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Plattekill Mountain Report #1 |
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Team Bikeman -
Race Reports
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Written by Matt DeMeis
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Monday, 21 May 2007 |
NORBA NYS XC CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES #1
Plattekill Mountian
Roxbury NY
May, 20 2007
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I look forward to this race every year. In my opinion, except for mount snow (which is in a class of it's own), this is the best mountain bike race still alive in our region. What still seems crazy to me is the lack of numbers in the fields. Those who show up to race are the very few and very fast. The hard core. So before I get to the report I'm going to make a plug for it. If you live within a 4-5 hr drive of this race, you have no excuse not to go check it out. You will not be disappointed. The terrain they set up for you is just incredible. Go check out the schedule at plattekill.com and find one that you can make it to. Plattekill has stepped up and gone to a 4 race series (now the NY state XC champs) this year and has done a lot to support the sport, so go support them. That said, on to the race.
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LT steve and I made the trip up from RI on sat afternoon to my parent's place in Conesville NY, about a half hr from the race. It was pissing rain so we just relaxed and ate massive amounts of food then passed out for the night. We woke up Sunday to MORE pissing rain and brewed up some good morning america to try and lift the spirits. After some farm fresh eggs and more coffee the skies miraculously started to clear. By the time we had the scoob packed and off to the race the sun was out in full. Proper. The great thing about the catskills is the soil is very rocky and drains extremely well, so the course was is perfect shape.
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We had a good team showing with 4 guys in attendance. Steve and I met another NY teammate Sean McCarthy before the race and Art DeGraw (also NY state) was there to pummel the semi-pro field. So after some chit chat and bike prep we kitted up and it was up the lift to the start area.
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All of the experts and pros lined up together in field order (pro/semi-pro, senior 1 expert, pro women, senior 2 expert) but then we all were off at the same time. This made for some traffic but since the fields were pretty small, it wasn't really an issue. Art was off the front from the gun and I worked my way up through the 2 fields in front to separate myself from the guys in my field.  | | click to enlarge |
After 1 lap it was Art off the front and me with 2 of the semi pro guys pummeling each other. I managed to drop the other two guys on the second time up the big climb and went into the 3rd and final lap with a pretty good gap, but the bikeman 1-2 overall wasn't meant to be.
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After a little section of single track I dumped out onto a quick fire road steep and my front derailleur started making a horrible grinding noise. I had to stop and get off to examine it. The thing was twisted so that it was just lathing away on my big ring! I tried to bend it back but it wouldn't budge. No idea how it happened either. So while I was messing around 1 of the semi-pro guys went by. I managed to bend the FD so that? could use the middle ring without rubbing the big ring.  | | click to enlarge |
But when in the big cogs, the FD would grind away on the chain, annoying but useable for half a lap. I caught up with the guy that went by, but that effort finished me off. Art won his race and I rolled in right behind the other semi-pro guy for 3rd overall and 1st in my class, but a win is a win and the effort was there so I'll take it.  | | click to enlarge |
I was rewarded with some sweet maxxis schwag including a fancy beer cozy that I promptly put into use with my cat tuna. Sean McCarthy was second place in our field but he booked it pretty quick afterwards. I don't think he knew he finished second? LT demolished what sport riders showed up to challenge him, riding away from the start and never looking back. The green machine prevailed again. It was great racing after which the icing on the cake was getting to bomb the downhill course on XC bikes. LT almost flew off the mountain and had a little seat contact issue on one of the drops but he is ok and his manhood remains intact.
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After the podium (where i was the only one who stuck around for our field, hence the solo podium shot) we hit the road for the drive back to Little Rhody and some cheeseburgers. It was a proud day for the team with 3 wins and a second place. Not too shabby. Time for a little rest. Big thanks again to Plattekill mountain for hosting a great event (go to the next one or regret it forever). The Salsa bikes did their jobs amazingly well and once again I will sing the praises of the new champ-sys short sleeve skinsuits. Super comfy. Thanks for reading.
Matt |
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