|
|
Downeast Cyclocross |
|
|
|
Written by Don Seib
|
|
Monday, 26 October 2009 |
Downeast Cyclocross Weekend
Verge NECCS, UCI Cat 2
New Gloucester, ME
October 24/25, 2009
 Must be some weird karma with CX racing, the name Gloucester, and torrential rain. Headed to the race Saturday morning and every time I thought "wow it's really coming down now", five minutes later it would rain a littler harder. Pretty much the same forecast and weather as Great Brewers in Gloucester a few weeks back. This year they moved the race into a different section of the Pinelands because of a wedding going on up in the main campus. Worked out well based on the eco-impact we were about to have on the property. This year New Gloucester was back into the Verge series which ensured many of the heavyweights showed to stay up in the points. After lots of experience this season I was getting the knack of this rain thing and brought a complete change of gear so I could warm up, get muddy/soaked, and then put on dry stuff for the race. I had missed four of the first six Verge races so was down in points but still managed to get called up to the 2nd row of starters. Course was a little less hillier than the old Pinelands layout, but had enough technical challenge with the rain that everyone at the start knew it was going to be a complete suffer-fest.
 Went hard from the start and was with the 3 leaders (and Verge series points leaders) Sam Morse, Mark Gunsalas and John Mosher. During the first lap Mark went off the front and I didn't see him the rest of the race. He ended up winning by 1:30 over Sam and moved into the series lead jersey as a result. I knew due to the mud that this might be my best shot at a podium so I was going all out trying to bridge to John and Sam. I had them in sight for a lot of the race but each time I thought I was gaining they'd pull away in the grass field section. By middle of the race couldn't feel my feet from the cold and my hands started to go numb too. By lap five I knew I wasn't going to reel them in, so backed it down a bit to save some energy for Sunday. Noticed CCB'r Tim Grosebeck gaining on me but held on for 4th place, my best finish ever in a Verge race. Was super psyched with my result but physically felt close to hypothermia. It took me nearly an hour of driving to quit shivering even with heat on max in the truck. Spent the rest of the afternoon in the recliner in front of a roaring fire watching Nascar.
 Sunday had planned to race with the family but told both kids to go ski at Sunday River with mom instead. It continued raining Saturday afternoon and some size-able thunderstorms rolled in that night. I knew the course was going to be mostly the same (reversed) and it would probably be un-rideable by them with 24" wheels. Even with the extensive mud, it was a super nice day, mid 50's temp, sunny and no wind. From the start the pace was fast and could not get in my pedal and ended up 8th or so coming into the first off camber corner. I had to be a bit more aggressive than normal and was able to maneuver myself into the top four coming into the woods. Every part of the course was turning to peanut butter and the grass field with just a gentle grade was a major grind just to stay on the bike. Had a solid first lap and coming through the start finish heard the announcer wondering what happened to Sam which put me in 3rd place. Apparently Sam broke his frame on the first lap and didn't see him go into the pits to get his spare bike.
Anyhow, was going pretty well and Tim Grosebeck bridged up to me. Him and I were wheel to wheel when I crashed coming through a right off camber corner just a couple turns before the barriers. Tim then got out of sorts and went into the side of the barn in the next corner, which allowed Sam to pass both of us thru the barriers. Tim and I traded positions several times over the next couple laps, each of us had sections where we were better than the other. Coming into the last lap I knew I had to get by him prior to the first muddy descent into the woods as he gapped me there each time in the prior laps. I took his aggresive line right down the middle of the muck and on the power climb that followed gapped him by about 5 yards. I was totally nuclear heart rate but kept it pegged and gained a few more seconds thru the woods. Nearing the end of that section I endo'd, but re-mounted quickly. I was riding the rock wall most of the race and on the last crossing tried to bunny hop the whole thing. A bit sketchy, but kept the rubber side down distancing Tim a bit more. Ended up finishing 4th again, 14 seconds behind Sam who had gone into coast mode after Mark and John gapped him. A big congrats to John Mosher for his first win in the Verge series. After the weekend I've moved up from 19th to 7th in the series and may extend my racing season a little longer than planned.
Thanks to John Grenier for a fun course and Ryders Eyeware for the cool shades. Also thanks to Don McEwen for sending the great pics. I opted to take off right after the race and headed north to Sunday River to crank some turns with mom and the kids. Pounding slush bumps in the afternoon sun with family and friends was a perfect end to the weekend. Looking forward to Northampton.
Don
 |
|
|
|
; "Image")
; "Image")
; "Image")
Show/Hide comment form
