The 'early season' has officially come to a close now that the Whiskey 50 and Tour of the Gila are in the history books. The Whiskey was an awesome weekend despite flatting 40 minutes into the XC. I felt reasonably good at the time when I gashed open the sidewall of my front tire. At least I was able to fix it up and continue pounding out the big loop! I was still making good time, but a flat tire does a number to the motivation factor. I was suffering, but not nearly to the degree that I normally do in a big race. There's always next year...
Tour of the Gila quickly became plan B after flatting out at the Whiskey. Starting just three days later, this five day long stage race is my favorite road event. Fortunately it's just a short drive over to Silver City, NM and I had the good fortune to hook up with one of the local teams for lodging and transportation. In '09 and '10 I raced the Cat 2 event. This year it was a Cat1/2 race since there's now a dedicated UCI race for the super-pro roadies. I was pleased to ride relatively strong and put in some decent stage results. Stage 2 (Inner Loop RR) was the highlight for me. I went in just about every break that got off the front (five of them!) and the last one stuck. Four of us rolled off the front while descending the big rollers on HWY 180 heading back towards Fort Bayard. We shared the workload nicely and came into the finish with a slim advantage over the bunch finish. I was the top Cat 2 rider on the day so that's a psuedo stage victory of some sort right?!
The week after Gila was a good chance to unplug and get some extra rest and recovery. Chloe was off to Europe for the World Cup so a quiet house made it easy to do a lot of nothing aside from catching up on a number of tasks around the house. I'm now in that transition between taking a break and getting back into gear. Kicking things off with a MBAA race in Flagstaff this weekend ought to be a good way to do it. The focus is squarely upon US Nationals and I'm pumped to put in some good work between now and then. With a more race-specific approach, I'm gunning for a strong result there. Instead of chasing the World Cups out east for the two weeks preceding Nationals, I'll be training and resting instead... Last year I was tired before Nationals even started so a different approach ought to do the trick. As a bonus, my Nationals training ought to serve as a great start towards two big races in August - the Ore to Shore and the WORS Subaru Cup. Though it'll come later this season than those previous, I'm already excited for the trip back to Wisconsin!
In an uninspired moment we shared our first spill yesterday and have some minor wounds to show for it. All is good and that first scratch is out of the way now.
The Niner Air 9 RDO is decked out in black on black and is very much ready to roll. We put in some good trail time today and all systems checked out very nicely. More miles are ahead and this machine will certainly be ready for some fast racing this season. Weight is at 20.7 lbs with desert training-worthy tires. The BB30 Quarq Powermeter weighs less than most stock cranksets and will be a staple all season long. Race data will be reviewed and the knowledge base further expanded!
A huge thanks to Arizona Cyclist for helping me with the build and to Niner Bikes for making such a fine purebred race machine. Great people are behind Momentum Endurance in 2012 and I'm pumped for it. It's on!
The Bonelli Pro XCT weekend went off well enough and all things considered, I’m happy with how these first two race weekends have gone. Going into Bonelli I knew the racing would be a little different since the usual front row would not be here due to the World Cup going on in South Africa. The racing was sure to be just as fast, but I hoped to find myself closer to the front end of the race. I did for much of the first lap until a dropped chain forced a quick, but untimely dismount to fix things. The stop took all of three seconds, but in that time I went from 12th or so back to 18th. Instead of tailing the lead group, this meant that I was now tailing the second group and by the time I regained those positions eleven guys were clear and I was riding in no-mans-land for the entirety of the race. I could occasionally see riders ahead and also behind me, but the gaps never changed too much. On the last lap I was able to pick off one rider who was fading to secure 11th. Given that I rode solo for the entire race I was pleased with the effort I was able to do.
Just a couple hours after the XC we raced the Super D. Fortunately I had made some chicken fried rice ahead of time so that helped me to recover and get ready for this second event. All was going fast until 1/3 of the way up the final climb on the five and a half minute long course when I had the appropriately named KMC ‘MissingLink’ come off my bike. Luckily I didn’t crash and I rolled to a stop. At first I thought that I had broken the chain, but a quick inspection revealed that the MissingLink had simply gone missing. I wasn't shifting when it failed, only going up the climb while pedaling out of the saddle. Rather than walking into the finish I looked around in the dirt for five minutes or so and actually found both sides of the link. They looked fine (enough) so I put the chain back together and soft pedaled it back to the finish (and eventually back to the motel since I rode to the venue). The Super D was obviously a disappointment, but there was still short track and one more shot at a good, clean race.
With a front row call up the STXC got off to a great start, nearly stress free relative to the usual chaos that happens further back. I rode amongst the front three for the first few laps and was comfortable doing so. Things slowed up for a brief moment and rather than going towards the front I took the chance to breathe a little extra. This was the wrong decision since everyone else moved forward and I was shuffled further back in the group. From here the pace stayed steady hard, but from the back end of the group there was much more braking and accelerating. Speeds were high enough that moving up was very challenging to do and eventually I popped as a result of the effort. Finishing 16th wasn’t what I had in mind, but at least I reminded myself how important the battle for positioning is – yes, even in mtb racing.
I did the drive to/from San Dimas solo, but while there it was great to hang out with the AZ Devo team. I think that they had fifteen racers out there and I had a far louder cheering section than anyone else. Things as simple as a chair to sit in and a floor pump to use at the venue, or a reliable hand in the feed zone are so often hard to come by, but AZ Devo helped in a big way. Their presence at the race eased a lot of the typical stresses that I would typically have and it was great to see them all having fun and racing fast too. I can’t say thanks enough for Marty’s help out there and for all of the work that’s gone into making the AZ Devo programs one of the best.
The new race bike is about 100% built up and I’m waiting for the arrival of a Quarq BB30 powermeter to complete the build on my Niner Air 9 RDO. I’m excited to be back on a hardtail 29er and this ought to be the lightest/fastest race bike yet. I’ll do a proper update once it’s complete, but for now I’ll give you a teaser with this crankless photo.
Somehow the off-season gets a little shorter every year. Nonetheless, the 2012 season is underway and it's time to get back into the blog scene a little bit. The Texas proXCT got things started off last weekend and this afternoon we'll race round #2 here at Bonelli Park in San Dimas, CA. Before getting into the race reporting, let's take it from the top and outline the 2012 season.
This year I'll be racing in the Momentum Endurance kit with the support of Arizona Cyclist. This has been my go-to shop ever since I first moved to Tucson. Ryan and his staff go above and beyond to help their customers and have certainly defined themselves as the shop for mountain bikes in Tucson.
Crankbrothers has come into the picture in a big way. They stepped up The Race Club and are supporting Chloe this year. They make some excellent product and I'm excited to ride their equipment. More than well designed components, I've come to meet some awesome people behind the products and I'm happy to represent this crew.
Clif Bar has been my go to choice for training and racing nutrition for 5+ years now. The variety of options is great when the training workload is high and having my go to favorites for race day makes for zero stress over my nutrition - which we all know is a huge part of performing at 100%. Beyond the best product, I love the fact that Clif Bar hasn't 'sold out' and that Gary has kept fueling his entrepreneur spirit - I can really appreciate that.
I've always loved ProGold chain lube and have used it nearly exclusively for several years now. It keeps the chain quiet and shifting well without attracting too much dust. There are few (if any) people who I've met that are equally attentive to the cleanliness of their drivetrains so take it from me, this stuff is the best out there. I've recently caught on to their other products too and the degreaser/bike wash is fantastic stuff. It works better than dish soap (which is something no other products seem to do). The bike ends up shinier and more grime comes off the drivetrain with less effort.
More updates are soon to follow. I'll leave you wondering about my new race bike until the next post... Thanks for reading,
The North Carolina Grand Prix of Cyclocross weekend went off really well. The goal was to score at least one UCI point and I was able to do that on Saturday with a 10th place finish. Sunday was even better and I accumulated six more points by finishing 7th on the day.
The racing was much different than the USGPs - namely I was starting from the second row rather than seventh or eighth. In most 'cross races this season I raced them mostly like a TT by going steady and always trying to move up. NC was different because I was able to start better and therefore the racing was a little more tactical with groups forming, attacks and such. The accelerations were bigger, but there were also a few (but very few) opportunities to rest a little too.
Each race I came into the finish with a small group and both times I ended up finishing just one spot behind Adam Myerson. On Saturday it was a very close sprint that I led out while on Sunday he had a better early jump and I was never that close.
Chloe did great to score two Wins so all around it was a very successful weekend and a great way to close out our '11 UCI cross campaign. This weekend we'll jump in on the local Tucson 'cross race which should be a lot of fun. It's been since 2007 that Tucson had a local race so I'm pumped that Chris and Dan have put the time and energy into making it happen. More to come after Sunday's race!
I'll leave you with a post race interview from day two of the NCGP of Cross.
Louisville, Kentucky was the venue for the USGP races this past weekend. This will also be the 2013 World Championships venue next season, so just about everybody who races fast was here to race, check out the course, and generally become more familiar with the area. Given the late afternoon start times, Chloe and I opted to drive down Saturday morning instead of staying an extra night.
Saturday went really well and after watching Chloe place 5th after moving up from the third row I was ready to race fast myself. For those without UCI points, you get to select your race number (and also position on the start grid) randomly from a hat. I drew number 50 so there was going to have to be some serious moving up. After the chaos of lap one I was able to get things going and was catching and riding through groups. Eventually Brian Alders and I teamed up and continued to make some progress late in the race. We earned the last two money spots with 29th and 30th respectively.
Sunday saw more of the same warm conditions, but the wind was blowing even harder today. Some slight modifications to the course made the sandpit harder and some of the off camber hillside features a little easier/faster than day one. Chloe approved of the course by finishing 6th after putting in some fast laps. With a strong tailwind down the start stretch it was nearly impossible to move up once the gun went off. This time I had drawn number 43 so at least there was one row of guys already behind me. In similar fashion I was able to leapfrog from one group to the next on Sunday and at one point I was riding with Barry Wicks and Zach McDonald however once these guys got going I wasn’t quite able to hang on… They finished just inside the top 20 while I came in 23rd on the day – once again twenty spots better than where I started.
I felt strong both days and I’m continuing to get a better feel for some of the technical features that cyclocross presents. The Trek Cronus CX has been fantastic and with Dugast tires on HED wheels I certainly have no excuses coming from the equipment department. With the current setup I’m cornering faster and riding most sections as fast as the guys who I’m finishing with. Ever race I’m able to push things just a little bit further too, this weekend’s UCI C2’s in Hendersonville, NC ought to be great.
A link to results, the post-race interview, and a race highlight video are below, but first here's a good ol' fashioned text update.
photo by Scott Kroske
The Iceman certainly lived up to its reputation for being a fiercely competitive race and also a great event shared with friends.It’s got both aspects covered and that’s why so many people head up to Traverse City every November.Chloe and I will certainly be making many more trips there ourselves!A big thanks goes out to Steve Brown and Bells Beer for making such a great weekend of racing possible.
I went into the race without optimal training preparations.I also went into the race really motivated to race at the front and be in on the mix.It’s not every day that you get to go up against world cup caliber guys while at a regional race. And when actually racing at the World Cups, I don’t even see these guys since I’m starting from the very back and fighting for their leftovers. I wanted to ride hard and to keep focused out there. I knew if I could keep on task, I’d at least be in the mix for some amount of the race (and hopefully more of it).
From the start I was feeling good and made it a priority to keep near the front. I kept within the front five whenever possible andby doing so it made the race a little less stressful since there’s seemingly less to think about up there.Lukas put down a good attack while exiting one of the early singletracks and pace really got turned up as the front group chased.I was good with this for some amount of time but eventually got gapped off along with Mike Phillips. I’m not sure why, but I knew that the two of us could catch back on if we really went for it – and that we did. Twenty minutes later after numerous exchanges at the front we were back at the front end of the race and there were just seven of us remaining.At this point we were nearing the finish and no one really wanted to ride at the front of the group so I went ahead and set a steady pace for a good 5+ kilometers of racing.As we got into the final 5k and the attacks started to come I was eventually unable to respond and was left to ride in the last 4k solo. Yes, getting dropped is a bummer, but at least I was in on the mix up until that point for the first time ever in this race. The final climbs were so loud with cheering fans that it was impossible to go up them at anything less than 110% of full gas. I was spent at the finish and happy with how things went out there. Next time I’ll come back with a little more training and hopefully the same amount of motivation will have me back in the mix.
Not long after my finish I anxiously awaited the women to come in. I had heard that Chloe was amongst a lead group of four, but I had no idea at what stage of this race this report was coming in from…Heather rolled in for the win and just behind her was Chloe, finishing 2nd!Not the win, but a dang impressive result none the less.She went for it, had a gap and simply got caught before the finish. Definitely some exciting racing and I think she’s already looking forward to another shot at it next year, this being her first Iceman experience.
The weekend was a fast one, and we were fortunate to share it with some great friends. Chad, Rick, and Nate helped us pass the time before our afternoon start and somehow the company of friends helps to take that nervous edge off of the racing.We love what we’re able to do and fortunate to have awesome support along the way.The Trek Bicycle Store – Boulder helped us get to MI with flawlessly working bike and the guys there were some of the first to congratulate us once the results come out. They’re passionate about bike racing and always go above and beyond when it comes to supporting Chloe and I.Also, I was rolling on some super-fast Bontrager Race XXX Lite Carbon 29er wheels out there thanks to my friend Jim. Those certainly helped to lighten up my machine and provided that little bit of extra speed that a race such as this requires.
Up next will be the Louisville USGP races this weekend. Updates to come!Thanks much,
A couple weeks spent at home (home being Tucson - yes, I agree it can be hard to keep track) was very much needed and some time to unwind after the wedding was great. Sleeping well, eating well, and generally taking care of life's loose ends all feels good. This being said, somehow Chloe and I are already back on the road once again... Several months ago we brainstormed that racing 'cross would be a good option for us this fall, and that it is so here we are.
This weekend will be the UCI races in Boulder, next weekend will be the Iceman MTB race in Michigan (possibly followed by a UCI 'cross race in Cinci the very next day) and the following weekend will be the USGP's in Louisville, KY. After all of this we'll see how things are going and either continue on with UCI races in Hendersonville, NC and Jingle Cross in Iowa City, or we'll pull the plug and return to Tucson. Whichever option we go with, we'll follow with a short break before starting to think mountain bike racing for next season. With the big races firing up in March, there's not much time for an off-season.
As for this current racing campaign I'm excited for the experience and I plan to keep the training building as we go into it. Chloe has already gotten off to a great start in her first-ever cyclocross season, so I'll be doing what I can to support her and we both plan to have fun with it. This is the first fall that she hasn't been in scholl full-time so why not go for it since my office can easily go mobile?
While in Tucson I got in some good training rides and generally started to get things back on the program. A new addition for this off-season training will be my new Trek Remedy 9. I did five rides on it which was just enough time to get the suspension setup close-to-dialed and realize that I'm nowhere near the limits of what this bike is capable of doing. The plan is to ride the techinal stuff faster this off-season and carry the skills back onto the xc race bike for next season. It'll be something different and if nothing else it ought to be a lot of fun...
Updates from the races will follow. Thanks for checking in.
Life has been going full tilt this past month. The weekend after Chequamegon I raced the USGP's in Madison before returning to Boulder. Twelve days after this Chloe and I celebrated our marriage with family and friends. The day after the wedding we raced the Fort Collins USGP (Chloe racing more succesfully than me). Two days after the wedding I had a three day long conference at USA Cycling which was followed by a day spent driving home to Tucson. We were home for all of ten hours before setting off for Irvine, CA and the Spooky Cross race weekend. After a couple of races and the seven hour drive home we have finally been able to settle in these past couple of days. Doing so feels good and we'll have just enough time to catch our breathe before picking back up with some more racing. That's the quick version and the pictures below will help to tell the story.
Madison USGP's - Dry and Fast Day 1. Mud Fest Day 2.
