Last year I experienced it, but this year confirms it. Cyclo-X stage racing is hard. It’s the third race in 3 days, with a bunch of standing around before and after the races. It’s hard not watching the races when you’re a bike racing fan. Anyway, they lined up anyone with a National Champion jersey on the front row. I started just OK and was 6th or so the first lap. But, I was completely out of juice. Almost like I bonked. The second time on the road section I got passed by 5 or 6 guys and was on the back of a 7-man train. I was getting spit out the back through the slinky-effect and after another half a lap, I completely sat up. I thought about quitting, but so many people were yelling I kept riding around. Eventually, I got into a group in the late teens that were riding about the speed I could go. I sat on the back of 3 guys pretty much the last 5 laps. The race was the full race distance of the day before, 8 laps. I couldn’t believe it. A few guys ahead started blowing gaskets and a few more flatted. Trebon flatted on the second lap and looked like he was quitting, but 2 or 3 laps later, he came by again. It was nice to see that he was riding mildly hard the day after winning “the race”. Anyway, through attrition, etc. my group ended up sprinting for the top 10. I was 9th on the day, which was way better than I deserved. Tim Johnson schooled everyone. His time was only 20 seconds or so slower than Ryan’s the day before. That was pretty impressive. I wasn’t that far off timewise either. I don’t really understand it, I was pretty much blown the whole race and only kept riding because it was the Nationals weekend and the last race of the season. That, plus, I don’t quit races unless I’m hurt or sick. Anyway, I was glad to be done. Next year’s Nationals are in Kansas City and I’m going to make it a major goal of the season.
Results
1 Tim Johnson (Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com
2 Mark Mccormack (Clif Bar)
3 Jonathan Baker (Harshman Wealth Management / Primus Mootry)
4 Ben Jacques-Maynes (cyclocrossworld.com/SRAM)
5 Ryan Trebon (Kona)
6 Adam Myerson (Nerac-OutdoorLights.com Pro Cycling)
7 Erik Tonkin (Kona)
8 Tristan Schouten (Trek/VW/Michelin)
9 Steve Tilford (Verge/Shimano)
10 Taylor Carrington (Turin – Powerbar)
