Day 1 - Saturday, Sept 8
Race Time = 12:15
Category = Open (including Cat 3) – 50 minutes
Competition = CDN National Masters 30-39 Cyclocross Champion, a bunch of regional fast guys, etc
Weather = 80ish and RAINING like H-E-double spokes (‘cause hockey sticks don’t apply) Course Condition = mainly ok, despite the rain, with a few mud sections
Start Position = Called up to front row (right beside above mentioned National Champ!)
Strategy = Go hard first 2 laps and hold on to position
GO TIME
Lap 1 = Good start sitting 5th wheel and then Niagara Region Cross fanatic Jeff Moote bites it in sweeping left-right corner taking out himself and the guy in 4th. YIKES, that was close! Sitting in 3rd for about half a lap and YIKES, another close call presents an opportunity to grab the lead. Half lap of leader glory!
Laps 2 & 3 = OH Sh*t…Lap 1 effort is setting in and the pain is growing. The relentless switchback climb each lap is not my friend at this point of race and I lose positions fast.
Lap 4 & 5 = Gas back in the tank, feeling good and gaining on my Open Category competition. Move from 10th to 8th in one lap. Lap 5 of 5 and I find myself feeling really good and wishing the race was longer. Cross the line in 8th!
Day 2 (Reverse the course and go again) - Sunday, Sept 9
Race Time = 12:15
Category = Open (including Cat 3) – 50 minutes
Competition = Same as day 1, maybe even a deeper field
Weather = Rain is gone, course is dry, feeling like 70ish
Course Condition = Great for cross, including the RUN UP!
Start Position = Called up to front row
Strategy = Not the same as Day 1. Start medium pace without losing too much ground.
GO TIME
Lap 1 – Tucked in 5th to 7th (I guess that’s 6th) for most of the first half lap. The lead group of 4 quickly made their way up the switch backs and then down. Sticking to my strategy, medium pace!
Lap 2 & 3 – Can still see the lead group but the pace has increased and they are extending their lead. Following a fellow CDN competitor through the fast sections of the course and happy to let him lead me through these areas until ……“THE MOOTE EFFECT”! In a steep short downhill section Mr. Moote misjudges the sharp corner and goes down. Unlike Day 1’s MOOTE EFFECT I was unable to avoid the situation and literally rode over his bike and catapulted over my bars. I quickly regained my composure, picked up my bike, remounted, and left the scene. I later learned that Mr. Moote DNF as a result of the incident. Enough said. BTW, Mr. Moote was fine and only mentally rattled from the weekend events.
Lap 4 & 5 – Once I shook off the MOOTE EFFECT I realized that I was feeling really good despite being about 15th at this point. I recognized that the attrition in the switchback uphill section was going to be my opportunity to regain positions. In each of the last 2 laps I opened up on this section picking off 2 to 3 riders per lap. In the last half lap two other riders were passed. After it’s all said and done, 7th in the Open category.
Next Up – Sept 22 & 23 - We Need Another Cowbell Cross Weekend Bonanza, St. Catharines, ON
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