughout the year, including possibly the most beautiful ride of my life in Reno. Good times to be sure. I was successful in finishing the Midwest SIngle Speed Championship today aboard my new steed, Blue Steel, but that report will come after I have managed to find the pictures of me yardsaling on the interwebs tomorrow. Fun times, the only real reason to ride a bike anyway.

So, cross starts in three weeks and I think I might get to do a full season of that. The CX rig is getting a makeover and there is some potentially exciting stuff on the horizon, including a return to part time studies at Meremac. Life is pretty sweet and I don't need an number on my bike to prove it.