Scott's Right Of Way: DCCX -- cyclocross in the District

The closest cross race ever today. The DC Mountain Bike/City Bikes team put on a race at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in DC. It was a little bit of a pain getting there because the Marine Corps Marathon was this morning, so we had to loop down and come up I-395. But still, very convenient. It was a fast and wide open rolling course with a long section on pavement and gravel road that went into a nasty wind, but then came screaming back with the wind. The last 1/3 of the route was a little more technical (but not at all super technical). The rain during the week made the grass a bit sloppy and heavy in places and the temperature was finally a little more cool.

MY RACE

I did the "B" race (now known as Cat 3/4). It was a decent field of 35-40; I got a front row call up based on my few MABRA Masters 3/4 points. I got a good start and slotted into 4th, where I stayed for the 1st 2/3 of the first lap. Unfortunately, that was probably way too hard. Bernie McDonald, who was next to me on the first row didn't catch up until 2/3 into the first lap, as us rabbits started to tie up. He said I was way out in front and that we then visibly slowed. I was in a world of hurt for the next couple of laps. I was still around 10th until a guy crashed in front of me remounting after the run-up barriers; I couldn't get back into the pedals and lost a couple of places. I otherwise then battled with a couple of guys. A Bike Lane guy, who was not at all comfortable with having me on his wheel on the road sections. On the last lap I told him we had to work together on the road to hold off the guys behind us. I knew my teammate George was coming as I'd seen him at times (and his brakes are super loud). He caught us after the down wind road, but I had gone to the front at that point. I knew from the last lap that I could gap and hold off the Bike Lane guy from that point to the finish, as it was some turns that I really had dialed, no brakes. And I did. I held them off (maybe a 50-75 yard gap as I went hard on the pavement to the end); George couldn't take the guy at the end. I ended up 13th. Ok, I guess. I have to see about this start thing.

Couple of pictures from Mark Blacknell

That's my companion of the last few laps behind me.

Me on second lap, still way up in standings (guy in front of me got 6th).

The kid in forground, Sam O'Keefe, is 14, luckily I beat him (he was doing Jake's races last year); the ABRT guy right behind him is the one that crashed after the run up barriers.

Seph Coats.

This is George battling the Bike Lane guy behind me. This is maybe 1 or 2 minutes from the finish line on the final lap, just a few seconds behind me. [[Post Script -- "Bike Lane Guy" is known to his family and friends as Bruce Buckley -- thanks for stopping by and commenting Bruce]]

JAKE'S RACE

Jake hasn't ridden/raced since the Sander race 4 weeks ago, but hey Loren brought him to the race after Temple. For the first time Jake had a teammate, Nick Battan, son of my teammate David Battan. Nick had the smallest frame possible, but it was a "full sized" (i.e. 700c wheels) bike. They got an ok start in a group of 8 (I think Jake wasn't fully paying attention). Nick and Jake were together with an older kid from DC Velo and an older girl on a MTB from Potomac Velo Club. Here are Jake and Nick on the run up barriers

Jake's 24 inch wheels don't roll as fast as the bigger wheels, and he struggled, getting dropped a little on the road section on the first lap, but he has good technical skillz and had caught back up by the start of the second lap. Jake and Nick worked together into the wind

The suffering is palpable in this picture. Jake opened a gap on Nick and the boy from DC Velo during the second lap. He was trying to reel in the girl from PVC. By the back half of the course, it was just jake and the girl. He was digging in, and I thought he had a chance to catch her on the road at the end, but he had a little bobble and missed a turn. Still, he did well. He was 5th overall.

He said it was a fun course. Next week Nick and Jake will go again at the Squadra Coppi Tacchino Ciclicross (you should go register now). They will crush all other 10 year old challengers, like the Kona Twin Towers, Wicks & Trebon (or I think more accurately, like the Cyclocross.com team of Jeremy Powers and Tim Johnson) I for one am really beat.

Comments

Good race yesterday. You played it right tactically. You're right, I didn't want to drag you around those road sections, but in your position I would have done the same.

The difference at the end was when George came around me. He pretty much blocked any chance I had of catching you. When things opened up on the road before the finish, I was able to get around George, but you had a good gap at that point.

Well done. I'll see you next time in the Master's 3/4.

-Bike Lane Guy

Posted by: Bike Lane Guy | October 29, 2007 at 01:51 PM