Cross racing! - Page 3

ire · 09-21-2009, 07:18 AM

Well....I went up and raced Star Crossed and RAD this weekend. I was a little bit surprised at the size of the events, I thought they would have been bigger. I was also disappointed w/the race organization....our local Cross Crusade series is much better run with better announcers. One of the announcers dropped an F bomb during the pro woman's race...kinda funny.

For our race we got to race under the lights at Star Crossed which was cool. The Cross gods started dumping rain a few minutes before our race and it stopped about the time I finished. I made lead lap, but still didn't do so hot (35th). The group split right off the bat and I was with the front 20 but after two laps things started going bad, I kept crashing. I coulda/woulda/shoulda ran my rhino tires and kept from crashing...oh well. Overall it was a fun race.

The RAD race was the hardest cross course I've been on. I only did two practice laps because of the long run up. The run up took around 30 seconds which doesn't sound like much but when you've been burying yourself on the rest of course that run up was too much. I knew it was going to be a rough race when I was winded from walking up that hill

I simply survived this race, and that was enough for me. There was a long pavement section coming into the run up and no one was going very hard on it because we were all saving ourselves for the run up. I'll attach some photos in a bit.

<edit> Here are some photos

Nice dark photo from Star Crossed

The infamous run up, a hell of a lot harder than it looks

Here I am holding down DFL (I think). Someone has to make Powers and Trebon look really fast

ire · 10-26-2009, 06:49 AM

Is anyone else racing? Last year we had a thread a fair number of posts.

Per usual, I raced twice this weekend. The Saturday race I sat in most of the race and I thought I knew how the race was going to play out, and I turned out to be wrong. Waiting to make my move cost me the chance to contest the win and I ended up 3rd.

On Sunday we had another Cross Crusade race with around 1,400 racers. The course was flat, muddy, and pretty slick. I started in the third row and was able to snag 15th off the line and sit and draft for the first long section. The group started breaking up fairly early on. Despite racing the day prior I felt good. I kept moving up, going to the front, and dropping everyone. With three to go I had moved into 4th about 15s back from 2nd and 3rd. I fought hard and came close to closing the gap, but I ultimately ran out of race. I've had a lot of bad luck at the Cross Crusade races and I've never even placed in the top ten and now I've got a 4th place finish! This should get me a front row call up at the next race and I'm hoping that will allow me to be with the front group when the split occurs. We have two CC races this coming weekend, on a course that suits my riding style. Who knows, maybe I can get a top 3.

Buck Fever · 10-26-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ire

Is anyone else racing? Last year we had a thread a fair number of posts.

Per usual, I raced twice this weekend. The Saturday race I sat in most of the race and I thought I knew how the race was going to play out, and I turned out to be wrong. Waiting to make my move cost me the chance to contest the win and I ended up 3rd.

On Sunday we had another Cross Crusade race with around 1,400 racers. The course was flat, muddy, and pretty slick. I started in the third row and was able to snag 15th off the line and sit and draft for the first long section. The group started breaking up fairly early on. Despite racing the day prior I felt good. I kept moving up, going to the front, and dropping everyone. With three to go I had moved into 4th about 15s back from 2nd and 3rd. I fought hard and came close to closing the gap, but I ultimately ran out of race. I've had a lot of bad luck at the Cross Crusade races and I've never even placed in the top ten and now I've got a 4th place finish! This should get me a front row call up at the next race and I'm hoping that will allow me to be with the front group when the split occurs. We have two CC races this coming weekend, on a course that suits my riding style. Who knows, maybe I can get a top 3.

3rd and 4th are great results. Strong work, keep it up!

I'm not racing this year and all I have are excuses. I used my personal CX bike build slot to build that bike for Manifest and had to get immediately back to work on customer bikes so I don't fall too far behind (easy to do when you're a full time dad).

Next year.

ire · 10-26-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buck Fever

3rd and 4th are great results. Strong work, keep it up!

I'm not racing this year and all I have are excuses. I used my personal CX bike build slot to build that bike for Manifest and had to get immediately back to work on customer bikes so I don't fall too far behind (easy to do when you're a full time dad).

Next year.

Next year the Cross Crusade will be awaiting your return

ire · 10-27-2009, 06:19 AM

I got a mention in Velonews for 4th. Molly killed all of us. I'm trying to live up to my USGP cover

http://www.velonews.com/article/9958...s-crusade-no-4

Quote:

Cameron hung onto the lead and cruised in for a comfortable win. Babcock dropped Gallagher from the chase and finished second. Gallagher held on for third, ahead of Capitol Subaru Cycling’s Brett Luelling and Gentle Lovers’ Mark Blackwelder.

Buck Fever · 10-27-2009, 02:55 PM

Molly is killing it this year. Now that I know who you are, I'll cheer/heckle you next weekend.

Dogboy · 10-28-2009, 07:46 AM

This past weekend was the opener for our local series. Last year was my first year racing and I moved up to CX3 this year - quite a change! So far, so good though. I am hanging in there and finishing in the top 20. My goal is to break the top 10 at some point this season. I must say though, I am really just trying to keep it fun and not take it too seriously.

A couple of pics:

ire · 10-28-2009, 12:43 PM

That course looks like fun! Needs some mud though

ire · 10-31-2009, 07:50 AM

I'm off to Astoria for two days of the Cross Crusade! This is our Halloween race, although (oddly enough) we are dressing up on Sunday not Saturday. It has always been tradition to have the dress up on Saturday but I thought they would have changed it for this year. I'm going to cover this race for Ridemonkey, so watch for it. There will be lots of pictures of crazy costumes

Some of the chicks, and guys unfortunately, will race almost naked.

Dogboy · 11-03-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ire

Needs some mud though

Like this?

Al-F · 11-06-2009, 07:55 AM

I just started CX for the first time this fall here in NC. Two weekends ago I got on my 1st races here in NC at Cary and Raleigh. I missed Boone because of my son's Birthday...This weekendI'm coaching Special Oympics Cycling and will be at the fall games in Greensboro. When that's over (early morning) I plan to jey over to Salisbury just in time for Cat M4.

I'm having fun right now but my training prior to this was BMX racing specific, so I'm playing catch up on the high training heart rate cardio burn of CX but all is good, this season is for learning...

I am lucky to have good friends here who let me borrow a bike so I'm not dragging my MTB around the courses. I'll get a CX bike soon. This is definitely fun! High burn but not as epic as MTB...

Oh, and Cary was def Muddy! I like mud...

ire · 11-06-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al-F

High burn but not as epic as MTB...

Depending on the amount of mud, cross can be epic

Glad to hear you're liking it! I've been hooked for a couple of years now.

SteezyWeezy · 11-07-2009, 05:01 PM

this is my first season of cross after racing downhill for 4 years and getting too injured. i built up a rigid steel xc mtb and did the last PIR race and most of the salem shorttrack series and had a blast. ive been to 2/3 of the southern oregon outlaw series and love it, but hate my mtb and have been obsessing over cx bikes lately. being a broke joke student sucks during bikes racing times

ire · 11-07-2009, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteezyWeezy

this is my first season of cross after racing downhill for 4 years and getting too injured. i built up a rigid steel xc mtb and did the last PIR race and most of the salem shorttrack series and had a blast. ive been to 2/3 of the southern oregon outlaw series and love it, but hate my mtb and have been obsessing over cx bikes lately. being a broke joke student sucks during bikes racing times

I was in a similar boat, I raced XC for a long time, then switched to DH for 7 years and then I came back to endurance activities due to the amount of injuries. If you look for a cross bike at the end of season you can probably find something used on the cheap.

As for racing, I raced our State Championships today. This is the first weekend we've really had winter weather. It was cold and pouring rain. The field wasn't too big (maybe 30 riders) but the competition was stiff. Wicks even graced us with his presence. We took off and split the field very early. A group of 7 formed at the front and we rode together most of the race. I ended up getting shelled with 3 to go when Wicks attacked and blew everything apart. I tried to bridge up to the chase but I couldn't quite do it. I ended up sixth. I was a little disappointed but this race was the final race for the Willamette series and I won the series and a good chunk of change.

SteezyWeezy · 11-07-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ire

I was in a similar boat, I raced XC for a long time, then switched to DH for 7 years and then I came back to endurance activities due to the amount of injuries. If you look for a cross bike at the end of season you can probably find something used on the cheap.

yea i was really into getting another downhill rig, but after getting into cross im thinking dh can wait another season. ill hopefully stumble upon some entry cross/touring frame by this summer or next fall