Friday, December 9, 2011

NBX GP of Cyclocross

Working the field from the back... it'll go better next time.
After taking a weekend off, UVM cycling ventured with four competitors to Warwick, RI to compete at the NBX GP race weekend.  Not wanting to get up early, and also having come off of two previous top 10 results, I decided to upgrade with the hops that sleeping in would counteract the unfortunate starting position of DFL.
Both days had fast courses, with only slight modifications from day to day.  Day 1 had a sand run ending on a hill, as well as a ride-up and a set of quick barriers near the Shimano PRO Pit and core center of the course.  Day 2 was only slightly modified, leaving in the first sand run, adding in a second sand run into a dune hill run-up as well as having moved the barriers onto an uphill run just before the core of the race.
Flying through some fast trails towards the beach runs.
Having just upgraded, I was started at the back since I have no points.  Unfortunately, I was only able to move upa few places from there.  I found the 3s to be so evenly matched that starts were everything within that field.  Since I have a terrible start, it was difficult to move up and make up time on the leaders. The only time I felt like I was able to ove up was on the dune run-up on Day 2, which allowed me to scurry up the hill and pass multiple people before remounting and descending back into the starting area.

Making this additionally difficult was the use of improper gearing.  I have since swapped my crankset for a cyclocross specific gearing by attaching a 46/39 to Dura Ace 7800 172.5mm crankarms.  From riding this past week, the gearing feels much better and is moe manageable to for riding trails and varied terrain as opposed to the compact 50/34 of previous rides and races.

I'll be taking this next weekend off from racing to ride and finish up classes for the semester.  Stay tuned for some training adventures and racing updates.  Up next on the calendar is New England Championships in Fitchburg, MA.

Arc hard, ride fast, go plaid!
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8 comments:

  1. Spagooter n merblesDecember 12, 2011 at 5:40 PM

    VERY nice

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mershed PerderdersDecember 12, 2011 at 6:00 PM

    It reminds me a bit of Taylor Phinney's career... lots of potential

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sharded BarfDecember 12, 2011 at 6:15 PM

    "ALSO, you need to look at the long term. If you are going out, fully committed, then you have the WHOLE night. Rooms are dark, alcohol is permeating the blood stream–entering the brain, making life blurry. By 2:00AM the hotties are by and large all at home looking at themselves in the mirror, pretending that they enjoy eating 300 calories every day and tweeting about how amazing their life is and how much more ‘blessed’ they are than the rest of the world. Granted, I wouldn’t know, I am just guestimating here (winky face). Anyways, back to the point. Try your luck early fellas, be funny, win some, don’t worry if you lose some…but at least try! If, by 2:00am you are unsuccessful, then lower your standards exponentially factoring in the time of day and your growing level of intoxication." - Taylor Phinney

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bocan Darble Chaise BargaDecember 12, 2011 at 6:18 PM

    - It doesn't get tastier, you just nom harder.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MORKDecember 12, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate rememberance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle. - Ernest Hemingway

    ReplyDelete
  6. ONYON RENGSDecember 12, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    THIS IS A FOOD LIBRARY. Christian hates his S5.

    ReplyDelete
  7. B.December 17, 2011 at 7:18 PM

    This is interesting... Here at the Sky camp there's a good amount of interest in cyclocross, but most of the boys don't know how to ride anything besides simple pavement... We need a clinic I think.

    ReplyDelete
  8. UnknownDecember 17, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    Interesting proposition. I'm curious to hear what you're thinking. Give me a call sometime, my number is 802 917 3873

    -Josh

    ReplyDelete

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