Cyclocross at the IX Race Report

Did the officiating/racing double threat day.

The course was pretty technical and required that you take good lines and not get over your head. A large sand pit, three gravel sections, two stair run ups, and two technical climbs equals some crazy jungle cross action.

Did one warm-up/course check lap prior to the 4’s, officiated the 4’s, raced back to my car grabbed my stuff and made it to the large pack of Masters. Given little warm-up, a technical (rather then a power rider) course and a large combined MABRA/VACX field of serious cross racers (plenty of whom drove 2+ hours to get there) I decided to stay out of the hole shot nonsense and just start towards the back and ride steady the first two laps. After those laps I started picking riders off and getting a feel for the course. Last two laps, I passed the serious cross types wearing skinsuits and the like, which was nice. Overall, I was 18th in the combined Masters field (won by flyin’ Fred Wittwer, of course) and 7th in the Masters 35+ which was pretty gratifying.

After that I officiated the rest of the day. Nice job by Kyle duking it out with the 1,2’s.