In The Crosshairs

The Super Bowl Sunday Snowpocalypse PsychoCross D.C. Stage Race has come and gone.

"Carry Your Bike Around The Park 2010" Photo by Demoncats.com.

Kevin Dillard of Demoncats.com was there to capture the mayhem. You can check out his galleries here.

According to Rez, here’s how the day’s festivities went down:

Stage 1 ended up being a downhill for distance race mostly. We raced the course afterward but it ended up being mostly trudging through the snow carrying our bikes.

We improvised to make Stage 2 a Calvert St Bridge crit including a running section around the bus station. Pretty fun.

Stage 3, as expected, was the crown jewel. We rode up the 15th St hill, entered the park from a side entrance that led us to the bottom of the long stairways, and then raced down the hillside and winding stairways to the bottom. Totally sweet!

I’m sore in all new places today. Thanks to everyone who came out and made it a fun time!

She totally chopped him.

I had intended to join in the fun, carrying my bike around in the snow for a couple hours and maybe doing some helmet-cam footage, but it wasn’t to be. So instead I hung around the neighborhood and captured the locals putting on their own ‘cross race down my street. That was some good action.

Stay tuned for coverage from the rescheduled Super Bowl of Singlespeed and Cross My Heart race p/b Proteus Bikes that takes place this Saturday.

After that, we hope to have photos and video interviews from the North American Handmade Bicycle Show that takes place at the end of the month in Richmond.

Be back soon …

Snow? That's not snow. The pits at Capital Cross.

Proteus Bikes’ Super Bowl of Singlespeed may have been pushed back a week but that does not mean there will be no cyclocross racing in the Nation’s Capital this Sunday. Tim Rugg (Battley Harley/Sonoma) and Justin “Rez” Resnick (District Velocity/The Bike Rack) are not going to let the forecasted 36 to 360 inches of snow stop them from racing.

Before we get the details of what these guys have planned, I have to say I’m a little worried that Rez is spearheading this effort. As we saw way back in September, slippery surfaces are not always his forte. For those that may have missed it, here’s a recap.

And now for deets on this Sunday courtesy of Tim and Rez:

WOOH SNOW CROSS!! Spread the word, this is gonna be AAAAWESOME.

We could use some extra orange sport cones to set up the courses so please bring some if you have them!

Newbies, spectators, hecklers, snowball throwers, and photographers welcome!

Route: here

Schedule:
09:45am – Optional breakfast at Open City Cafe.

11:00am – Meet-up at Rock Creek Park exercise area, set up course, do preview lap.
Stage 1 – Rock Creek Park exercise area start at 11:30 SHARP.
Race TBD laps until 11:55 or so.

12:15pm – Meet-up at Calvert St Bridge park, set up course, do preview lap.
Stage 2 – Calvert St Bridge park at 12:30 SHARP.
Race TBD laps until 12:55 or so.

2:15pm – Meet-up at City Bikes to ride over to Malcolm X Park.
2:30pm – Meet-up at Malcolm X, set up course, do preview lap.
Race TBD laps until 3 or so.

Bicycle Dreams is a full length documentary that chronicles the 2005 Race Across America. As a chronicler of cyclocross racing, a decidedly shorter affair, I was a bit hesitant when the film’s director, Stephen Auerbach, asked if I wanted to review his film.

Bicycle Dreams Tells the Story of the 2005 RAAM. Photo by Chris Milliman.

To hedge my bets, and ensure my ignorance about ultracycling events is kept in check, I recruited Adventures for the Cure’s Adam Driscoll and Patrick Blair, accomplished ‘cross racers and RAAM finishers in the two-person division, to watch and comment on the film.

Cyclocross racing is hard and, if you are doing it right, painful. It’s a redline effort for somewhere around an hour and then it’s over. RAAM, on the other hand, is more of a slow burn. Full-time steady-state efforts, day after day with little time off the bike and almost no sleep. Cyclocross is like a haymaker to the head, RAAM is 15 rounds of rabbit punches, a 45 minute break, and then fifteen more rounds. For nine straight days.

Bicycle Dreams tells a compelling story. From a technical and aesthetic standpoint the film is amazing. The shots are artfully framed and flawlessly executed. The color grading and lighting in the film are breathtaking. For this alone, the film is worth viewing.

The idea of a race across America in itself is, dare I say, epic. Finishing this event is truly an achievement only a small number of bicycle racers will accomplish. The human struggle, exhaustion, will-to-go-on and desire-to-quit is the kind of stuff compelling, edge-of-your-seat films thrive on.

Bicycle Dreams

The problem is that once you get beyond the big picture “epicness,” the actual competition is mind-numbingly dull. It’s equivalent to going out and watching an accomplished racer on a long solo training ride. This is not the Tour de France. There are no suicide breakaways, tactical chases, sprint finishes or mountain-top duels. Not to give away any plot points, but there is exactly one instance in the film in which we see a rider passed by a competitor.

To overcome the sport’s inherent lack of on-bike action, the filmmakers focus on the meta. The real drama is found in the racers’ back story, the mind-over-body struggle, and competitors’ interaction with their crew. Continue reading »

Normally, I like to offer a little more in my posts than a reproduced press release, but this one is too good to pass up. I would book your hotel room today.

January 29, 2010 (Tabor, Czech Republic) - USA Cycling is honored to announce that Louisville, Kentucky today was chosen by the Union Cycliste Internationale, cycling’s international governing body, to host the 2013 Elite Cyclo-cross World Championships and the 2012 and 2013 Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships.

2012 Worlds Forecast? 18 Degrees And Snowy This Weekend in Kentucky

This historic appointment is the first time the Cyclo-cross World Championships will be held outside of Europe in the 50 plus year history of the championships. These events will mark the first Elite Cycling World Championship of any discipline held on U.S. soil since the Track World Championships took place in Los Angeles in 2005.

“After more than a decade of working closely with American promoters and the UCI to grow our international calendar of cyclo-cross events, Louisville’s winning bid is a testament to the success of those efforts and to the extraordinary quality of ‘cross racing in the U.S.,” USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson said. Continue reading »

Sam O'keefe Displaying the C3-Athletes Serving Athletes Colors

C3 is hosting a team party and fundraiser for Athletes Serving Athletes this Saturday, January 30th, 7PM at Fraziers on the Avenue in Baltimore. Party with one of the top cyclocross teams on the East Coast and help raise money for a good cause. Want to go? Here is where it’s at: 919 West 36th Street, Baltimore, MD 21211-2414.

Seems Like Forever Ago LVG Won The 2009 Charm City CX

C3 promises a great time to get together after the big season and right before all those little ones. It’s also a perfect kick off to the 2010 world cyclocross championships where just hours after the festivities end, Laura Van Gilder and Jeff Bahnson will toe the line in Tabor, Czech Republic and represent C3-Athletes Serving Athletes, Thule/Van Dessel, the Mid-Atlantic Cyclocross series and the entire cyclocross community.

Bahnson Will Hopefully Arrive at Tabor With His Bikes

At 7:00 PM there will be live bands food and drink to be had and a small but good silent auction featuring  iPods, Dansko Clogs, Massage Gift Certificates, Coaching, Cycling Goods Galore. All proceeds go to Athletes Serving Athletes. www.athletesservingathletes.org.

Cost is $5 for C3 members and $10 for non members. Please pass the word as the entire cycling community is invited.

Carraway at DCCX

Race #2 of the NCCX Winter ‘Cross series took place January 10 in Mooresville, North Carolina. Chris Carraway (NCVC) once again strapped on the CXHairs.com helmet-cam and had a cracker of a race. Until he didn’t.

Chris gives a great view of what it is like to be at the front of the field for most of the race. An ill-timed mechanical spells doom for young Chris and a guaranteed top five finish is replaced by a DNF. Because, as we all know, nothing is guaranteed in ‘cross.

Included in the video are the first three laps of the race and then the final half lap that includes the mechanical. It’s hard to tell when the race jumps from third lap to last lap. But if you keep an eye on the two lead riders at about the 12 minute mark, they magically disappear. That’s when it happens.

Music for this installment is by request and features Richmond, Virginia  hardcore  legends Four Walls Falling and the cute and lovable Misfits.

Although the 4WF boys have long since called it quits, you can still get their debut LP, Culture Shock, from Jade Tree Records. It may be the best music you never heard. Perfect for those rollers sessions in the basement.

Here’s the video. Thanks for watching.

Races 1 and 2 of the North Carolina Cyclocross Winter Cup took place January 9 and 10 in Salisbury and Mooresville, North Carolina. The CXHairs.com helmet-cam was in attendance for the event. Thanks to Chris Carraway (NCVC) for strapping on the hardware for the races and giving us a good look at the NCCX series. 

We also caught up with Route1Velo’s Thori Wolfe who traveled from DC to NC for the weekend’s races. Before getting to the video, here is Thori’s race report of how things played out at the front of the Masters 45+ field: 

Wolfe At The Front of the Salisbury Field. Photo by Demoncats Photography. www.Demoncats.com

“Somewhere into the second or third week of undisciplined gluttony following Capitol Cross and the end of the ‘cross season, my R1V teammate Danny Koniowsky suggested the North Carolina Winter Cross Series. I was starting to feel like a slug, so I checked the calendar and Google map and decided to commit to at least the first weekend. I made the trek last weekend and wasn’t disappointed with the trip. Both races on Saturday and Sunday were low key, local races with relatively small fields and some very talented racers still willing to get out in the 20 degree temps when the only other ‘cross racers taking the discipline seriously live in Northern Europe and are named Nys, Albert, and Stybar. The accents were heavy Carolina. The juxtaposition of Ridley bikes, tubulars on carbon rims, and the southern accents you might otherwise expect at a NASCAR event was pretty awesome. It reminded me of surfing in Cape Cod with a bunch of dudes with heavy Massachusetts accents wave sliding on long boards. In both cases, seemingly incongruous, but it didn’t matter once they got down to what they were there to do.  Continue reading »

Dombrowski on his way to winning Schooley Mill 'Cross

Those that raced cyclocross this past season in the Mid-Atlantic already know Joe Dombrowski. The eighteen year old Haymarket Bicycle/HomeVisit rider could be found in the front group of most MABRA races he entered this year. He usually finished on the podium and captured some impressive victories along the way.

While most of us have hung up the ‘cross bikes for the season, Joe is spending his second consecutive Christmas in Belgium racing bikes against the best cyclocross competition that the world has to offer. As an invitee to Geoff Proctor’s Euro Cross Camp, Dombrowski is living in the Team USA House—along with a group of U-23 and junior racers, as well as a handful of elite riders—and competing in up to nine races in 14 days.

We caught up with Joe to see how his second season is progressing, learn a little more about racing in Belgium and get some insights into life at the Team USA house.

How was your travel to Belgium? I saw where Jeff Bahnson’s bikes didn’t make it on the same flight as him. Any similar issues for you?

The travel was rough. Belgium was getting snow that they haven’t seen in years. I spent 14 hours in the London airport, which made for a total travel time of 37 hours without sleep. Jeff and several others were missing bikes, wheels, and various other pieces of luggage.

Take us through a typical day in which you are not racing. When do you wake up, train, eat, etc. How do you spend the downtime?

The Euro Cross Camp wheel stash.

Geoff comes by each room and wakes us up in waves. Juniors first, U-23s next, and Elites last. He wants us to be on the same schedule on non-race days as we are on race days. I usually get up at 8:30.

Training starts after breakfast. It doesn’t get light here until 9:00, and we usually are on the bikes around 11:00. After training, I just try to keep the legs up and get a nap in if possible. Els [Delaere (House Directress and Head Chef)] cooks a delicious hot dinner each night.

With another year of racing under your belt, is there anything about Euro Cross Camp that is easier than it was in 2008?

I came into this year’s camp with a better perspective on the level of racing. It’s a bit of a shock when you first start doing big races here; this is definitely not a forgiving place.

Guys at the camp are racing juniors and U-23, right? Do you all travel to the race together? What’s the pre-race routine like?

The camp is mostly juniors and U-23s, but we do have three Elites as well though. Each group travels to the race together, and comes back together. If it is a late race, usually we are on the rollers in the morning keeping the legs loose. If the race is earlier in the day, we will grab breakfast and jump in the van and go to the race.

Usually we can get back from our race in time to watch the Elites race on TV. Continue reading »

The Finishing Stretch. Photo: Anthony Skorochod

The Bilenky Cycle Works Urban Junkyard Cyclocross took place Sunday, December 20 in Philadelphia, Pa. In year’s past the biggest obstacles in this race were hulls of rotting cars, rusting detritus and an oil-slicked race surface. The cars and detritus remained this year, the race is in a junkyard after all, but the oil was replaced by snow. This meant that the crash total remained about the same but road rash was not as big a problem. Racers also had to keep alert for the well-aimed snowball.

Your CXHairs Camera Crew Hard At Work.

The course features a sweet jump into a pond of sofa cushions, a dumpster fly-over and a quick trip through a tractor-trailer. Ryan Dudek (TOMS Shoes p/b KindHuman Sports) strapped on the CXHairs helmet-cam for the five-lap race. He not only gets some great footage but also hangs on for third place in the ‘B’ race (as far as we know).

For more photos of this race and many others from the 2009 cyclocross season, check out Anthony Skorochod’s CyclingCaptured.com.

I am playing around with different video hosting options. This should allow for longer videos without degrading the quality. However, it also means, you won’t be able to find the footage on You Tube. So if you want to show your friends the race, send them here.

As always, if the video isn’t streaming fast enough, click on the HD button to turn HD off. Thanks for watching.

Valentin Scherz

Valentin Scherz, winner of the Capital ‘Cross Classic and the MAC Elite Championship series, is an 18 year old fast man from Switzerland that spent the past couple months going toe-to-toe with many of the top U.S. riders. Scherz (Pro Cycles-Scott-Newwork) took some time for a short interview on how his Capital ‘Cross Classic race went down, racing in Europe compared to the U.S. and his plans for future visits to the U.S.

Thanks for reading.

How did the Capital ‘Cross Classic course conditions and race compare to a typical European race?

Scherz: The conditions here are more or less the same as in Europe. In my country, Switzerland, the courses are known to be very technical, hilly and difficult, as yesterday or in Southampton. In the rest of the Europe—Belgium, Holland, Italy, France—the fashion is now fast courses, more like the most of the races here. So the riders are more riding together and there is more suspense. Until two weeks ago, the weather conditions were warmer here than in Europe in October. But now, the weather is the same.

Scherz was on his own from the gun, Sunday

The level of the riders is my big deal now! I think I progressed a lot this year. But I don’t exactly know where my level will be in Europe. I think that in the UCI C2 or C1, the level here is the same as in Switzerland. And in the regional races, like yesterday, it’s the same as in the regional races in my region too. So the competition level is good enough here for me.

That was an impressive ride. How did you feel about your performance? Did the day play out the way you expected?

Scherz: Thanks. I was feeling pretty good yesterday during the race. My technique and my ability to ride in the slippery turns were good, which is really important for me. I tried yesterday to ride every lap better than the previous one. In fact, the day played out better than what I was expecting. I was expecting a hard race. I spent the two previous days visiting Washington, walked a lot, stood up for long stretches, etc. I did one week of rest without training two weeks ago and I did only slow rides last week.

On Sunday, it was difficult for me to get ready before the race, to go out of the car to warm up, check the course etc. The conditions were the worst it could be: not cold enough to have frozen ground, but enough to get your feet freezing in the really cold mud. So I was not feeling 100% on the start line. But everything always changes just after the start-shot: you become a warrior and give all that you have. And then you see how fit you really are! My feelings on the bike were great, and the legs were good. Continue reading »