First Cross race...

[mtnbike28]

OK really my first cyclocross race in about 15 years, so this was my second. It has rained here for the last few days and we had rain this morning, so the course was sloppy. I was racing a bike I bought and built in the past 10 days. Needless to say I was a little nervous. I finished top 20.... ok I finished 16 of 18 finishers, but I was racing guys that race expert mtn bike and Cat 2-3 on the road... There were 2 classes, Masters and Open. I was only lapped once on a 1 mile course and that happened with 2 laps to go. I had a blast and I was happy how my race went since I do not race fitness.

A couple of pix of me by my wife.

 

[efuentes]

That Sir, its

You did better than of the wussies that didn't enter (Including Me ..)

 

[DaveInDenver]

Nice job. 'Cross is a ton of fun.

Kinda sucks that you're feeding the jones for me, first season in 7 that I did not renew my license for CX. Budgetary constraints this year required non-essential things to get the ax.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I'm super jealous! Is that....gulp....real grass?? The Arizona cross racing scene is positively terrible. I did a few seasons of 'cross down here and it was little more than a mountain bike race with a few boards pretending to be proper barriers tossed on the course. Bummer. No grass. No mud. No rain. No cold. How is THAT cyclocross???

Disclaimer: I spent three seasons racing cyclocross in Northern France and Belgium in the mid 90s, so everything since then has been hard to appreciate. Not enough drunkards at 'cross races in AZ. :coffeedrink:

 

[jim65wagon]

A couple of pix of me by my wife.

Congrats on the race Jay! One question....from a non-bike rider; aren't you supposed to ride the bike? I mean, it has wheels for a reason, right?

 

[Funrover]

Very cool man, I would be happy just to finish.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I do my best to make it seem as authentic, at least in my warped never-been-to-Flanders sense of what it must be like. I always assumed Belgium at a race would be like a NASCAR race here in vibe.

The only thing that prepared me for 'cross in Belgium was the few years I raced in Fort Collins and Boulder. I did a number of races in Boulder in the mid 90s with a slight hangover. That'll put lead in your pencil. I think the Colorado CX scene is pretty authentic in many ways. Kansas actually has a killer scene that really evokes a Flemish vibe although the two spectators makes it way different.

I've heard some awesome 'cross heckles, as well. "You're wasting good mud! Get off the course!" That was funny. Or, "I've seen a better dismount from a bull rider!"

 

[mtnbike28]

no cat calls this week...

Yeah there were not many fans to yell at you... my wife was concerned she would be the only one. The cross races I have attended are always small crowds. It seems the mtn bike races have bigger crowds, but who (other than Europeans) want to stand around on wet and cold days. I say that with respect... I am excited about the next race in 3 weeks... I have to miss one because of that 4 letter word.... work not wife!