Saturday: Ridiculously fast course. Practically no elevation chance and every corner was on rails. Tim and I got in a god warm up and had plenty of time to check out the course. Three dismount sections in all with one set of traditional barriers, on set of logs and an L shaped sand pit. I started somewhere back in the 60’s of the 120 or so. The start was too fast for the fakers, and there were body’s strewn in every corner. The burning rubber smell was only slightly masked by the hint of burning flesh. I made some good moves to get through it all and settled in nicely to my usual first lap bump&grind pace. Unusually though, I was able to hold onto that pace for the second lap, and the third after that and so on. I found myself racing for once rather than playing survivor. After moving up a bit over the first few laps, it was a constant game of pass and be passed. I finally settled into a group of none other than pro tour riders Chris Horner and Fred Rodrigez. Chris put down an little move on the dirt jump section only to be relegated back a few spots y a mechanical. I rode around trading the lead with Freddie for a few laps and we were making up good ground. Coming onto the one paved climb, I thought, “ How often do you get the chance to attack a guy who’s finished second at the Tour de France?” So I through down a big acceleration coming up into the bridge and shook him off my wheel. Pretty much the highlight of my day. It ended with a group of four or five of us coming into the finish, and I was able to win that sprint over Mike West. (Why Mike West was racing ‘cross, who knows?)
Sunday: Not as fast of a course, but just as fun, and the spectator population could take on the state of Rhode Island. Tim and I are geniuses and went to warm up on the running track while everyone else spun up and down the same neighborhood street. Noticing our brilliance, Chris Horner decided to join the track riding phenomenon Tim and I had started. (we promptly chased him down and lapped him). I started back in the 60’s again, but today brought out closer to the 150’s in terms of total participants, so in essence, it was better. The start strait was a little longer and gave things more a chance to stretch out. I wasn’t caught behind a crash until the first little off camber corner on the grassy slope parallel to the finishing strait. I promptly executed
“The McElwaine Carry” and made it through on my feet while moving up quite a few places. Don’t be surprised if you see Sven with his bike over head next time one of those lousy Czechs stack it up in the first corner. (Because he obviously reads this blog). I stayed pretty consistent thorough the first few laps. Moving up a place or two here and there, a lot depending on who did and didn’t ride the sand pit. I really started reeling them in the last few laps when things were winding down. Despite a misunderstanding with a TIAA rider on the last lap, things ended up pretty good. My ego still isn’t recovered from being beat in a sprint by Nat Ross thought. Something about being out kicked by a 24 hour specialist just doesn’t sit well.
As usual in cycocross, the racing seems merely a side note in another great weekend of hanging around with your buddies at the park. It was good to meet a lot of the guys from that area I’ve known up until now by name only. It’s hard to believe you could beat the love of the fans here in the North East, but CO had that same feeling of support. The wall of noise that surrounded the courses was much appreciated.
Saturday: Ridiculously fast course. Practically no elevation chance and every corner was on rails. Tim and I got in a god warm up and had plenty of time to check out the course. Three dismount sections in all with one set of traditional barriers, on set of logs and an L shaped sand pit. I started somewhere back in the 60’s of the 120 or so. The start was too fast for the fakers, and there were body’s strewn in every corner. The burning rubber smell was only slightly masked by the hint of burning flesh. I made some good moves to get through it all and settled in nicely to my usual first lap bump&grind pace. Unusually though, I was able to hold onto that pace for the second lap, and the third after that and so on. I found myself racing for once rather than playing survivor. After moving up a bit over the first few laps, it was a constant game of pass and be passed. I finally settled into a group of none other than pro tour riders Chris Horner and Fred Rodrigez. Chris put down an little move on the dirt jump section only to be relegated back a few spots y a mechanical. I rode around trading the lead with Freddie for a few laps and we were making up good ground. Coming onto the one paved climb, I thought, “ How often do you get the chance to attack a guy who’s finished second at the Tour de France?” So I through down a big acceleration coming up into the bridge and shook him off my wheel. Pretty much the highlight of my day. It ended with a group of four or five of us coming into the finish, and I was able to win that sprint over Mike West. (Why Mike West was racing ‘cross, who knows?)
Sunday: Not as fast of a course, but just as fun, and the spectator population could take on the state of Rhode Island. Tim and I are geniuses and went to warm up on the running track while everyone else spun up and down the same neighborhood street. Noticing our brilliance, Chris Horner decided to join the track riding phenomenon Tim and I had started. (we promptly chased him down and lapped him). I started back in the 60’s again, but today brought out closer to the 150’s in terms of total participants, so in essence, it was better. The start strait was a little longer and gave things more a chance to stretch out. I wasn’t caught behind a crash until the first little off camber corner on the grassy slope parallel to the finishing strait. I promptly executed “The McElwaine Carry” and made it through on my feet while moving up quite a few places. Don’t be surprised if you see Sven with his bike over head next time one of those lousy Czechs stack it up in the first corner. (Because he obviously reads this blog). I stayed pretty consistent thorough the first few laps. Moving up a place or two here and there, a lot depending on who did and didn’t ride the sand pit. I really started reeling them in the last few laps when things were winding down. Despite a misunderstanding with a TIAA rider on the last lap, things ended up pretty good. My ego still isn’t recovered from being beat in a sprint by Nat Ross thought. Something about being out kicked by a 24 hour specialist just doesn’t sit well.
As usual in cycocross, the racing seems merely a side note in another great weekend of hanging around with your buddies at the park. It was good to meet a lot of the guys from that area I’ve known up until now by name only. It’s hard to believe you could beat the love of the fans here in the North East, but CO had that same feeling of support. The wall of noise that surrounded the courses was much appreciated.
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