Here's my race report for the last 2 days:
1) Madison: 2 person teams. My teammate was a lady friend of mine from college who is faster than most men. Our main mission was to beat Chris P. and Chris B. as well as Tim Johnson... And Sven Nys, and the Goeguns. I got the hole shot and held off the field. We traded places with TJ a few times, the Chris'sss were way behind. Last lap my teammate Kathleen flatted and got passed by 19 other teams. In the next last lap I almost tracked down TJ and Busick but had to settle for 20th. The Chris'ssss came in 4th. We'll get them next year.
2) Cat 4/5 old guys - started in the last row of 130 people but again got the hole shot with a 1900 watt sprint. Led for the whole race until all the spokes in my wheels fell out. While i was picking them up I got passed by 12 people and ran across the line in 13th, all spokes accounted for.
All in all an unlucky but really fun weekend. This CX thing is pretty cool.
Providence CX
Re: Providence CX
Wow, that's the hardest I've laughed in a very long time.
Re: Providence CX
The Madison was a blast. We should get more MRC'rs there next year. Chris suggested making teams based on cross results points so they'd be even to make it interesting.
-Chris Busick
Re: Providence CX
Im in for the madison next year. but overall the weekend was okay, disliked Sunday due to all the pedaling and lack of technical features. Sunday was better but faster, had fun raced hard and lost a spoke on the last lap when someone fell over into me. On to MRCCX and the rest of the season!
Re: Providence CX
Saturday, Day 1 Cat 2/3
I started on the front, had a great start, was second at the holeshot behind Schmidt, made the pass to take the lead on the second pavement section, then approaching the run-up, I saw it was in the process of being blocked off, so I hit the brakes in confusion, not knowing where to go. About 6 or 7 guys quickly passed me. Cory Small and Schmidt got a gap quickly and for the remainder of the race I was solo while chasing them. They were almost always in sight, so close, yet so difficult to chase down. Schmidt dropped Small, which made it slightly easier to chase. I caught Small, then shortly afterwards all my hard work literally came crashing down… on a patch of slippery pavement. My bars were slightly twisted, hanger slightly bent and my leg had some road rash. I started chasing again and with a half lap to go I was only a couple bike lengths behind Small again... then my chain dropped next to the beer garden. I rolled in for 3rd thinking about the battle that could have ensued for 2nd place between Small and I if I didn’t have any mishaps. The podium ceremony was pretty epic though.
Sunday, Day 2 Cat 2/3
I started on the front, but had a bad start, as I wimped out and was around 10th at the holeshot. I saw Chris Niesen crash violently into a ditch right after the holeshot. Small, Schmidt and Skomra got a gap and I chased with Hettenbaugh on my wheel for a few laps. This course had more power sections and since it was windy, group riding was advantageous. I dropped Hettenbaugh and made it up to the lead group, now 4 of us. Shortly after bridging up, Skomra, crashed on a slow corner and took me down with him. All I could focus on was chasing down Small and Schmidt, like I did yesterday; Skomra smartly noticed this and didn’t do much work. I attacked him a few times but couldn’t get rid of him. I started to have the worst back pain I’ve ever had with ~2 laps to go and I was struggling to turn the pedals, especially on the short, punchy hills. Skomra passed me going through the barriers with 1 lap to go, taking the last podium place with him. I was pretty disappointed.
Overall, it was a good weekend. I enjoyed racing on a UCI level course for the first time and I stuck around to spectate the UCI races, which was awesome.
I started on the front, had a great start, was second at the holeshot behind Schmidt, made the pass to take the lead on the second pavement section, then approaching the run-up, I saw it was in the process of being blocked off, so I hit the brakes in confusion, not knowing where to go. About 6 or 7 guys quickly passed me. Cory Small and Schmidt got a gap quickly and for the remainder of the race I was solo while chasing them. They were almost always in sight, so close, yet so difficult to chase down. Schmidt dropped Small, which made it slightly easier to chase. I caught Small, then shortly afterwards all my hard work literally came crashing down… on a patch of slippery pavement. My bars were slightly twisted, hanger slightly bent and my leg had some road rash. I started chasing again and with a half lap to go I was only a couple bike lengths behind Small again... then my chain dropped next to the beer garden. I rolled in for 3rd thinking about the battle that could have ensued for 2nd place between Small and I if I didn’t have any mishaps. The podium ceremony was pretty epic though.
Sunday, Day 2 Cat 2/3
I started on the front, but had a bad start, as I wimped out and was around 10th at the holeshot. I saw Chris Niesen crash violently into a ditch right after the holeshot. Small, Schmidt and Skomra got a gap and I chased with Hettenbaugh on my wheel for a few laps. This course had more power sections and since it was windy, group riding was advantageous. I dropped Hettenbaugh and made it up to the lead group, now 4 of us. Shortly after bridging up, Skomra, crashed on a slow corner and took me down with him. All I could focus on was chasing down Small and Schmidt, like I did yesterday; Skomra smartly noticed this and didn’t do much work. I attacked him a few times but couldn’t get rid of him. I started to have the worst back pain I’ve ever had with ~2 laps to go and I was struggling to turn the pedals, especially on the short, punchy hills. Skomra passed me going through the barriers with 1 lap to go, taking the last podium place with him. I was pretty disappointed.
Overall, it was a good weekend. I enjoyed racing on a UCI level course for the first time and I stuck around to spectate the UCI races, which was awesome.
Re: Providence CX
Very impressive racing through adversity to get these great results.