Catch-up

So.

I've gotten behind again.

To recap the weekends:

November 22-23-Whitmore's Super Cross Cup
Day 1:
Thanks to Dylan McNicholas missing the start on Saturday (and my front row start), I managed to get out well, make the front group, and finally get off on my own and get my first win of the season! Let's just say my legs felt great that day. I rode solo (e.g. damage control mode) for what seemed like forever (with no lap cards) before the official signaled that I was done. Which was good because I lost a contact lens and I couldn't see- note the picture.

(photo from cyclingcaptured.com)

It ended up that I had a 40 second gap to second place. The key to winning? Have the main competitors not register (Jeff Bahnson), DNS (Dylan), or start in the last row (Colin).

Day 2:
Dylan made it to the start on Sunday. Also, Will Dugan rode for UVM so he could qualify for collegiate nationals. And unlike Saturday, he was there to ride on Sunday.

Just like on Saturday the split occurred somewhat early and before not too long we had a group of 5 riders (Dylan, Will, Rob Collins, Alex Crooks, and myself). I was hoping we had gotten a good jump on the last row starters but when I slid out on an off camber...sure enough there was Dylan and Will. Then they decided they had enough riding at our pedestrian pace. Will put in a few attacks that popped everyone but Dylan, myself included. I managed to claw my way back and join them again on the steep hill when I found that Will had broken his chain from the application of too many watts. So then it was down to just Dylan and me. We rode together for most of the race (Dylan would later tell me he was feeling ill) before I tried a few attacks in the last lap. After finding out that attacks were futile (if Dugan couldn't drop him, how the hell could I?), I got on his wheel and figured I'd take my chances in the sprint. That is why I put a 48T outer ring on, after all.

As we came into the final pavement section I set up on Dylan's wheel. There was a long straight drag, a gentle right hand onto some bumpy grass, and then a short pavement finish. I emphasize short, because I imagined it was longer, despite riding it so many times. Thus, I planned on coming around after the grass. Long story short- didn't work. As we came off the grass I thought I had a chance, but Dylan stood up and put in a couple good pedal strokes to shut the door. Ack. Oh well...taking Dylan to a sprint for the win is pretty good anyday...even if it was an off-day for him.

November 29-30- NOTHING!
I think I lost my chance for third place in the Verge series by not going to Baystate. Meh.

December 6-7- NBX
Day 1: Decidedly a power course. Yes.

Despite my epic fall(s) in the sand thanks to overzealous running (see Colin's end of the season recap ~3min in) I was able to recover and constantly re-attach myself to the front group either through said running or riding very hard in a straight line. The first few laps were pretty tame and there was a rather large group at the front of the race- not what I wanted. I could see no one wanted to come around Dylan, so I took the initiative and went right to the front. I'm not sure how effective the initial attack was, but I eventually got the group down to 5, then 4, and then just Dylan, James Tosca, and myself. With a podium position effectively in hand, I was willing to let them get back in front and take some rest. So I let them fight each other over the last few laps until they pulled away in the last 300m and I slotted into third. Regarding the battle for the verge podium? James "Slim" Patterson flatted earlier in the race, Colin was 5th, and Jeremy Dunn was 7th- no one was out of contention. It really would come down to the final race of the season. Pretty cool.

Day 2:
This was the polar opposite of the previous day, although the course retained (and in fact lengthened) its running sections. It also snowed 2" overnight. When you take out practically all the power sections and replace them with tight turns covered in mud/snow it wasn't shaping up to be great for me. Colin expressed that he was worried about my MAD running skills. I didn't tell him that I was worried about his riding skills.

Right out of the start I got swarmed and slid back in the field. So it didn't help that the attacks started early (from what I heard). Then I couldn't clip into my pedals for half a lap. I was instantly out of contention for the battle for the win between Patterson, Tosca, and Dylan, but everyone who really mattered was still in relative sight. Colin was in a two man group 50m ahead, and I was constantly yo-yo'ing with Jeremy, Cary, and a few others. If I could beat Jeremy and remain within a couple places of Colin (if he doesn't podium), then I could maybe get third for the series. Unfortunately this race was a series of one mistake after another.

The running sections kept me in contact with the group (when I was on my feet), but not with Jeremy since he is apparently a very strong runner as well. The procedure was as follows:

1. ride into sandpit (usually in second wheel)
2. botch dismount, hit course tape/stake, or trip (or combination thereof)
3. get passed by Cary et al.
4. get up
5. empty mouth of sand
6. run past Cary et al.
7. lose 5m to Jeremy

With every fall JD would extend his gap on me by just a little bit- enough that I couldn't ride back on without long power sections. Jeremy was pulling away and Colin already had his gap, although it was slightly coming back. Cary reminded me to stay calm and ride smoothly, but I kept trying to power through technical sections and riding really sloppy. Not my finest day.

In the end, both Tosca and Dylan flatted which allowed Colin to pull into 2nd and Jeremy into 3rd. Of course Dylan had such a huge gap prior that he rode the entire lap on the flat and still beat me for fourth. No matter...even if I got that place I would have ended up 5th for the series. The only thing I could have done was actually beat Colin and Jeremy...which wasn't going to happen that day. In any case it doesn't matter (although the cowbell would have been nice), but it was a ton of fun racing against those guys all season. I'm sure we all cannot wait to get killed in the elite races next year.

Maybe I'll go re-read Matt Kraus' article/interview in CXmagazine to inspire me to upgrade next season...