New York Times coverage of the Velodrome CX race in Blaine, MN earlier this year (alternately titled, “What is this cyclocross?”):

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/travel/escapes/30cyclo.html

What’s your A bike for 2008? How are you pimpin it?

We are gaining some momentum for the Crossniac’s Colorado Contingency.  A couple of us are on board for a full season of racing under the Crossniac moniker in 2008.  We have two more weekends of racing on the Front Range, which should enable us to get a list of 3-5 interested ’cross crazed racers. 

On December 22, a Cyclocross Race/Rally is in the works for you in the area who haven’t gotten enough.

Mike

I’ve been working hard to recruit year-round racers, and here is our first U23 team member:

Jude Houle - 4 yrs old

He’s really stoked about riding his bike now…  all he needs now is a bike.

ok, those of us living in the nordic north are slowing down. Getting fat. Heading into the basement.  In an effort to keep this blog somewhat interesting, here’s another question to respond to: 

What bike part are you hoping you get for the holidays? 

I’ve got a single-speed-steel-thing in my mind. Cross-specific. Monochromatic. 180 cranks. It doesnt have to be steel. Or it could be a lighter steel. Your Turn… 

 I need to know if people are SERIOUS about getting tshirts/sweatshirts made. We probably need a min. order of 12 pieces per thing to make it worth while.  But I need to know by…oh lets say by NEXT WEEK (MONDAY) to make it before xmas. Crossniac sweatshirts make great holiday gifts. I feel an extra bit of pride seeing my kids and wife wearing their stuff around town. FPA  

EDIT:BY 12 items, I mean if we can get 12 t-shirts to order, we can do them. This includes different styles/sizes. Chick shirts, baby bibs or onsies, that counts. I’ll work on a pricing spreadsheet. Sweatshirts are kinda the same, only we’re doing the same style. Maybe a different color if people want…

No other sport would allow this.

To know him is to love him, Hollywood. Money prime at Jingle Cross… only a sicko single speeder Marko Lalonde would take a prime like that

Pic stolen from Jimmer

Today’s cross race was literally held in a cow pasture with cow shit everywhere on the course.

Let’s talk flawless. Every race I’ve watched or been in, someone makes a little mistake that costs them their race. Today was no exception. I try to ride smart and think through all the crucial sections and try to ride mistake-free. One big gun showed up today a national champ on the road and a legend on the cross scene, Andy Applegate. The race wasn’t all that big because it wasn’t part of the NC point series, but plenty of fast guys all around. I knew from the gun that I was racing for 2nd. I tried to hang with Andy, but he was just too strong. I held on for 2 laps and then couldn’t hold the wheel anymore. A group of 4-5 of us busted away from the pack and I went to the front and tried to chase Andy and then it was down to 3. A rider in the group was flying on the technical stuff and opened a gap on me and another guy. I stayed calm and when we got into the double barrier I instantly bridged because the rider off the front wasn’t as fast as I was in the barriers. One thing that I tell everyone who asks me for advice or is just starting out in cross.. Practice and practice and practice your mounts and dismounts, they are the most important part of cyclocross racing. Anyone can ride fast, but it takes time to ace mounts and dismounts. Next lap into the barrier the 3 of us were together and I knew this was the opportunity to gap one of the riders and I went in hot and came out hotter and on the gas and we instantly gapped the guy and I drilled it until the gap was comfortable. The podium was set. 1st was gone and it was down to me and another guy to see who was going to get 2nd and 3rd. We took turns pulling lap after lap. I was struggling, but just took it easy when I was pulling. I was going to wait for the last barrier and climb on the last lap to make a move. 3 laps to go and he leads into the barriers and clips one of them and goes down. I attack and instantly open a gap and kill it for 2 laps and 2nd is mine and I roll the last lap with some breathing room. So, again kids practice your frickin mounts and dismounts or I will take advantage of your errors. The coolest part of the race was this baby cow. I was doing a lap before the race and these kids were running around with 2 dogs and this other thing that looked kind of like a dog, but when I got up to them it was a baby cow.

From the pics you’ll notice that I’m not using the cracked carbon front wheel. I mounted up my 1st tubular, Ritchey Protocol with Dughast on it and apparently my 1st glue job was successful because it stayed on.

More pics here 

Jared

Running a little late with the State CX recap.  Everyone has covered the course description pretty well, so I won’t bother.  I thought it was an awesome course.  I won’t say it was better than last year cuz I liked the big a** climb each lap, but it was still fun.  I was really looking foward to the State race particularly after the past few weeks.  My form really started to come around about 4 wks ago.  I was able to wrap of the CRY in the B’s and try my hand in the A’s.  Looking back I maybe should have taken a weekend off.  I think I burnt all my matches at Milaca the week before.  Oh well. 

I got to the race the earliest of any this year.  I had enought time to pre-ride, run a little, stretch, and warm-up again before the start of the second B wave.  I got a prime spot on the front row and pulled decent start.  Think CJ and I were top 4-5 the first corner.  I could tell early on that the day was not mine.  The first open section along the lake and I knew it was over.  My legs just did not respond and my HR was way high.  Don’t know what the deal was.  No excuse.  Just didn’t bring the A game. 

I basically went backwards from the first lap on.  I tried to hold on to the guys in front, but nothing was working.  I even struggled on the stairs, something I am usually good at.  To top things off I nailed my first barrier of the season, right in front of FPA.  Not that big of deal, but I did drop my chain.  By the time I was rolling again the gap to the group of three in front of me had opened up.  I tried to stay smooth the rest of the way and held on for 9th overall.  Not what I hoped for, but still fun.  A bad day on the bike is better than a good day doing most other things, right! 

All in all a great year.  Looking foward to a little R&R.   I may have crossed over to the deep end.  Sunday, the day after the State CX, I found my self already looking for another CX race?  Good luck to anyone going to JingleCross, too bad I can’t make it.  Darn family stuff.

 The ‘other’ Guy

    
   Stolen from the web. Also posted on FPAScene.blogspot.com if they dont come thru here nicely.