Well, the 2008 'cross season kicked off for me at CCCX's course on Sunday in the infield at Laguna Seca. For those that know the area, we climbed up the pedestrian path next to the corkscrew...which is steep enough to make me really wish I rode a mountain bike. Right after the climb, they added an awkward, off camber turning approach to a barrier. I think the best way to train for this sort of feature would be to have someone give me a swift kick in the junk right before attempting a smooth dismount. Focus.
So...race report. We A folks lined up with a couple ringers in addition to the rock lobster and cal giant boys....Ben Jacques Mayne, and some old guy named Ned in Specialized kit. As far as I know, those guys up front were on motorcycles, because I lost sight of them before the first hill. I managed to settle into a rhythym, holding onto top 15 on the first lap. I didn't have any major errors except for some poor dismounts on aforementioned barrier at the top of the hill...and lung mucous that I got all over my shiny new Altezza kit. Thanks to Kirt's skills clinic, I almost had the higher-speed barrier dialed...I was one step off on this one, but still moved through it decently. I'm turning the bike since there's a 180 degree left directly after the barrier :-)
Halfway through the race, I got gobbled up on a flat, fast section by a small group that was trading pulls against the wind, and couldn't quite hold a wheel. Kirt, I tried. I tried.
I finished in 17th, which I'm muy happy with for my first A race. Given the sonofabitch climb in this one, I don't know how I feel about back-to-back weekends with McLaren, but it sounds like they've cut out some of the mtb-like brutality from last year.
Good to see everybody out there, and get this season kicked off!
1 comment:
I'd be happy to give you a kick in the junk as you practice barriers to improve your focus. Good idea, I'll send out an email.
By the way, sweet mullet photo.
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