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Cycle-Smart International |
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Team Bikeman -
Race Reports
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Written by Matt DeMeis
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Saturday, 04 November 2006 |
16th Annual Cycle-Smart International
Verge NECCS #4
Northampton, MA
This is a great race. Hands down the best course on the circuit in my opinion. It's got everything a cross race should be. Did I mention it's a great course?!?! Anyway, on to the race. Semi-Pro JB, Andrew Freye (our resident Pro MTB honch) and I spun the bike path and got in a pretty good warmup. I have been leaving the trainer at home this year in favor of spinning around and getting more laps in on the course.
The cool thing about this race is that you actually need to be able to handle your bike. You can't get by on fitness alone, unlike a lot of the courses lately. So out of the blocks I had a pretty good start and settled in to let the first half pain dissolve so I could get down to some reeling in. I played it pretty safe by grabbing wheels on the road sections and bridging up to other groups in the technical stuff. 3/4 of the way through I was railing it, but by the last lap I was done. The last time up the burley back side run up I was pretty much walking, and I didn't care. I didn't get lapped and I managed to finish 28th out of 50 starters. I'll take it. We had a great team turn out at both events. LT, Chuck and Ryan took care of the B race while Big Al and Chris Cyr worked the masters races. Ryan pulled off a great ride in the B's with a 5th place finish. 3 more to go in the NECS before the big dance in December.
Matt
Photos by: Brian Pierce/thedrownedgod.com
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