Cory and I headed up to Vermont this past Friday for the Green Mountain Cyclocross weekend, round 1 of the Verge Series. I would be racing in the Cat 4s, Cory in the Cat 3 race along with teammates Matt M and Jeff (who is riding cx for Pedros). Saturday was the kind of day that makes you love the all-day aspect of cyclocross — great weather, a beautiful and challenging course, and exciting racing in all fields.
Races on both days took place at the Catamount Outdoor Center in Williston, just outside Burlington. The course on day 1 was a reprise of last year’s day 2 course — lots of climbing on power-sucking grass, a fun BMX section, an easy set of stairs and one set of barriers. The course was wide open and not very technical, but the climbing was hard and relentless, at least for me. This might explain how Cory was able to blow through 52 dudes after a really poor start (Note: I was specifically asked to mention the 52 dudes, but not the poor start).
I had a good start to my race (thanks to our skills clinic with Adam Myerson) and found myself near the front heading up the first hill. I really didn’t want to be there as I knew I would have trouble on this climb (weird to experience a “long” climb in a cx race) and before I knew it I was getting swarmed by dudes who were faster going uphill. After we made our way to the top of the hill and started back down on the switchbacks, I tried to pick up spots. Through the start finish, out of the back of the course, and a return to the barriers and back up the hill. This second bit of climbing was almost as hard as the first, especially after being off the bike through the barriers. It began to take its toll on our field as the laps went on. These were fairly long laps and we did 4 in our race. I really can’t recall many other details from day 1, other than the fact that I was dying every time we went uphill. In the end, I hung on for 9th.
The cat 3 race had a large, stacked field as racers were gunning for the all-important Verge points. I think our guys were lined up in this order: Jeff, Matt, then Cory further back. My impressions after the first lap were that Jeff was having a solid race, Cory was too far back, and Matt was fighting it out. I didn’t realize until after the race that Matt had a great start and was the best placed Thresholder until he was taken out from behind by another racer in a turn. He really gutted it out just to finish with some sore ribs and knees — and luckily nothing more serious. Cory continued to move up each lap and had a strong finish as the 18th placed cat 3, picking up some Verge points. Jeff had a good ride on a course that did not play to his strengths.
The course for day 2 was last year’s day 1 course. More technical, less climbing, shorter laps, with one set of barriers and a run-up with logs that was rideable for some but not me. I had another good start and found myself for the first time leading a race. Before a downhill 180 degree turn into an uphill Nick from Newbury Comics attacked, and I found myself chasing him as we approached the run-up. I started to bleed spots and found myself in 7th or 8th, trying to hang on to the group. Many of the guys rode the run-up which crushed me mentally as I ran and chased again through the first lap. By the time we went through the barriers and out the back of the course the gap to the rest of the field was significant, and it was just going to be a matter of holding off a few riders while trying to pick up a few spots. Nick had an unfortunate mechanical that bumped me up a place, and I duked it out with one other rider and eventually gapped him on the final lap. I had one more rider in sight but wasn’t able to close on him before the finish. I ended up 7th on the day.
Cory at the start on day 2
Cory had an improved start position in the cat 3 race after picking up Verge points on Saturday, and Jeff was in a pretty good spot as well (Matt did not race). The cat 3 race looked fast and furious, and again as the race went on both Cory and Jeff picked off riders and moved up through their field. Both appeared completely decimated at the end of the race, a great sign that they had left it all on the race course. Congratulations to them both as they also improved on Saturday’s placings with Cory finishing 16th in the cat 3 race and Jeff 30th.
Here is a little video that Cory made from the weekend’s racing. I’m awaiting a call from Steve Jobs since it’s pretty much a freakin’ iPhone cyclocross commercial:
Green Mountain Cyclocross Weekend from Threshold Cycling on Vimeo.
3 Responses to “Green Mountain Cyclocross Weekend Race Report – with video!”
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I LOVE the crash collage; Ken, thanks for all the cheering…I needed it on Sunday!
As we say in Vermont – noice! Awesome video and congratulations everyone @thresholdcx and you guys are great fans too.
I thought we weren’t gonna try and lead it up the hill on day two Ken?