My race is usually bad when I wake up late and am dragging around, not really focused on the day ahead. The Cross the Way Cyclocross Series was a target of mine. Losing by a single point last year left a bad taste in my mouth. I was focused on the overall, but obviously not completely. I did a 5K the day before the first round of the series and then a 5 mile run the day before this race. Not the best plan, but it'll make me tougher in the long run.
I had heard the course was going to be to my liking with some tight singletrack, a mini motocross course, and lots of sharp turns. It was better than I expected! I was so mad at myself for doing the run. I knew this was a course I could win on and running that hard the day before was like shooting myself in the foot. Dammit!
I was sore as hell until I got on the bike. Suddenly, the soreness was gone and it took one lap on the course for me to get fully focused and ready to go. I found that I was having to hold back in warm-up. The course was just so fun! It began with barriers, then a tight woods section, some tight turns out in the yard (oh yeah forgot to mention the race was held at Kurt Page's farm, all around his house!), a little bit of burms and jumps on the small motocross track, then a soft mud pit, followed by a fast power section that ended the lap. Other than the mud pit, the course was very dry and super fast.
Cat. 3 leaders after emerging from the barn. A very cool feature on the course.
It was good to see Tim Hall trying out some cyclocross.
Eric found it easier to negotiate the singletrack better on his mountain bike
Starts are not really my thing. I've been tying to improve on them all year, but I still suck. I lined up early to ensure I got on the front row. It didn't matter because I got a call-up anyway for my top 5 finish at the first round. The start was important today because you could lose a lot of time in the opening singletrack if you were far back. I got the jump off the line, but one of the Cumberland University riders came sprinting by before the first turn. I was content to let him go. I really didn't want to lead early as I have a habit of blowing up, especially on a course like this. I just want to hammer! Troy Tucker rolled up next to me as we approached the barriers. I didn't want him to beat me to the woods because Troy is a great technical rider. He's not one you want to give a gap to.
Pro/1/2 group about to enter the first turn.
Coming into the barriers for the first time.
The Cumberland rider tripped while trying to remount after the barriers. Troy was to my right so I tried to go left, but the guy fell right in front of me. I locked up the brakes and then got plowed from behind by Shawn Mullican, who had absolutely nowhere to go. I got knocked over the Cumberlad rider and ended up on the bottom of the pile as about 6 guys piled into the wreck. We got the bikes untangled and got going again. What looked like a good start of 2nd or 3rd into the woods turnd into 9th out of 11. Not exactly what I had hoped for, especially since Troy was leading.
The aftermath of the crash.
I stayed patient and didn't try to make risky moves. It was very fast, but then again, the first lap of a cross race is always very fast. I lost a few positions before the end of the lap. I think I started the second lap in last, but I stayed calm and waited for my time. There was a pile-up in the woods and I found a line between some trees and managed to pick up a few spots. Halfway through lap 2 I was in the top 5. Troy and two others had a gap over the field. I railed the singeltrack and got across the gap as we entered the motocross track. I was feeling good so I thought, what the hell, lets go! I went right around the guys ahead and went right for Troy. I got up next to him on a straighaway. I had the momentum going into the next turn, but I slipped on the outside. I had given Troy plenty of room, but he raced me hard into the next turn and pinched me into a tree on the inside. That kind of pissed me off. It killed his momentum too so I was right on his wheel coming out of the turn. It was a short straight followed by a big burmed right turn. I pulled up on his inside, again giving him room. And again he came down on me. I come from a motocross background so I know how to make a slide pass on a burm. All I'll say is that I came out in front. It was a fast sprint up the following hill and to the next burm, where Troy tried the move on me. I carried a lot of speed from the high line and we came off the corner bar to bar. I outpumped him over the following double and got clear. Now it was time to mash it and get away from him before we wrecked.
I was surprised to get a gap on Troy before the end of the lap. One of the Cumberland guys got across to me and beat me to the woods starting lap 3. I let him go as I was not worried about him getting away in the turns. Sure enough, he didn't go anywhere and we exited the woods together. He then crashed in the next turn and I was suddenly alone out front. I really hit it hard then. I had 8 seconds over Troy at the end of the lap.
Alone out front
I had the singletrack dialed. My tires were hooking up like a dream. The gap got bigger and bigger each lap. I wanted to bury them. I've worked hard at cross and have very few wins. Today was my day. I'm so sick of hearing about how everyone else is so great on techincal courses and at cornering. I know I am better at it and today was my chance to show it. I felt like I had something to prove out there. The legs were so good too! I couldn't believe the kind of day I was having.
Rounding the burm where I took the lead
A little video of me hitting the 180-degree turns before the barn. Shot by Eric Boarman
Thankyou everybody who cheered me on! It was a great day for me. I have been working so hard and it feels good to get rewarded with a win and the series points lead. The photos I used are courtesy of Joy Dement, Thad Hoffman and Kurt Page. Thanks Kurt for letting us shred your property. I hope we get to do it again next year! The Cross the Way finals will be December 11-12 at Lock 4 in Gallatin. Heard it will be a very tough layout. Can't wait!
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