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Utah Cyclocross #5 |
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Written by Dave Leikam
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Monday, 02 November 2009 |
Utah Cyclocross #5 & #6
Wheeler Farm
Murray, Utah
10/31 and 11/1/2009
 This week was a double weekend in the Utah Cyclocross Series. Earlier in the week, the forecast called for snow but it never came so the temps were in the sixties both days. Saturday was rumored to be the most attended CX race in the UTCX series history. Sorry, can’t give any numbers but I took a quick look around at the start and was a little bit startled by the number of riders queued up behind. I took my front line start next to the series leader at the left side of the gravel road.  The word was given and I was immediately cut off causing me a one or two second delay which left me in about 8th or 9th place going into the narrow sections. I fought my way up to fifth place and was closing on the fourth place rider when I crashed. No spots lost, but I had the devil right on my tail. I kept the devil behind me for a while until I crashed again and lost three spots. I sat in eighth place for a while and began closing in on the riders ahead.  I passed and dropped one guy and in last half of the final lap, I caught up with the 6th place rider. I decided to sit on his wheel and try to beat him in the sprint. He jumped one second before me and while I had enough speed to pass him, the gravel road is so sketchy that I had to slow down to avoid leaving the road involuntarily. Seventh was going to have to be good enough for the day.
 Sunday’s course was pretty much the same, but in reverse of the day before. The route seemed to be a little faster in the reverse but I also think the pace was much higher right off the start. I had a much better start and came out in the front position for a short time. By the end of the first lap, I had settled in to 5th place and was dropped by the front four. By the middle of lap two, there was a five second gap in front of me and about thirty seconds behind so I settled into a rhythm and tried to catch the front of the race. By the middle of lap three there were two riders off the front and two at about thirty seconds….then me. At about the same time both riders just ahead of me flatted, leaving me in third. The rest of the race was about riding hard and steady while being careful in the loose turns. I was unable to close on the lead riders but maintained the gap to the chasers behind for a solid third place finish. Not too bad.
Check out the results at utahcyclocross.com
Till next time……
Dave
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