Jeff "lil pony" Weinert

2011-12-04T22:11:00.000-05:00

2011-10-10T16:24:00.001-04:00

2011-09-19T22:21:00.001-04:00

2011-08-11T15:52:00.000-04:00

2011-06-22T17:52:00.000-04:00

2011-04-28T11:28:00.000-04:00

2011-02-18T21:51:00.004-05:00

This weekend is the end of the Euro cyclocross season. Some are ready for a break, others are still proving themselves or ready to move onto the road or mtn season. I'm not ready for spring, not yet anyways. Winter has really started to slip away this week, almost that is, for another year? 7 months and the 2011-2012 cyclocross will be here. Doesn't sound like much but before you know it...it's here. That's a reality. But there will be plenty to do before that.

Saturday: Cauberg 'cross @ (9:15 am)

Livestream Channel 3

Sunday: GVA-Oostemalle ( 9am )

Livestream Channel 3

Enjoy...and see ya this spring!

Cyclocross Magazine, Issue 11

2011-01-15T10:36:00.001-05:00

Visit CxMagazine.com and pick up the new issue today

2011-01-02T10:27:00.000-05:00

2010-12-01T09:43:00.003-05:00

UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup #4

Igorre, ESP –

Sunday - 05.12.2010

Race start: 9:30am

Live feed here...when race starts

Official website

2010-11-27T08:36:00.003-05:00

Cyclocross livestream Sunday: Superprestige Gieten at 8:45am

Live video feed via

(VT4)

alternative feed sometimes works

(VT4)

2010-11-25T11:04:00.002-05:00

livestream at 8:45am at sportstream

2010-11-25T10:58:00.001-05:00

Bloomer

2010-11-24T10:24:00.001-05:00

I know most have probably been coming here looking for what went down and I've been sitting on this race report for obvious reasons after how the post race festivities went down.

All I want to say is I'm sorry for my actions to Tailwind, Mark the "official" and everyone else that was in attendance & had to hear or witness what went down. I know that type of situation should have been handled differently but with the adrenaline of the situation & in the heat of the finish we both acted inappropriately. I'm sorry.

Happy Thanksgiving.

2010-11-17T10:12:00.003-05:00

We're at "That" time of the year again. What exactly is "that" you ask, well your either getting faster or slower. I've been feeling the later these last few weeks but it's hard to tell exactly whats going on. I shook off Ann Arbor pretty quickly but after what I deem a very poor performance at Iceman I was shaking my head once again asking all kinds of questions to myself. Iceman never was my "Thing" or kinda course to begin with so it's also hard a access that performance as well. So instead of just "showing up" at Stoney like a lot of people do at races I decided to take a week and step back.

I remember years back Too White took a whole bunch of time off racing to train, almost a month in fact and before the State Championships. I thought the guy was crazy. And he was but he showed up to States lean, mean and mentally ready to give us a pounding & he did. I'm not proposing a month off because there's not that much time left but even just a week or so to clear the mind & legs out can do wonders.

Well see... maybe while were at it we could dial up some mud for these last few races of the year because I'm tired of riding on the grass. Maybe a course change at Bloomer, say a throw back to the old State Championship days there...

2010-11-01T11:51:00.002-04:00

We'll, 3 Tailwind races left this year. @ A2 I just didn't have any legs, what can I say. Even Sven Nys has a off weekend every now & then. It started when I felt horrible on the warm-up which I'm usually pretty good at talking myself into saying I have good legs even if they're not. Lot's of short punchy climbs + long flats that require power = trouble. I pretty much quit when they said, "GO". So when your feeling like that the front of the bike race is no place to be. Instead of just pulling out and quitting, which is something I rarely do I just faded back all day and had some fun. It was nice to see some new faces out there!

I guess this weekend there is a mountain bike race up north near Acme. I can't remember the name of it but I guess it's a kinda big deal to some people around the midwest. I'm thinking the weather will be alright. We'll see if anyone show's up there for it, you know it's kinda far to drive!

2010-10-25T19:31:00.004-04:00

It's Monday...and as most cyclist knows it's time to reflect on another weekend of racing. First I've gotta say how lucky I am that my family actually allows me to compete at this level. The travel is the hardest part of the 'cross season for me, not the racing. So with this being the middle of the cyclocross season I figured its a good time to access the first 1/2 of the season and fine tune for the rest of the year. It's not too late to tweak the training and peak for States just yet.

My Mondays are often spent getting things done that I put off for the last 3 days because I've been racing or getting ready to race. I usually start by unpacking the car that I didn't unpack the night before. For 'cross you can go through more clothing in one weekend then I typically do in a whole week of training. Between the weather being warm or cold in morning, plus separate clothing for the warm-up -vs- the actual race. Then the cool down...repeat that on day 2 and I often bring almost every piece I have. The wash machine gets the workout on Mondays while I take a rest day..

Then it's time to work on the bikes. First a good wash then check out any problems I may have had that weekend. It may be as involved as changing cables, brakes pads & chains. But it could be as simple as dry & hang. Lucky for us this year has been dry and dusty...repeat with bike 2.

After I get the car straightened out and the bikes taken care of then it's usually time to clean up the house a bit & catch up on work. Taking care of the blog is another whole animal as well. I can't imagine racing every weekend through out the year, I'd never make it.

Was I happy finishing 5th & 8th this weekend? yes. But it's the end of the USGP road for me this year (sigh). Now, If I had the USGP leaders jersey that would be another story & I'd be heading to Fort Collins. The Louisville USPG course was one of the best this year. It had a ton of flow, steep runs, drops, a uphill sand dune & a flat one. Just a really nice mix of everything a 'cross course should have except for mud. It's going to make a great World Championship course when they get all the features completed for next year.

Next up will be Iceman...

2010-10-18T09:15:00.005-04:00

Somedays I feel like I'm a cartoon character out there racing. Just think Willie E. Coyote who keeps getting a anvil dropped on his head or falls off a cliff and keeps getting up. I seem to be getting great starts but the racing has been so good this year that a slight bobble here or there can have you chasing all day long. If the leaders ride clean your fighting for scraps. Plus, this is the first year since we started the cyclocross series back in '99 or so that we have had 4 different winners for the first 4 races. So you know that the competition is good...

Everyone thought that I'd love the Linden course but in reality it was jus a little too twisty for me. Not because of the turns but because you had to accelerate constantly, over & over. About 3 laps in Mark went to the front & I just kinda forgot my lines and got gapped off. Never one to panic I started to close it up again but then I had a crash at the barriers before the start/finish and lost all the time I was gaining back. With about 1 lap to go I gave it full power again but came up short for 3rd place. Never give up is my motto this year.

Here is a video clip I edited that my son, who is 8 took on the first lap and finish.

Riding the Tape Episode 1

2010-10-12T11:50:00.001-04:00

WooHooo...Something new and different thats been in the works. It's a mix of " a day in the life" -vs- a race report and it's not all about me, me, me. Well, kinda but not really. It sure isn't the Jersey shore! These are the people that I love hanging out with, my teammates & friends. Once they warm up to the idea of being on camera this should be fun. For now check out my first Episose

2010-10-11T09:13:00.006-04:00

Coming in the UCI3 day I really didn't know what to expect. I'd been fighting a pretty nasty cold, hadn't slept in 4 days or ridden. I'd been noodling even whether to make the trip down for fear of digging myself even a bigger hold in the fitness department after such a nice build up. The weather was as much a factor as the 3 different styles of course we were going to ride. This was one thing for sure, the 90degree heat was going to take it out of you...

The first race in Kentucky was the hardest course I've ridden, and also the bumpiest since my SuperCup days in Boulder, CO. I think I lost a few fillings out there. I was staged at the back, found my way toward the front pretty quickly and just watched guys melt down in front of me except for 1st place. I had good battle going with Jon all day until 1/2 way into the last lap when he dropped his chain on the run up while I rode it opening the door for me to take 2nd.

Day 2 had about 100 turns, and more then a dozen 180's but the heat was really the story of the day. By race time the temps were near 90 and getting hotter. I got a horrible start by my standards, got chopped a few corners into the race by a unnamed rider just trying to hold his position as well and that was the story of my day. As I would claw my way slowly from the 20's back toward the front it was one guy either crashing in front of me or I just couldn't get around people as the course twisted back on it's self more then a snake. Still I had fun & I almost made it back up to the podium and into the 3 &4th place. But 5th was all I had time left for.

Day 3 at Harbin park & not my favorite course to top it off. I was pretty determined to get a better start but that didn't really happen as I somehow got staged even further back with at least 5 of the fastest guys from the weekend on the front line minus JC and I. Good start, moved my way up into 3rd a few laps in. But the power from the engine room was just not enough on day 3. You see, if this was a road race you could sit in and still be fresh by day 3 but in a 'cross race there is not hiding. I'd get gapped going up the start/finish stretch which was a 400m uphill grassy slog into a giant sand pit at 5mph. Once out or the sand I'd start closing it back down throughout the lap only to get dropped again on that same start/finish stretch again & again, over and over. I fought pretty hard right till the very end and made JC earn that last podium spot & I walked across the finish line dehydrated for 4th.

So, so long Ohio. I won't miss you or your dry dust bowl heat, coughing, buckeye, acorn, stick,180's, giant barriers, bumpy courses, sand pit, 4x4 run up, - payout, UCI C2/C1 races until next year...

2010-09-27T09:23:00.003-04:00

Back from the land of Cheese and Trek bicycles. Kind of a mixed bag on how I exactly feel about the first USGP weekend but overall it was about where I expected for late September.

Saturday I made a few key mistakes which always cost you. I got the whole shot which was fine and lead the whole first lap riding strong. I was having one of those, hey I got legs today moments so I sat back and tried to take it to them. Lap 2 I sat up and let a few others start to do some work, but 1/2 way into the lap I dumped it in a really slow little corner. You know that type of corner where your traveling about 1mph, I just lost the front tire in some dry ruts. Jumped back on the bike, jumped off and twisted the bars, jumped on, jumped off and straightened the front wheel...In hindsight I had way to much air pressure for the day...Wissink and another rider got away. I chased hard back toward the group only a few laps later to get caught behind another rider going down and got gapped off for good. From that point I knew I had some descent legs but decided to ease up and save it for Sunday rolling in 6th.

Sunday I rolled a little smarter, had the pressure dialed and I rode pretty smooth most of the day. Only the legs and fitness just wasn't there for day 2. I hung tough for about 3 laps with the lead group then the gaps started opening up. Most of the race I dangled only about 15-20 seconds off the leaders but could never get any closer then that. I faded a bit toward the end and got passed by a couple other guys but still I felt I rode much better and was content with 9th.

One thing about both days was these courses really favored the strong powerful rider. The USGP's aren't typically very technical but I'm hearing that Louisville is. And if there is any hint of rain in the forecast...we'll, lets just say I'm hoping for some rain.

Double Cross day 2

2010-09-19T18:40:00.005-04:00

Well...day 2 didn't go down (literally) as I'd planned but if you'd told me Friday night that I'd be 1st & 4th I'd have taken the win-place bet to the window right then and there. So apparently my fitness is a bit better then I anticipated.

The race started as I expected with a big group staying together for the first few laps but I didn't exactly stay out of trouble like yesterday & I had a few stumbles along the way. It started by clipping a stake near the barriers, then a lap or so later I took a Mark Parmalee tire to the head though the barriers which took me a lap or so to shake off. The finale straw was Saari trying to pass me on the inside of the corner when I was trying to just get out of his way ( after I messed up a re-mount through the barriers) on the last lap, resulting in a crash & sore wrist. It was only 3 mistakes from being in the wrong place at the right time. But that's racing & consequently what I love most about 'cross, the little mistakes are magnified, lap after lap after lap. Sometimes your on the giving end, sometime your getting it...

So now I get to look forward to a well earned rest week then off to the USGP in Wisconsin this coming weekend. I can't wait to see who the new 35+ guy to beat is going to be. Wednesday will also be our 2nd STXC at lake Orion High so come on out and support the MICA program...6pm

2010-09-18T18:23:00.002-04:00

Day 1 Waterford Double 'cross...check

You know, I really didn't know what to expect going into race #1 of the cyclocross season.

The Elite class was packed with more talent compared to years past with around 20+ riders I had 5-6 guys that I would be watching with intent. Training has been going good & for the first time in years I'm on a plan & sticking to it so the week leading up to the race had been a bit harder then what I might like on a typical double weekend. But, when you least expect it, is when you have your best results.

What I'll say about the race is I put myself in the right spot all day long & never made a mistake. A few people had some bad luck for once instead of me & I finished strong (last lap was fastest lap of the day!) The win could've went to either Mark or myself as he rode a near perfect race as well. But in 15 years of 'cross I'd been put in that exact situation too many times & I knew what to do and when which was probably the deciding factor. I'm sure Mark will take that as a lesson learned and he'll get his win soon. Just not today...

Now the bad part of wining on day 1 is I only get to enjoy the victory for one night. Then it's back to work tomorrow and hopefully another good performance that I can be proud of...

2010-09-13T09:53:00.002-04:00

Addison Oaks has changed a lot over the years. I remember when I started mountain biking it was almost 90% two track & if it rained it turned into a giant grassy swamp. The last times I raced there, around 1999 & 2001 I rode for the Schwinn Homegrown team.

That race I remember in particular because I dnf'd due to a broken rear deraillure cable. As that day turned out I sat on a picnic table watching the rest of the race while not knowingly being interviewed for a article on the MMBA for VeloNews, which also featured a nice photo of me.

Turn the page almost 10 or so years later & I'm finally feeling like I'm starting to become that old mountain biker again. I sold my road bike last winter and declared the end of my commitment to the road race scene, although I'll show up for fun now. From this point forward it was back to my roots, where I started all the way back to Addison Oaks, Kandahar etc. those first years.

Although I'm years older & hopefully wiser from my racing I still pull the typical mountain biker move. I'm also still lining it up in the Elite class with guys that are sometimes 15-20years younger then myself. Back in '89 when I was swinging my leg over my green speckled Fischer HookooEeekoo some of my fellow competitors were probably still in middle school.

This weekend I was 2nd overall & was out ridden by one of the best cyclist in the state, Derek Graham of Bissell. Derek is one of those rare riders that can simply do it all if it involves a bike, 100 milers, mtb, road, crit, TT. I'm not sure if he can BMX? He dropped me on lap 2 up the start climb. I though a couple times that I could reel him back in but youth prevailed over age. So, I'm still searching for that first xc Elite mountain bike win since the comeback & with time ticking away and youth catching up to me and the rest of us old timers, I'm not sure when it's going to happen again. So I'll see you at the next race...

2010-09-10T08:45:00.004-04:00

This is about how I felt on Wednesday night up at the short track race at Lake Orion High. We had about 12 guys line it up in the "A" race but it was still bigger then our Elite cyclocross races. The course was about 1.6miles long, fast & rolling and mostly grass with a couple tricky corners & one slow uphill. I ended up riding the Trek Top Fuel as I thought the course would favor a mtn bike 60% over the 40% that favored a 'cross bike. In the end it was the right choice as I took my first win of the year over a strong Clint Verron, riding a 'cross bike for Paint Creek Bicycles in the sprint after 5 laps. I don't know why everyone keeps saying that 26" wheels are slow because I think almost every local race and NUE race this year has been won on a 26" bike! The 29'er movement is here to stay but don't believe all the hillbilly hype.

The next LO short track race is Wednesday September 22nd @ 6pm. We're going to turn the course around and make a few changes so I think this one is going to favor the 'cross bike by 80%. Don't miss out on a great mid week workout, plus you can win some money or just donate it back to MICA!

I can't believe it's going to be 'cross season in just one week. Am I ready, NO. Is my bike ready, NO. But I can't wait to see some old faces I haven't seen since last season. The first few races should be interesting as I try to get my fitness back for the USGP series. Who know's, some of my best results come when I have no expectations...

2010-08-30T12:09:00.003-04:00

I won't go into great detail about the Stony Creek XC race this weekend because it wasn't a big priority for me and 4th place was a nice surprise. Missing almost the whole previous month off the bike with health issues I've finally turned the corner on my health & had the oppurtunity to put in a nice solid block of training these last 3 weeks. So Stony capped a big week of training just before I finally dust off the 'cross bike for a second time this year to start some focused training and try and get ready for the first race weekend. I'll tell everyone right now that I'm not really expecting much at the begining of the 'cross season much like Stony. This is going to be a work in progress so we'll just sit back and see where the form takes me...I hope things can come good by the end of October, but thank goodness the State Championships & Nationals are in December!

2010-08-24T11:02:00.002-04:00

Wow, I can't believe the start of the cyclocross season is just around the corner. With everything that's been going on with me I haven't had much time to really think about 'cross much beyond registering for the UCI3 day in Ohio a month or so back and then setting up a hotel for the Louisville USGP. So this morning I decided to roll my butt out of bed early and headed out for my first practice session. I'll say that I'm looking forward to some of these new rules in 'cross, mostly I hope Robert moves the barriers apart a bit so we'll be able to bunny hop them this year.

So with the though of cyclocross and the feel of fall in the air, this weekend I'm going to set aside some time to start re-gluing a few pair of tires that didn't make it through the year like I had wished. There is also some unfinished business I need to take care of on the mtb that I didn't get to take care of this season. So I have added a couple races sprinkled through 'cross season that will lead me up to Iceman. First up will be the race out at Stony this weekend that I'll be doing if I make it through the rest of my miles by weeks end.

Speaking of training. There is a new STXC (short track) series up at Lake Orion High School on Wednesday evenings with the first event starting on September 8th. Races start @ 6:05 with the "A" group racing 35minutes. There's even 50% payback to top 3 in each class (a,b,c) and a $10 entry fee. This race is sponsored by the GAP program at the high school and proceeds will benefit the Michigan Interscholastic Cycling Association (MICA) which we're trying to grow.
The course will be short, fast and flowing. I rode it on my 'cross bike and except for one 15 second section of single track which is non technical the 'cross bike should be a bit faster then the MTB.
If your gearing up for 'cross or the Iceman, it'll be the perfect training tool for mid-week workout. This is the type of racing most PRO's do during the week to prep for their weekend events. More information can be found here.... , search Facebook or just drop me a line under the comments section and I'll get back with you.

2010-07-25T16:26:00.002-04:00

From Drop Box

2nd at the Stony TT...maybe my number was a omen. The flying Frenchman took the win easily leaving us fighting for the scraps. Lot's of slick corners & bridges. I just don't have the power right now to ride all that double track. The top 2 spots went to guys riding a 26" Trek Top Fuel 9.9ssl!

2010-06-18T16:41:00.002-04:00

I'm not so sure about some of these "New" UCI cross rules that came down from the heavens today & I'm having a hard time figuring out if the sport is trying to progress or regress in some ways. Disc brakes make good sense for mountain bikes but for 'cross it seems like a bit of a stretch. How is the industry going to handle this at a time when they're trying to launch new product. Will racers take a wait and see approach or will this cause the industry to pull back from 'cross once again? And what's with the 34mm rule on tires? That is surly going to have all the tire manufactures calling their 34's now 33's. It's also going to be interesting how far promoters push the new barrier allowances, this could be a good or bad thing for some of us.

I think Adam Myerson has the best take on this I've heard so far, " If a 'cross bike has drop bars, skinny tires, and cantilever brakes, then it's more or less the same 'cross bike people have been racing on for 50 years, and that's a good thing." Let's bring 'cross to the people...

1) Disc brakes will now be allowed in cyclo-cross competition.
2) The legal tire width in competition has also been changed. Width shall not exceed 33 mm, whereas before the maximum width was 35 mm.
3) Continental Cyclocross Championships have been established.
4) The “6 obstacle limit” has been changed to a “6 man-made obstacle limit.”
5) The height of barriers is now a maximum of 40 cm instead of a defined height of 40 cm.
6) Man-made sand pits are now allowed and the dimensions for them have been established.
7) The distance between planks has been changed to a range of 4 to 6 meters between.
8) Commissaries may now authorize feeding if the temperature is above 20 degrees C. This feeding takes place in the pit lane, but not during the first two or the last two laps.
9) The commissaries may now invoke the “80% rule” and remove a rider who is behind the leader by 80% of the leader’s lap time. Thus, riders can be pulled before they are lapped.

2010-06-17T09:29:00.002-04:00

I have to say my blogging has been a bit like my racing these past few months...almost non-existent & just enough at times to say I'm making a effort. So I figured it was time for a templet update and a quick mid-week race.

Living in Lake Orion my whole life I love to support school activities in any way I can and when I heard Lake Orion GAP (guided athletic programs) was putting on a two race evening race series on Wednesdays I was more then excited to do my part to support the schools for a good cause. Ironically I had to miss the first event due to my son's soccer practice but race #2 was on my schedule.

For those that may not know, Steve Kinley has put his heart and soul into the trails at Lake Orion High school. The course is approximately 5 1/2 miles and contained within the woods surrounding the school grounds, with a few additional miles that can be added using the south unit of Bald Mountain if need be. The single track flows up and down quite well & moves in and out into open mowed meadows with elevation changes coming at you fast and furious. There is even a section I call the 4x (that's 4 cross for you non downhill guys)

The turnout last night was the largest they've had so far, 70 riders total. I lined it up in the 40+ Advance and the under39's started 1 minute up on us. The single track didn't make passing easy so it took me about a lap to finally make it past everyone who started in front of me except for Mark Parmalee. Mark had a pretty big advantage having no one in front of him as I had to navigate rider after rider. I almost tracked him down with about 1/2 a lap to go but just couldn't close it down 100% so I came in about 10 seconds behind him to take the overall fastest time. All in all a good little test of the fitness and a lot of fun as well.

Post race we celebrated with free Jet's pizza. The RBS team took the first annual team trophey award and I had to ride back home in the dark! I hope next year they are able to expand the Wednesday night GAP series to more races then just 2. I'd like to even see a short track race series started up out there in the fall, that would be fun training for 'cross. I think I'm really starting to like the mountain bike thing again...

2010-06-09T21:51:00.002-04:00

It's never too soon to start thinking about 'cross...

2010-06-01T15:17:00.003-04:00

Well,I made it out for my first mtb race of the year finally. After the race I started thinking back & realized that this was the first mtb race I've entered in the Elite class riding a geared bike since the 2001 season...9 years people. Yes, I've race my SS about 5 or 6 times since then but this was my first real step back.

My week leading up to the race was nothing special, just a typical base week mixed with long rides turning the cranks slowly. So this was going to be a rude awakening...Since I virtually had no idea who anyone was on the start line except a couple guys and I knew my fitness was going to be nowhere near what I'd expect of myself during 'cross season, I decided to take the lead as soon as I could and just hold on tight. Training race right!

Well, I got what I wanted. After the opening few miles of single track I managed to drag 3 guys off the front & along for the first whole lap with no one wanting to take a pull. As expected, at the start of lap 2 came the attack from Wells & Kuhn which I couldn't respond to right away. By the time I could, it was too late. Not knowing who Wells was was a big mistake. The other guy I didn't know was Waku, AKA the kid from Rays in the jean shorts who was latched onto me tight but wouldn't pull through. So it was up to me alone if I wanted back in this race. Laps 4 was my worst as I was trying to decided what to do with my passenger so I lost a bit too much time. But by lap 5 he finally popped allowing me to step on the gas again and see if I could pull anyone back. At one point in the final lap I caught sight of someone out front but it was too little too late as I settle for 3rd. Hey, it's a start...

The best part of the day was getting to watch my son do his first MTB kids race. Like Dad he ended up 3rd, father like son...

2010-05-23T15:35:00.002-04:00

I've seen a ton of interviews with Nys over the years. The guys over at freecaster caught up with him ... in English. I like the part where they ask him if he had a do over, would he pick the mtb or 'cross?

2010-05-21T09:20:00.006-04:00

Well after my run in with mad dog Murdoch last weekend out on the road I decided that I should make a appearance here. Good to see y'all... Sorry I've been a bit absent but even the Pony needs a break from time to time, with the computer being the least of my priorities these past few months. As for my buddy Mr. T over at the Michscene, don't worry T, I ain't no hater, don't roll like that. I love you too & leave that bunny hopping stuff to me. Sometimes you've gotta try something different, like Sushi instead of steak, even if you don't like fish. Keep it real & I'll see you soon.

Enjoy the clip...

2010-05-18T17:44:00.008-04:00

With all this hub bub about "where's the lil pony?" Mr. T finally busted me out of the loony bin for the afternoon & put me in charge of finding out his where about. Seems there hasn't been any sighting except a rare glimpse of him caught on camera by that Kroske fellow, who's possibly the only person crazier then me.
So why all the questions as to where he's at. Didn't that farm animal say he was ditching the road for the dirt. I'm sure he'll come out of the barn sooner or later, like when we least expect him too. Besides, why can't the Pony simply exist like the reverend does during the off season, people never seem to question where he is... and his results speak for themselves.

Anyways back to the mission at hand. Mr. T dropped me the keys to the van & I finally rolled up on the pony down some dark deserted dirt road while he was on a training ride. Seems he's been shredding the trails on his Top Fuel all over Oakland county. He muttered something about project13. I guess that's in reference to Cyclocross Masters Worlds being in Louisville next year. " Gotta time your jack right! and that takes prep. Doing the same things brings the same results." Now, I know they run the pony's down there in Kentucky and but I'm not sure if he's talking about he Derby cup or what. But come on...

So I asked him about this year and the fool muttered something about seeing you all in June. I'm not sure if that meant the dirt or road. Next thing I know he takes a quick right into the woods & down some pirate trail...poof, he's gone as quickly as I saw him. But off in the distance I hear him singing..."Seems no matter how many fish are in the see, it seems so empty without me...without me"

2010-03-08T14:48:00.004-05:00

It's seems every weekend my rides keep taking me just that little bit further up the road. I remember when I was a kid growing up & I though it was epic just to ride up to locale CVS about 2 miles away. Now my rides can take me on a 100 mile journey. My favorite thing about spring is that search for those extra few hours each weekend as I start building the base back from nothing. There are roads that I only see a dozen or so times a year, typically in the spring. And like a old friend I didn't know how much I missed them till I see them again. These journeys are either partaken solo or with a select few. This weekend I rolled a few miles with friends...Mike, Bill and Robert

2010-03-01T14:02:00.005-05:00

I think cycling is one of the few sports where you know someone as much by the bike they ride then actually who they are. You know how that conversation goes...

Hey joe, do you know the guy who rides that old barracuda single speed? Yea, I don't know his name either but I know who your talking about alright. Say, didn't that squirmy guy crash on last weeks ride?

So, how many times have you been out riding and known who you were following just because of the bike their on. Maybe it was that guy who always trains with his race wheels or the saddle bag that hangs by a thread. Which lead me to thinking, how many other sports are you known more by your equipment choices then by your name?
Alright, maybe some big production sport like NASCAR or something because they have huge numbers on the side & roof of their cars, plus sponsors galore. But I'm talking grassroots. Would you know a skier by the boards & binding they ride. Or would you recognize your running friends by which brand shoes are laying in the hallway? Skateboarding? BMX? You just may, but cyclist I feel are more prone to this place in nature then most others.

Now...if you know not only what kind of mountain bike they ride, but also what type of race & training bike they ride....or perhaps helmet as well, then you just may be a stalker!

So every Saturday for the last few months I've been riding with the WRCS crew, rain, shine or slush. Most guys are riding their winter bikes but we can still recognize each other by our bikes alone and even more so then our faces which are buried by scarfs, hats, goggles and whatever else you need to keep the wind chill down. When I pull up I always take inventory of everyone's bike to see who's there even before I step foot inside to warm up. Most Saturdays I can guess almost every bike right, except for the odd guy here or there that makes that once a winter appearance.

Take a peek into last weeks ride and see if you can guess who's bike is who's?

The Olympic Dream?

2010-02-26T14:10:00.000-05:00

With the Olympics getting ready to end soon it got me thinking once again as to whether the sport of Cyclocross should be in the Olympics? I mean, if done right it could introduce uncountable numbers of people to a sport that they probably didn't know existed. Which brought up the point of how many people outside the cycling community really do know what 'cross is? Well, I doubt many people know what the Nordic Combined is but everyone knows what cross country skiing & ski jumping are, so that's easy to explain. I can't tell you how many people do a doulbe take when I say I race cyclocross...what's that? Then I have to go into this 10 minute conversation about it and often times I think they are more confussed after the conversation then before. They just can't seem to get over the whole jumping off your bike thing. Anyways...

Do we want to share our sport with the IOC who has a propensity for monopolizing anything Olympic? I've heard reports this Olympic year that the IOC ordered Uvex Sports, a sponsor of Lindsey Vonn , not use her name in a congratulatory note on it's website. How is this possible? She not only made huge personal sacrafices, had near constant accidents, but her sponsors have also paid millions of dollars to support her. What gives? Didn't they pay their blood money to the IOC for the media rights...

And how about that Olympic coverage NBC? don't the athlete's deserve better coverage then were getting. I already know most results before I watch at night & the only live coverage we seem to be getting regularly on TV is curling. In this age of cable cord cutting why is all the steaming content locked down. This is supposidly the biggest 2 week sporting event on the planet. which brings me back to 'cross...

So if cyclocross is a Olympic sport are we really going to see it anywhere anyways? Is it going to do our athlete's and sport justice? I doubt we'll even know...

2010-02-23T10:15:00.000-05:00

Well, winter just keeps piling it up even though the calendar is just getting ready to turn another page into March. In like a lion, out like a lamb we hope...The days are getting longer, training plans are being made, race schedules & sponsors finalized, bikes are being sold, out with the old & in with the new. It would be much easier to just sit inside and play Wii with the kids & watch the Olympic coverage or any sporting event then to trudge out into the ice, slush or mud. Depending on the temperatures a + or - 3 degree temperature swing can turn a good dirt road ride into a ungodly quagmire in less then a hour, not to mention figuring into the equation it either being sunny, cloudy or heaven forbid partly sunny!

So, you'd think this last snowstorm (8") would have been some sort of tipping point for me and made me succumb to my mental torture to either give in for another week or two off till it melts away again. Or would I just possibly head down into the lower levels of the house to ride the iron maiden while being blasted with artificial wind from various directions while the cats stare at me and wonder how they can get in on the fun.
But this last blast has had the opposite effect. I find my self wanting to ride outside instead, look up into the steal gray sky and yell " IS THAT ALL YOU GOT BITCH! " So how much longer do you think this winter will last...I simply don't care anymore. Time to ride!

2010-02-17T10:13:00.002-05:00

More then 12,000 spectators are expected to stand in the sandy soil of Oostmalle for the last race on the GVA calendar . If you don't know, Oostamalle is one of the classics on the UCI calander & would make a great addition to anyone's resume. It's also the last ride in the cyclocross season & the last time the supporters get to see their favorite riders for another year.

Currently Nys is leading the GVA and is sure to win barring incident. But the big news is that Erwin Verveckin will be racing his last 'cross of his career and this will surely be a memorable ride for him. After the event there will be a official hanging of the bike ceremony, with a golden bike hook. Erwin was one of the only big time Euro 'cross guys to come the the USA to race and we'll wish him well.

Sunday...Live streaming coverage here... (9am)

Updated link 2/21

2010-02-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

Cyclocross coverage this weekend... Grote Priis de Eecloonaar, no live coverage I can find right now but we will have LIVE coverage of Sunday's SuperPrestige series from Vorselaar...click here. This is the last race of the SuperPrestige series which is tied between Stybar & Albert. It's safe to say the winner takes all...don't miss this one. Albert will be seeking revenge from Stybar who took his rainbow sweater... Elite men fire off at 9am e.s.t.

2010-02-03T10:07:00.001-05:00

Two races on tap this weekend. The GVA Saturday in Lille...

Plus the Super Prestige in Zonhoven on Sunday.

Both will be steaming live on both the BVLS site. or direct from the source. Click here for GVA....and here for Super Prestige

2010-02-02T10:12:00.000-05:00

Must not be much going on in the 'cross world this week so this old story resurfaces once again...

Niels Albert is the Flemish Tiger Woods? Supposedly several girls have reported the story that they are his ex-mistresses, six. Albert doesn' deny the story and says that it happened in a period between two other relationships. One of his girlfriend was even a Nys supporter. If that isn't strange...fast bikes, fast cars, fast women.

With Stybars World title he now says, " My two life goals have been achieved. Winning the World cup and Champion. I think wining the World Cup is more important than the World Title." and now he has his sights firmly set to try and take a third title in the SuperPrestige from Albert who is leading him by 3 points with 2 races left to go. One being this weekend in Zonhoven, Belgium.

Sven Nys also made Flemish news today saying that the Worlds were, " very dramatic" and that he is gradually realizing that his generation is retiring. He went on to say that the Belgium's can't expect to win medals with riders like Albert & Meeusen. Svens podium appearance Sunday with eyes like fireballs was also sorta reminiscent of St Michielsgestel 2000 when Mario De Clercq was second and Nys was third on that day to lucky Richard Groenendaal. Although Nys had no shot at this title.

2010-01-31T22:56:00.003-05:00

With all that's happened in the cyclocross community these past few days I feel like I need another weekend just to recuperate! I was riding Saturday with the Wolverine crew and all everyone could talk about was either the Masters & Elite World Cyclocross Championships coming to the USA in 3 years or who was going to win the up coming 2010 Cyclocross World Championships in Tabor'. I've never heard so many people talk as excitedly about 'cross in my lifetime. For me I think about cyclocross 24/7/365 but these are people who don't even know who Klaas Vantornout is, let alone... also, you how many people came up and asked me if I was planing to race Masters Worlds...um, hell yes !!! so for once I've finally got a 3 year plan. I'm calling it PROJECT13 and training officially began today...

Well it's no secret as most probably already know by now Worlds were won by Zdenek Stybar, the undeniable favorite...and about 30min's into the race he simply got to the front, rode away and dissolved any doubts about who has been the best rider this year.

I wonder how that must have felt to ride those last few laps & know you have it won already? he even got to slap some hands during his last lap...

Alas with one fail swoop from Stybar the Belgium Juggernaut had been derailed for the second time in 3 years. Stybar not only proved that he could handle the hometown pressure but that that he is a deserving champion as well. He'll have a fun filled few days to sit back and enjoy the victory before he gets to wear the new sweater in competition at the GVA in Lille.

Stay tuned because there's more 'cross coming up this weekend. It's not over till they say it's over...

2010-01-29T11:35:00.004-05:00

Well, they did it... Louisville, Kentucky the home of the Derby & Mohamed Ali not only secured the 2013 Elite Cyclocross World Championships, but they stole the whole cart, wheels and all snagging 2012 & 2013 Masters World Championships along the way from Mol, Belgium. I'm impressed that they've done something the East & West Coasst 'cross scenes haven't been able to do ever. It makes me proud to represent the Midwest 'cross scene and excited for the prospect of seeing all my Euro stars racing practically in my backyard. And to think of where the OVCX series was 5 years ago...unbelievable !!!

Now...not to be the bearer of bad things to come but there are going to be a ton of questions before this whole thing takes place in 2-3 years. The most interesting challenge will be to see how the 2012 Masters Worlds races will go. I'm not concerned about the course or time of year but as most of us masters riders know we have a good problem here...too many racers. And with the prospect of lining it up for a WORLD title I'm sure this is going to bring out everyone under the sun.
I think its now time to start setting a limit on the number of racers & start having people qualify to race for a National / World title much like they do now in the USMTB series.

"The top ten finishers in each respective age group and ability category at an AMBC event will qualify to compete at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships."

We could do the same thing and have people qualify for 'cross Nationals with a result in the the USGP & NACT series. It's that easy guys... what's not to get about that. But that would mean a loss of money for promoters which is the reason they want 190 riders in a field. They're looking out for their pocket book, not us racers.

And the way we register for races here is ridiculous as well. Masters Worlds has always been done on a DAY OF ONLY basis & start order is a random draw. Both of these things are unheard of in the US 'cross scene where we have to register months ahead of time & at un-godly hours of the night because start order is always tied to registration.

I can just see it now, some Belgie guy trying to figure out what time to log into Sportsbaseonline in his time zone/ country while figuring out the whole language translation barrier as well. They might as well stay home because by the time they hit " Enter" they'll already be 160 Americans registered in front of him.

With all this aside...I've never been more excited for 'cross in my whole life. And if people aren't excited now they must be dead. This is going to really get 'cross fever burning here in the USA. So put another log on the fire...

2010-01-28T21:11:00.004-05:00

It was brought to my attention a few days ago and by now sources confirm that...Thanks to Universal sports we'll be able to watch a tape delayed streaming broadcast via intraweb at 12 noon Sunday of the 2010 Cyclocross World Championships....Still would be nice if they had it on TV broadcast -vs- intraweb? that may still pop up but under the radar, which is typical for universal38 so I'll keep checking the cable guide hourly till game time

We will be broadcasting the Cyclo-Cross World Championships from Tabor, Czech Republic on-line January 31. The broadcast will be showing the elite men’s and women’s races at 12 noon (ET), while the rest of the races will be offered on demand.

I also found a few new links surfing around this morning besides the normal feed I use (thanks Cameron) so for those like me there will be plenty of options for live coverage of all events, not just the Elites.
One alternate is here... on the Ct4 channel. It looks like they will have the juniors / U23 (5am/8am) on Saturday & the Elite women before the men on Sunday. The rest of their schedule is up here... for you to check out yourself.

Remember that the women will start at 5am (live) and the men at 8am Sunday....ouch! but it will be worth it. I'll also list any other alternative live feeds if these sites don't work. Maybe I'll sleep with the laptop under my pillow...like registration for Nationals!

2010-01-27T07:02:00.001-05:00

Alright, who will wear the rainbow stripes for 2010? obviously the favorites are Stybar, Nys or Albert? But could this be the year of the upset? Can Wellens finish on the podium? or perhaps Verveckin in his last World Championships before he retires.
Which of these three, Klaas Vantornout, Kevin Pauwels or Gerben De Knegt will be rounding out the top 5 positions.

The track in Tabor' reportedly has a half foot of snow on it. The UCI has demanded that crews work night & day with bulldozers to clear a path to make it as snow free as possible. In recent days temperatures have been freezing (-18c) but this weekend they are expected to approach 0' which will make for a holiday on ice.

Here's my top 3 for Worlds...

Albert will be no better than 3rd. I think he proved last weekend wining in Hoogerheide with a broken rib that he's a favorite to take the title but that was last weekend and this is the World Championships where everyone seems to step up to that next level. It is possible for him to win but his potential handicap is the icy weather which he does not like compared to the mud & this won't be a time trial courses where he can use his power. Albert has won a world cup in Tabor' but this will be different.

Stybar the Czech Champion is the overwhelming hometown favorite. He is fresh off his first World Cup overall title and won in January on the same track in Tabor'. Did you know as a youth he grew up playing hockey in the cold and he has been a cyclocross star all his life. For this alone I hope he wins but will the advantage of home with all it's adrenaline be enough or too much. Stybar will podium but come up short again for the third year in a row in 2nd place

Nys is surely the iceman of the bunch and this is not your typical 'cross course either. Nys has had some great results in these conditions. But the question for some still remains as what happened last weekend when the lights went out? Those questions will be answered as reality is that the course is Tabor' seems ideal for his range of skills. This won't be a time trail and...Nys will win Worlds!

2010-01-26T07:00:00.001-05:00

Studded tires banned at Worlds

...the countdown to the World Championships is ticking down & it looks like they're trying to get any advantage possible on the icy track in Tabor. I'm not sure he needs it but ...

Dugast, manufacturer of cross tires, with a view to the World Cup in Tabor developed a completely new tire. The Diabolo, which contains little nails to give grip on the expected ice. Sven Nys has even tested them on the ice of Eindhoven. The results were reportedly phenomenal, but the manufacturer blew the whistle a little too early as the UCI has banned the Diabolo.

I guess he'll just have to stick to his Rhino's...

2010-01-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

Coverage of Hoogerheide is now streaming ..here for some reason the other link is busted today. enjoy

2010-01-22T17:25:00.002-05:00

Well, here we go again ! I think the record is skipping, skipping, skipping...The rumors are hot & heavy everywhere this afternoon and I have no choice but to offer up my take. So here it is , 2013 World Cyclocross Championships to Louisville, KY.

Peter Van Den Abele of the UCI says " The city has a watertight case. The final allocation takes place next week Thursday during a meeting in Tabor UCI calendar. A day later we know the location. But I have little wind beat about, would I still need to defend Louisville with tooth and nail This is a big step in the further internationalization.."

The though of cyclocross in late January has me feeling all tingly & warm on a cold damp gray day here in Michigan. Could the Midwest be the first and only sight in our history to host a World class cyclocross event of this caliber?
Now the question will inevitably fly about whether they can pull off on a bigger scale what others before them could not. Remember the talk of bringing a World Cup to Rhode Island back in 2007. And were talking this is a HUGE step up from a Wold Cup. I hope they can seriously do this...

So there will be undoubtly lot's of other changes as well if this does happen. Like will US Nationals move to their rightful spot in January? and then, will the 'cross season stretch out into the winter months to fill the calendar? I'm sure that thought will have a lot of pro's scratching their heads as for most riders cyclocross is their 2nd sport. Will Louisville have to host a World Cup prior to the Championships?

My opinion is this could change the landscape of 'cross....and for the better. I've always been in favor of extending the season & moving Nationals back. But will this drive the amateurs away? Let's just wait and see how this thing shakes out next week. In the meantime I'm going to be doing my lucky dance...

2010-01-21T13:10:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited for the Cyclocross World Championships in Tabor next weekend I can't wait..bring it on already. I'm working on nailing down a good live stream & you better set the alarm clock early if you want to see all the action becuase I believe the Elite men will start at 8am with the women..gulp @ 5am. Yikes kids!

But we've still got one big event to settle, the World Cup in Hoogerheide. Stybar can settle the debate of who's the best on the World Cup circuit this year with a good result. And this will be Erwin Verveckins last World Cup race of his career as he's set to retire at the end of the year. That is unless he pulls a Brett Favre.

Now, I like to consider myself a historian of the sport as well as a ambassador. I love the rich history of 'cross whether on the domestic side or in the motherland. You can learn a lot about anything if you study it's history.

The last race that was held in Hoogerheide was the World Championships which was won by Lars Boom. Lars was intensely focused to win that Championship but has since put the 'cross bike aside except for a few races to focus on his classic's career & the coming tour de france.
Bear with me here....The race in Hoogerheide is in honor of Dutch star Andrie Van Der Poel who built an impressive career with six classic wins, two Tour stages and the Cyclocross World Championship in 1996. He began his career on the road and in his first season as a professional rider was second place in Paris-Nice and the Flèche Wallonne. But in the later part of his career he fell in love & rode almost exclusively 'cross.

I had thoughts a few years back that Laars Boom may build a career much like that of Van Der Poel. They both have a passion for 'cross and like Van Der Poel, Lars has the allure of the road in front of him right now. So let's not write the Dutch rider off just yet. But time will tell as we will have to wait and see where his career will take him in the end...

2010-01-20T13:30:00.004-05:00

I got to thinking today...How smart is Mario? He was the fastest man in the bunch sprints for years but he was so much more. He really added his flamboyant personality to the sport in more then one way. Remember the great muscle skinsuit he wore in the Giro...that's what I'm talking about.
Cavadish is undoubtedly the greatest sprinter at this current moment in time but the Brit seems to lack the...ladies like Cipollini.

So then I got to thinking about 'cross and I can't come up with one rider that has even a fraction of the over the top flare that cipo had. The 'cross guys don't even talk trash to each other. I think 'cross needs to take a lesson from this here.....now these guys know how to throw a F****n bike race.That's what I'm talking about...

2010-01-18T08:50:00.002-05:00

Great race in Roubaix this weekend. You can watch full coverage on youtube part 1 & 2 here...

Well, many people had their doubts about Bart Wellens this season after his virus and those doubts were still there going into Roubaix. But Bart didn't disappoint me along with my favorite rider, Erwin Verveckin a previous winner in Roubaix 3 times. I felt like I was watching some old 'cross dvd's with both of them up at the front fighting for position like I have seen for many years. The old men of 'cross taking it once again to the others, minus Stybar who seemed to be floating over the mud. Coach of the Belgium team Rudy De Bie has a tough decision ahead this week for his Worlds selection. Will he take Bart & Erwin who look like the more obvious choice for the Worlds team in Tabor after their performance.

What happened to Sven VanThourenhout? was the course just too heavy for him or is his form starting to fade along with his ticket to Tabor. Surely Dieter VanThourenhout will not make the team although he was satisfied with 13th place behind Sven.
The only sure bet at this point is Sven Nys & Niels Albert who took it easy in Roubaix.We'll wait and see....

Next up Grote Prijs Adrie Van Der Poel Hoogerheide

2010-01-15T15:00:00.000-05:00

This weekend we should see a few Americans make the trip back to European soil for Roubaix 'cross ahead of the World Championships in 2 weeks.I'm not so sure who from the mens side will be there but I know...

Katie Compton will be looking to keep hold of that white UCI leaders jersey ahead of next weekends finale World Cup race in Hoogerheide. She's going to have her hands full though with the Dutch duo of Vos & VanDenBrand working together, but against her. I hear that Katie is just coming off being sick so I wouldn't expect her to be on peak form for another couple weeks though.

The mens race is shaping up to be a exciting affair. The Belgium men are fighting tooth and nail to have a good performance ahead of their worlds team seletion. Will Wellens be left out? we'll wait and see.
The real race will be to see if Albert can race. He will be making the trip to Roubaix but it is still a game time decision as he is recovering from a fall last week. He needs to race to maintain his World Cup lead to Stybar. Should be a exciting weekend.

The race should be covered LIVE here....if I find a alternative/additional feed I'll add it later on. The Elite men are scheduled to start at 9am(et) with coverage starting up to 30minutes ahead of time.No womens coverage as of now.

2010-01-14T09:48:00.003-05:00

I've been noticing a eerie trend lately in 'cross that has me a bit baffled...shoe covers? So is there really a aerodynamic advantage here or do you think its just a matter of comfort & warmth? Could they just be trying to keep the mud/snow off their shoes.Is it a fashion statement...

I can say that I've done quite a few 'cross rides with my booties on when the weather dips below 35 but they always seem to get in the way when I have to get off the bike. Traction is limited when on foot and re-entry can be difficult at best if snow or mud starts to pack the opening.

So why is it that I'm noticing them more & more on racers feet at the World Cup level as they partake in the booty?

2010-01-11T13:46:00.009-05:00

Sven Nys borrowed my salute this weekend on his way to another Belguim National title. The big controversy is a Nys supporter pulled Albert off his bike? you make the call here... I guess the spectator was so drunk he fell into the course. It didn't matter anyways because Albert was already so far back at that point. Nys rode a brilliant race & if he's half as good come Worlds it'll be no contest.

Check out some clips of other National Championships.

Belgium here...
Netherlands clip here...
Switzerland here...

I'm bummed that Boom won the dutch title. I'd like to have seen it go to Gerben Deknegt instead since the guy actually races all the 'cross events in Eourope.
Lukas Flückiger (Trek) also put it down in the Switzerland race. Watch out for him in the 2010 World Cup MTB season.

2010-01-08T22:26:00.001-05:00

Winter version of motorpacing

2010-01-06T13:43:00.005-05:00

We'll, not much really going on this time of year. Always seems like there's just enough snow to mess up the roads/trails but not enough to get out the skate skis instead of the bike. I think if we get the 2-3" dump they're calling for tonight it will make the trails skiable. The bigger story right now across the country is the cold temperatures. Doesn't really matter to me how much I ride this winter anyways, 'cross doesn't start until September and that gives me plenty of time to ride when the days are warmer & longer. For the first time in quite a few years I've been hitting the gym 3 days a week. How my trainer manages to destroy me without even lifting a weight is amazing. I've also been working on my left hip since I took that fall at the Thursday night Waterford training series back in June. Messed up is a understatement. It's a wonder I was walking let along riding, so maybe I can get some power back soon.

This weekends big show in 'cross is the Belgium Nationals along with every other nation besides the USA / Canada. The Belgians start list is more like a World Championship then a national race Nys, Albert & Pauwles have undoubtedly the best form coming in but then you have guys like Wellens, Verveckin, Peeters & Meeusen who could surprise. Not to mention about 10 other guys that would easily win Nationals in any other country besides Belgium. The race should be covered live Sunday morning on Sporza. I'll have a link posted in the streaming section.

I've also been working on finding a new 'cross bike for next year since I've sold my bikes. I kinda feel like a kid in a candy store again with all the bikes available out there. I remember 10 years ago there wasn't much selection. I actually rode a Bianchi steel when I first started. Now every small & large company makes a aluminum or carbon bike, most under 1.2 kilos. I just wish Trek would get on board and design the 'cross version of the Madone' I so desperately want them to build. I guess that still leaves me with way more options then we had back in the day. Its good to have choices, the only problem is narrowing it down.

I wonder how many miles Herriman is gonna ride this year ??

2010-01-02T22:13:00.002-05:00

03/01 Fidea Cyclocross Tervuren

Video highlights from 2009

-Live race coverage Sunday will begin at 9 am at CH.3 or Ch.5

-coverage usually starts up to 30 minutes before the Elite men start

2009-12-28T12:48:00.003-05:00

As 2009 is nearing an end and 2k10 is on the horizon I'd like to wish everyone a happy holidays! I'd also like to thank each & everyone for coming and visiting this past season, because what would a blog be without readers? and don't worry. Just because it's winter don't think I'll forget about you, I haven't. So stay tuned as 2k10 promises some new and exciting things...

For Sale

2009-12-15T09:22:00.004-05:00

Obviously it's that time of year to start unloading some goodies...This was my "B" bike for 2 seasons so it saw more pit time then course riding.

(Medium 545mm T.T.) Giant TCX framset
Frame: ALUXX SL- Aluminum
Fork: Carbon with allow steerer, overdrive 1/8 to 1 1/4" headset
Seat collar has integrated brake hanger

$350 if your interested. Just leave me a comment with your email & I'll get back to you

2009-12-10T13:46:00.004-05:00

Yeah it's official. I'm in the first stages of withdraw, denial that the cyclocross season is actually over for me. The truth is I can't remember a season where I had as much fun racing then this year. I may not have won the most races that I have in season's past but that just goes to show you that wining isn't everything. I have to credit my new team with keeping my interest sparked all season long. It was fun to teach the guys much of what has taken me 13 years to accomplish and see how excited they got when they had a great result.

So, this will be the first year that I'm intentionally missing CX Nationals since my first trip to Kansas in 2000. I really wish I could have headed up to Bend for Nationals but the cost outweighed the result. Luck would have it that the course looks right now to be snowy and icy, my kinda stuff. I'm missing not going so much that I can hardly contain myself by not checking out the cycling sites hourly for updates on what's happening out there. (oh, I'm back) I'm already thinking that next season I'll be back to Nationals no matter what the job situation is because it's just too painful to watch. I guess this is why when people retire from sports that they don't go watch. I just hope one of the Michigan boys or girls brings home a jersey for me to stare at all season for motivation, or I could just stare at the one in my closet instead! I've got to give a big THANK YOU to CXmagazine who has posted up a video lap of the course. They are doing a great job updating what is happening with full results from all classes, even with photo's. I can tell you in years past it was like the search for Chin to try and find results even weeks after the event took place. Thanks Andrew and the gang...

Reality check...So it's time to put off the inevitable which is getting to all those house project's that I've had on the back burner for the last 4 months. I'm sure in between projects I'll try to find time to fit in a few mtb rides and even get out the CC ski boards if the snow stays around. Also on tap for winter is figuring out what brand of cyclocross bike I want to ride next season? I guess that's going to keep my cyclocross juices running till spring...

2009-12-07T12:46:00.006-05:00

Wow, I can finally take a breath...Phew! This morning my lungs are still feeling the effects of the race by spewing chunks of brown crud from my bronchitic lungs. Since I took the whole week off prior to States I laid down a good game plan, the 5 & 1/2 rule. I've had bronchitis enough to know I had 30 good minutes at 100% in me but not much more so the plan was to race 30 minutes and if I'm not top 5 to pull the plug. Lucky for me the course was fast and slick, which suited me fine...and there was a Championship on the line. I've got my name on that trophy 4 times and I'd like to put it on there again.

The start was pretty fast and a bit of a selection was made coming out of the off camber section. The next thing you know I'm on the front & were in a group of 3 for the first part of the race, Wissink, Sarri and I. The first few laps we played around a bit and a few guys stayed close. I think Burke hit the ground a few times behind us after getting close more then once. About 25 minutes after trading pulls with Mike, we attacked each other through the woods. Next thing I know Tim and Mike detached me in the road section into the wind. Burke put in a few good laps chasing behind me and bridged the gap up. Once he was there he blew by me as we went under 3 to go. I caught him a few turns later before the off camber, then he crashed in front of me and I opened it up on him again. I fought hard the next 2 laps holding a small gap until he bridged it back near the finish where we battled & fought to stay in front of each other up & over the flyover. Then he passed, then I made another move and got through the last turn first by a few bike lengths. I railed the last corner and he hit the deck to give me 3rd place by myself.

I guess I can call the weekend and season for that matter a success of sorts. I'm still wondering this morning what would have happened if I wouldn't have been sick this weekend. But that's something we'll never know... Congratulations go out to Mike Wissink for wining another State title and the first undefeated season since I did that back in 2000. That put's him in some rare company in the state rankings with multiple State titles.

I'd like to go on record & say we may only have 11 guys lining it up on the weekend in Elites but you can take any one of those guys & they could hold their own in any region of the county. That speaks volumes to the talent that we have in this most underrated state. Also a big thanks to Robert and his crew for 13 years of cyclocross...

2009-12-05T12:41:00.002-05:00

In honor of this weekends World Cup race in Spain, plus the State Championships at Springfield Oaks were going to take a look inside the mind of a young champion to find out just what it takes to rise to the top...

2009-11-27T10:01:00.004-05:00

Just giving thanks & rolling with a few friends Thanksgiving day...

2009-11-22T22:12:00.006-05:00

Well, I'd like to think that luck and some momentum are going to come my way sooner or later but I'm starting to think that I played my best hand & form in Ohio in early October. Since then it's been a bit of a rough road at times both physically & mentally. I can say I've had some good moments since then but they only seem to only come for a lap or two before I sort of self destruct for a lap or two. Then I seem to come to my senses and start to wonder just what I'm doing out there. Then I have to try and salvage a race out of it. Bloomer typifies just how my season has been going...

First off I have to say, one of the best course of the year so far! Maybe a few changes here or there but overall, much better then some other venue's we've race this year.
I had a good start, great first few laps & even felt a bit like my old self there for a moment or two. Then I lost my way, had a mechanical (derailleur cable) when my bike wouldn't shift anymore. Took a bike, lost all motivation for a lap or two, then had to salvage the last 3 laps fighting with Mark Parmale wining the sprint for 3rd.

Well, with no races next weekend here in Michigan maybe a break of sorts is just what I need before going into the State Championships. You have two theories going into a big race, and trust me this isn't my first rodeo. If your feeling burned out a bit, take the weekend off, recharge the batteries. At this point if you don't have it, you never will. It's best to be rested then discharged. As for luck, well that's another story...

Hipsters discussing cyclocross

2009-11-17T14:25:00.001-05:00

2009-11-16T13:02:00.004-05:00

Some days you wake up and you instantly know you have good legs. Obviously Sunday I had stepped off the wrong side of the bed, but what did I really expect? I wasn't about to waste a beautiful Saturday by not getting in some good training so I latched onto Mike Simonson & Herriman for a nice little 60 mile, 3 1/2 hour+ mtb ride up in some of Northern Oakland Counties death rollers. It was good training and Mike showed me a few new places to ride that I've never seen or been too before but good race prep, not. One thing is I'll be using those roads this winter...

So Stony creek went about as well as I expected considering the day before. On my warm up I new that I had left a lot of power out on the roads the day before and decided that only 2 practice laps was all I wanted or needed. Also, the course was more power then finesse, and with only 8 guys lining it up that spelled trouble.

Off the start Mike, Tim and Cory Stange got a good gap after the sand sector. I really wanted to ride with someone today so after the second lap I waited up a bit for my teammate Jay. Once he latched on I was content to try and drag him up to 3rd place, which was Cory. But unfortunately Jay took a digger and I had to leave him to learn from his mistake. I put in a few solid laps after that & ended up catching Cory with 3 to go and finished 3rd which is about where I expected, or had hoped for.

So with Bloomer coming up this weekend and States still 3 weeks away were nearing the end of the season which can't come quick enough this year. I also want to make a shout out to Andy Brown for stepping up to Elites this weekend. Finally someone willing to step up and learn a craft from some veterans (literally) . Hey guys, your not going to get any faster racing single speeds or staying in the "B's". Take your licks for a few years like Wissink did, step up to the alter of pain, dip your hand into the holy water and someday you too could be the chosen one...

2009-11-09T12:32:00.004-05:00

The Iceman has grown over the past 20 years. I can still remember my first Iceman, 6 inches of snow and bone chilling cold. But in between all those years, I skipped a few here and there, it has grown to be something bigger then results or simply any one person. Sitting around the finish line everyone has a story to tell of the days race. How they got held up by a slower rider or crashed in a sand trap. But beyond that It's a celebration of cycling that can be enjoyed by the young & old, veterans and first timers along with the fast & slow. Trust me, results do matter to the select few but of the 4,000 some riders its just about being out riding your bike and getting to the party in one piece. This years weather was picture perfect and the Iceman was a no show but that just made the party at the finish that much more enjoyable. If you didn't attend this year, you can now crawl out from under that rock you've been hiding under. And for those of you that didn't have fun this year, you never will.

My race. Well, that was far from picture perfect like the weather but in the end it all balanced out & I luckily came away with my 2nd Iceman victory (40+ single speed) with a hard fought race against legendary competitor & great friend Danny Klein. I think the last time Danny and I race against each other on the mountain bike side of things was back in the early 90's. He'll tell you that I always just rode away but don't believe him. The guys a legend in Michigan and a class act on both the MTB and Road.

In hindsight the race played out perfect for me and in the last mile it came down to positioning. Truth be told, it could have came down to either of us wining. I just got luckier at the end of the race with the slower riders in front instead of at the beggining. 4 miles in I was following Danny & I got gapped trying to get around to pass slower riders. Danny ended up riding away as I waited up to 2 minutes for some ladies to let me pass them in some singletrack. For the next 20 miles I get to ride my own pace, up,down and over the flat road sections but always wonder if I'll see him again? 6 miles to go I spot Danny up ahead in a open field climb and make the catch a mile later. Did he under estimate the Pony?

The last 3 miles Danny attacks every climb with ferocious speed and skill(kinda like a Tuesday night ride.) I get stuck behind rider after rider on the climbs and even have to run 3 of them in the last 2 miles after coming to a stop. I decided at 1 mile to go that I needed to lead into the last section at Timber Ridge since I didn't have a chance to pre-ride the finish. I jump ahead and sprint out of every corner like its the last. At one point near the finish we hit some more riders and I use them this time instead of being used and squeezed between them opening a gap to the finish. Game over and victory...

The rest of the day for me was hanging out with my Wolverine teammates, telling stories of the days battles and cheering on the Pro's at Williamsburg road & the finish line. After the Official awards ceremony it was no beer or party bus for me but back home for some much needed rest. I still have training to do along with some business to conduct come December 6th and there will be plenty of time for partying come winter...

2009-11-02T12:31:00.002-05:00

vets park cx elite men start from jay moncel on Vimeo.

Ann Arbor is always a turning point of sorts for my season. We're just over the mid season point by one race and it's 5 weeks until the State Championship, which is still a long way to go with a road full of potholes which lies ahead. The trick from here on out is to get down that road without hitting one along the way. As some of you may or may not know, most years I'm sick by now but with my off season surgery I'm feeling better then ever at this point. One pothole avoided so far.
My results have been about what I expected so far this season with two good wins in Ohio. I've also accomplished another mid season goal which was 3 out of 4 USGP podiums. Inside the state it's been a bit disappointing with a rash of 3rd and 4th place finishes. Not what I really want but I'm finding it hard to be motivated to race locally when only 9 guys line it up.

The attrition rate on the state level for cyclocross is disappointing. Guys can't decided where they want to race & are moving up and down out of the Elite race each week. I figure by the end of the season there will only be 5 guys starting in the Elites. Somehow we need to get more people to move up to Elites but who wants to get their head kicked in for 60minutes by guys like Mike, Tim & Burke.

And for all you guys that though Ann Arbor was muddy. You've gotta be kidding! We've haven't seen muddy conditions at a cross race here in Michigan in a long time. Probably Bloomer way back when and even that doesn't measure up to some races I've been in out of state. I just hope we can produce some mud for one race this season, the State Championships because Springfield Oaks could be a great course if so.

Next up is Iceman and hopefully some good training in the next few weeks. See ya'll in Kalkaska...

2009-10-25T22:50:00.004-04:00

3rd again...I had a better battle on my hands today though, staying at the front of the race for a couple laps. But once again, I just didn't have the power & got popped off losing a small bit of time. Then I ended up riding ~20 seconds behind Ali and Mike the whole race & ahead of 4th ironically by ~20seconds. I knew if I kept the gap close I might be able to catch them towards the end if they started messing around.

The course was almost 90% the same from yesterday except a touch drier. Matt & I couldn't decide whether to describe the ground as either riding on play-doh or a memory foam mattress? Either way, it was once again a power course with very few technical sections to master.

Mike ended up staying with, and then attacking Ali with a 1/2lap to go. Then Ali started fading bad. I came to find out later he was bonking but when I railed past the pits I heard guys yelling that Ali was in trouble up ahead. I punched it & smelt blood in the water trying to close it up. I ran up that damn flyover as fast as I could. Then I saw Ali up ahead, I punched it again into a tricky 180, then across the deep play-doh mud & onto the finishing stretch. Head down & flat out I came up about a bike length short...a half second more and I would've been 2nd.

That is why no matter what spot your in you keep racing, because you never know what can happen if the guys up ahead make a mistake or have a mishap. remember that lesson kids...

Overall, I had a great weekend along with my fellow Wolverines & Michiganders. I won some great prizes from USGP sponsors Stanley, Bobs Red Mill, SRAM, Cliff bar, Schlamm, Action Wipes & Selle Italia. I also should be sitting in a solid 3rd place overall in the 2010 USGP Elite Masters 35+ standings which I'd like to hold onto till after New Jersey. One thing I'm looking forward to these next few weeks is it will be nice to have a couple weekends in a row at home to actually start training instead of just racing and recovering during the week...I need to find more coal to shove into the engine before New Jersey.

2009-10-24T07:54:00.000-04:00

Kentucky continues to be good to me. Except for the ground that felt like riding on a mattress...the course was a good mix of straights, turns and just technical enough to keep the roadie's honest. The mud we did encounter out on the pitch was like oatmeal, sticky and not so sweet but rideable with some effort.

It was once again Ali G. taking the hole shot and was never seen again, literally schooling some the countries best master racers. Mike Wissink was best of the rest with me taking the finale podium spot in 3rd. The race was nothing tactical at all but a mere time trial as riders were blown apart seperated by 5-10 seconds all over the course. I don't think I've seen a race where riders looked so deep in the pain cave the entire time.

My only problem all day was when I crashed with 3 laps to go giving the 4th place rider Richard Feldman blood in the water. Staying mentally focused to stay on the podium I fixed my brake and lever I was off, not daring to look behind.

So, with a few course changes for today we'll see how day 2 plays out again...

2009-10-20T15:28:00.004-04:00

i Finally got my extended maiden voyage today on the 2010 Top Fuel. When you combine the new sram XX 10 speed kit, which shifts increadibly smooth with the new Fox f32 front and rear shock you almost have to hold on for dear life this thing is so fast downhill.
I definatly have to still tweak a few tidbits here and there, like setting it up tubeless & ditching the riser bars. At sub 21lbs..." I make this look good."

I already can't wait for next MTB season so I can roll all over those 29'ers out there...

2009-10-18T22:14:00.004-04:00

Well, I think I may have finally slept that race off my mind. I usually try to keep a positive outlook no matter the outcome but I saw a couple of things I really didn't like...

For starters the course ! Being know as the "mudder" I rely on my skills more then my sheer watts. Don't get me wrong, 'cross is about power especially coming out of the corners but in that instant it's more about acceleration back to speed. So the long stretches of pavement and grass are not my forte'. The course today was something more for the other guys I was racing against. Too much pavement and straightaways.

The one positive is I got a good start like I wanted and after the first lap we had a good group going with Wissink & Sarri. With a around 5 laps to go I put a big attack in up the pavement that Mike closed down by the end of the pavement, with Tim sitting on. But when they caught me I sat up a bit and they rode through me. I tried recovering but I gaped myself off near the sand pit. By the time I had recovered enough Mike & Tim were about 5 seconds up on me. Then I noticed Tim look back before he sort of sat up and let Mike ride away. Strange I though, but I had made contact a lap later so I thought that Tim would want to try to bridge back up. But at that point I think Tim was content to not work & wanted to race for 2nd instead of going for the win...just my take of course but we were still close enough that if we worked together we could have still bridged up to 1st. So with 3 to go it was basically over and I kinda gave in mentally.

Tim ended up attacking at least 3 times in those last few laps. And when I asked him why he didn't use that energy to stay with Mike he said, "were not tag teaming you." That I tough was strange in and of itself. I never mention anything about that? I guess in the end it didn't matter as I ended up messing up the finale sprint and took 3rd.

lower huron 09 from Vimeo.

I'll just be happily looking forward to this weekends USGP where tactic's usually don't come into play much & the strongest rider wins. I'll also be doing my rain dance all week, maybe we can have some mud again. See y'all in Kentucky...

2009-10-12T10:49:00.006-04:00

Day3 Harbin park...
Almost a repeat podium of the previous days races expect we flipped a few spots around and added another Michigan veteran, Tim Sarri. So it was Mike Wissink 1st, Tim 2nd and I was 3rd.

Mike escaped with 2 1/2 laps to go as my legs decided that 3days of racing was about 1 day too many. The three of us, Mike, Tim and I had already dropped Mark Legg-Compton a lap earlier who's leg's obviously had had enough as well. Looking around the course there was carnage everywhere and guys were looking like they'd probably rather be home watching football. Going into 3 to go I pulled aside to let Tim Bridge back up to Mike who was only a few meters ahead but I think Tim decided that he was going to let Mike ride away instead of trying to close. So, by the time I found some recovery it was too late and the gap a little too big at this point in the weekend. Mike ended up riding strong and finished ahead of us a few laps later while I fought it out & lead the sprint out for 2nd but came up about just short for 3rd instead.

So with a all Michigan masters 35+ podium I think we proved that Michigan cyclocross is stronger then ever. And when you figure in the likes of all the other Michigan riders like Ann Swartz, Tom Burk (top 10 on Sunday) and all the rest of the crew that made the trip down. Michigan 'cross just keeps coming at ya...

2009-10-10T20:05:00.007-04:00

Day 2 OVCX...Java Johnnies was held under much better course conditions. The previous days rains didn't quite have the same effect today as the course was tacky and got faster. So, with one win under my belt this weekend I was feeling great and in a nice happy place mentally. Time to roll the dice one more day...

From my second row start I charged off the line but was stuck in traffic 5-6 riders back into the first cornor. A few moments later, through the sand pit I charged into the lead taking Mark Legg with me. By the mid point of lap 2 Mike Wissink made contact as we railed around the course. A few laps later Mark caught a stake behind me in a muddy downhill and went down almost taking Mike out. Mike quickly bridged back and we were both off in search of the victory. We traded pulls here and there but it was obvous that this was going to come down to the last lap...

With one to go I tried to go just after the uphill pavment just over 1k out, but Mike stayed strong leading me into the sand pit. He chose the left and I took the right side which turned out to be faster and had me coming out ahead of him. 180 degree's around the cornor and back into the lead across the other side of the sand pit. With a bit less then 1k to go it was through some turns and down onto the pavement where I lead it out and stayed ahead by a few bike lenghts...Truthfully it could have gone to either of us but the first person onto the pavment was probably going to win & they had the destinct advantage. I've been on the recieving end of that much too much these past few years. One great thing about this weekend so far is people are talking about the Michigan Scene, and people are taking notice.

so far, 2 for 2 and another day to go. Jay finished 14th & Matt took 32'ish. Harbin Park is maybe not my style of course but we're going to leave it all on the table....

2009-10-09T22:15:00.003-04:00

OVCX series race number one kicked off like I wanted...with a hard fought win on a very technical & muddy track.

The weather gods must have shined down on me as the torrential rains from last night and earlier in the day turned the golf course into more of tractor pull. I'm only hoping for more rain overnight!

The row 2 starting spot was ideal to keep me in check but I quickly took over into the second muddy off camber. In a mud race it's important to ride partly your race, partly what the course gives you & the rest is up to the competetion. I wanted too and kept the lead the entire race with Mike Wissink in tow but losing time to me in the mud, but coming back to me as usual on the pavement. The yo-yoing in the end took it's tool with 2 to go and with a bit of lap traffic in there as well the tow chain finally broke. Never less it was 6 laps and bike changes every time I could. My pit team of Baroli and Moncel was top notch and probably the deciding factor.

So, If they say your only as good as your last race then I have one night to enjoy it and it's back to racing tomorrow (sat.) up in Middletown. Let it rain...

2009-10-05T09:15:00.004-04:00

Lights out in Monroe....that's about all I can say about my 4th place performance Saturday Nite.

Driving to the venue I was asking myself if I wasn't going to do my first night 'cross race what would I typically be doing...how about sleeping!
I guess there is something to this whole biorhythm clock thing because I just felt like I could never get'r out of first gear. I could throw out about a million more excuses out there but that would be a waste of everyone's time.
Sometimes it's good to go back and look at a race to find out exactly what went right or wrong. And sometimes it's just better to move forward...

So next weekend my teammates and I are heading down to race the Ohio UCI3 day. It should be a stacked field all across the board with some serious poachers in the masters class's. I wish I had registered for the Elite's instead, even though I would get my head kicked in there too. This will be my first year in 10 years that I haven't done a UCI Elite race...I'm starting to feel my age although I guess the years not done yet though!

One a seperate note, I just heard Todd Well's is going to be racing his first Iceman this year. I'm a huge Todd fan & hope for the best for him. Gee, I wonder if he's going to bring Meg and Winston???

2009-10-02T12:47:00.003-04:00

Who can argue with that? I love my single speed. In fact, that's the only mountain bike I've owned now for 5 years. I didn't intend for it to be that way, it just happened that all my stuff was old & worn out. So for about $100 bucks I bought a used set of wheels with a ENO hub. Tore all the shifters off the bike and started rolling one gear...

Now I'm thinking of taking the single speed concept to the next level....BELT DRIVE !!! I'm not so sure the PLUGGER would agree with me...

2009-09-30T15:08:00.004-04:00

USGP was great.
Trek factory tour was mind blowing..
Meeting Erwin Verveckin, Priceless...

2009-09-28T09:50:00.009-04:00

I will say one thing about this weekend, I had the funnest weekend I've ever had at a USGP.

Friday we took a killer tour of the TREK world headquarters courtesy of Jay Moncel. I'm still having dreams of everything I saw. Like a prototype belt drive single speed full suspension bike, 15lb. retro hard tail belt drive mtb with internal 8 speed, the carbon layup room was amazing. Road and mtb frames hanging everywhere looked like candy hanging from hooks. Complete overload for anyone that loves bikes. The lobby was filled with every bike that Lance has ridden to a tour win along with the frame he cracked in the Alpe stage. There were even Alberto's bikes as well. Origional gary fisher bike he rode that started the mtb craze. Amazing is all I can come up with and I'm indented to Jay for sharing that with us . I'll post some lobby photo's later today/tomorrow when I can decompress from this weekend...

Day 1 USGP Masters 35+ race. Great weather all weekend long. I got the hole shot like you've never seen. I was fighting for 2nd with Mike all day long and lost by a bike length at the end. Ali lost us on/about lap 2 and rode a incredible race but was still within striking distance if he made a mistake. My head was actually in the game for once this year. Felt great...

Day 2 I was fighting once again but this time for 3rd all day and once again a small mistake opened the gap up going into the last lap. I just couldn't get there but I fought harder then I have in a long time. That little mistake sealed the deal but I just missed third and got 4th.

If you'd have asked me before the weekend if I'd take 3rd & 4th I'd have said thank you!
But two close finishes have me only guessing what could have been. I've got a few things to iron out but Louisville is a whole month away & I'm sure the form is only going to improve from here on into November.

The video is on lap 2. That's actually how we ended up placing 1,2,3

USGP1 day 1 from jay moncel on Vimeo.

2009-09-20T20:15:00.004-04:00

Day 2 @ Waterford was a bit of a disaster of sorts. I had the start I wanted but made a big mistake at the wrong time that cost me. At the end 4th was the best I could come up with. Mistake aside the fitness is only going to get better with all the racing that will be coming up in the next 4 weeks which will be 10 races. So not much time for training but plenty of time for rest & recovery between weekends...

I think I might have taken myself out in he first lap. I tucked in down the opening stretch behind Tom Burke for a bit & decided that I might be able to use him as a block. Bad idea...I shredded the lead for the first whole lap gapping everyone else & giving Wissink and me a small gap.
When we hit the sand pit on lap 2 I decided to ride it and got messed up bogging down. Mike saw the opportunity runing it instead and never looked back gaping me off. I think if I hadn't lead that first whole lap I would have had the strength to bridge back on but instead it was chase, chase & chase some more while trying to recover.

On my 5th lap I clipped a stake with my left pedal in a turn knocking something loose on my bike going down. So I pitted and got a fresh bike. I dropped back to 7th place by that point but was able to chase back into 4th place. I think if I had another lap left I probably would've had a shot of catching back to 2nd & 3rd.

Lesson learned once again. I'll move onto next weekends USGP in Madison knowing that I've been racing my main competition this weekend. I'm guessing next week will be a little more tactical then this weekend with a few more top riders expected to show & that may play into my hands a bit more. We'll see...

2009-09-19T19:30:00.004-04:00

With the pre-season jitters out of my blood system the 2009 cyclocross season is now officially in business. I didn't exactly end the race on a high note but I did give it almost everything I had except I maybe pulled my move just about 500 meters too soon. The Belgium's always say Americans are too nice in the corners but even they would have been proud of the way I held my line out of the last set of barriers. I'll just say I'm still not too old to learn from my mistakes and I have a new game plan for tomorrow instead of the one I had today. 2nd place in my first race of the year is a good result & something to build on going into Sunday's race and points going forward...

The start I got was horrific and I was stuck behind a lot of riders for the first lap before Wissink and I hooked up & separated from the field. Wissink took the finale sprint by a few lengths in the end but we rode pretty much wheel to wheel the entire time minus a bobble here or there. Should be fun tomorrow to see who does what from the crew that race behind us all day. I'm also guessing we may see a few set's of fresh legs as well...

The rest of my Wolverine Crew did a awesome job. We won the "B" race, took 2nd,3rd &10th in M35+, 3rd Elite Women. The guys looked fit from all those Wednesday night training sessions Matt has been putting on. Coming soon - Check the MYC/WSC blog for pictures...

2009-09-13T19:56:00.004-04:00

Well the official last weekend of freedom from racing the bike was here & gone. Next weekend starts the March toward redemption of sorts for me. I've got a little different attitude toward racing these days so I've set my sights a little lower on the scale with other objectives in mind this season. Time will only tell if this new approach pays dividends mentally and physically? And if this weekends KISS cross race and Waterford clinic/training race are any indication, 'cross is on a upward trajectory in this state/country and guys are taking this sport seriously now...

The report I got from the Cannonsburg night race sounds like it was a huge success with about 30 riders in the "A's". I understand Derek Graham took the win rather then Tom Burke as someone reported. I hope he makes it over to Waterford next weekend so we can see how the west side stacks up again the reigning USGP Masters Champion Wissink! Word on the course was short & sweet with nowhere to recover/hide & lot's of long shadows playing tricks on everyone's eyes. I guess the dew started to make things tricky as the night wore on and kept everyone honest. All other fields were huge and I heard that Saturdays race saw a big drop off in attendance but was still a great success.

Waterford raceway also hosted some 'cross on Saturday. The FRCC/Tailwind clinic/training races reported seeing record numbers take to the fields to test their courage over the "Flying Rhino'ver" (sorry but I'm not calling that thing the orange crush) I'm guessing that thing is going to scare a few people being it's so steep.
The training race was won by no surprise,USGP Masters Champion Michael Wissink with FRCC's Matt Ashley 2nd. Reports say the racing was tight for a few laps or so before Mike decided to give a bit more throttle dropping the rest to solo in 40 minutes later.

So with season opener of sorts officially in the books, next weekend will be the first big test for the east side to show their stuff. See you Sunday...

Because it's there

2009-09-08T10:10:00.011-04:00

Those famous words were spoken by British climber George Mallory in 1924 when he was asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest and it's been my mantra this past road season...that is until now.

Yesterdays DeBaets-DeVos criterium was my last official road event for what could be quite a long time, possibly ever. I don't know if I can or want to call it retirement or not? and I'm not going to pull a Brett Favre next season either. Trust me, you won't see me out there diving into corners next year except on a group ride for fun. Somewhere along the way I've lost the passion for the road over the last few years so this is not some brash decision that I decided based on one bad incident, result or anything like that. Just time to move on to a new adventure in cycling instead and more time with the kids & family... and yes, I'll still be racing 'cross.

So how did the last race go...un-eventful as usual. I kept it in the top half of the field all day, took a few chances in breaks that did not stay away and finished with a sprint just short of the money...So will I miss it? A piece of me will and the rest won't. But I won't be showing up anymore just because it's there...

2009-08-31T21:55:00.008-04:00

The XC @ Stoney Creek went pretty well. I took my first official "W" for the the year. It's kinda nice getting that 50,000 pound gorilla off my back before 'cross season begins even if it was just Elite/Expert single speed. I hope I can grab a few more in the coming months' ahead...

I also had a little run in with another rider out there yesterday which didn't leave me too happy. Someone asked me to blog about it and all I really want to say about the incident is, I didn't go to Stoney to mess up anyone's series standings & it doesn't really matter to me if there were only 2 guys or 80, it's a bike race. Anyways, end of story and I'll let that one go at that...

The first lap was really fast, just 30:07 which was not far off (15sec) the Elite XC winners first lap. Not bad considering that was minus gears & I was riding a rigid 26"bike at race pace for the 1st time in over 2 years. The course was in great condition and probably the least hilly that Robert could have set up out there for a single-speed. Only one little stair stepped crusher about a mile or so from the end of the lap which I used to attack and get away on lap one. The "destroyer" Iceman gear got another axe mark & didn't fail me once again. The game plan was simple, to use my road fitness to crush it on the flats and hills but use the single track to settle into a nice rhythm. I'll say it took me a couple laps to figure out just what race pace is in mountain biking once again. If not for all the beginners and sport riders that I had to try and pass out there, I could have ran consistent 30min laps all day. The only blemish on the day was when I dropped my chain on lap 3.

Next weekend I'm going to race Debaets-Devos then it's time to try and get ready for 'cross. And I'll also be counting down the days till get my new mountain bike! I can't wait & if it's here in time you just may see me lining it up with the BIGGIES at IceMan instead of the 1 gear guys...

2009-08-31T08:37:00.000-04:00

I'll be loading up the Stoney report later today. Heading to the zoo for one last trip this summer

Brake Chatter...

2009-08-27T15:40:00.003-04:00

Break out the long sleeve skin suits kiddies, I'm smelling cinnamon donuts and apple cider in the air already on my locale rides. And last weekend at the Milford Criterium, where I took 19th along with 1 prime, I was looking for the barriers as the weather was more fit for October then mid August. I guess only mother nature herself knows what were going to have throw at us come late September for the first race of the year.

T-minus 22days and counting...Here's some brake chatter and stuff I've been noticing in and out of town.

Rumor is that FrostCross is on for the Sunday following the Iceman...TimberRidge campground should be rocking. This has the potential to be HUGE and I'm expecting a good field if this thing really goes off
Jolly Pumpkin got shut down by Ann Arbor Police. No word when and if it's back on
Masters Worlds canceled...how about bringing this thing to the USA ! If that happened you'd have to register years in advance.
"The Orange Crush" flyover...I was expecting the "Flying Rhino'ver" in purple and yellow !
There was a Foshag sighting at the Tour de Gaslight
Challenge leaves a lot of teams scrambling once again...shifting distribution to Europe
Cash for 'cross...Government grant to help fund Cinci UCI3 day...
Double down at Vegas...Erwin Verveckin and Ben Berden
Planet Bike takes on the world with the Jonathon Page & Katie Compton dynamic duo...I'm calling them the new batman and cat-women?

We'll that's all I've got for now. On tap this weekend you have either Traverse City or Shelby Twp. to choose from. Then it's the labor day weekend as the official end of summer as the kids go back to school. Keep the tubular glue out of your hair...

2009-08-25T08:28:00.003-04:00

Well, it seems Challenge tires has decided to make a few changes in town. So that's leaving a lot of crossers out in the mud looking for available tires this upcoming season.
Good thing for me I order my stuff over 2 month's ago instead of being the typical fool running around the bike shop the week before the first race looking for some tread.
So with my tire quiver already stocked I'm looking to pick up some new tread to test out. This tread from FMB looks awfully tasty for those cool morning mud bogs....

2009-08-15T21:29:00.006-04:00

Alright...as promised & delivered. You won't find this underground work on the Michscene, only here kiddies!!!

Just got this report & photo's in from my underground source. I'm telling ya, my sources are air tight and more elusive then my favorite skate movie "The search for Animal Chin." I guess he's been scouring around the dirt roads in the county for weeks and he finally found it...

THE FLYOVER

My source has revealed that it is being built indoors at a secret underground bunker location in Northern Oakland county. It appears to be 10 feet tall and is 12 feet wide, steep and mean. We're assuming that it will be covered with astro turf of some sort? Obviously its not complete but is being build in sections so that it can be built and re-assembled at various locations. Construction is being done by a local mountain biker, 'cross upstart and framer Mark P. It also appears to be made of pressure treated lumber which has to weight a ton and cost a pretty penny as well. Who's funding this project? Rhino's or Robert... I'm guessing they are going to have to air lift this thing into place when complete.

My only thought is, What are we going to name this beast???

Brake chatter, rumors and more

2009-08-10T22:07:00.002-04:00

Wow, 'cross season is approaching quicker then I realized and now summer decides to rear its ugly head. Let me tell you, 'cross and 90 degree weather goes like riding file tread tires and mud. With that said, my Sunday training session turned into a real sweat fest, not to mention those horse flies can do 25mph+ down those gravel roads...

I've been picking up some good brake chatter over at Cyclocross magazine - filed under the group list. Check out the Michigander cross group started by Gary Olsen...for all those who race cyclocross, represent !!

Apparently the twilight race @ Cannonsburg is going to be HUGE. With this being the OFFICIAL Michigan cyclocross season opener, will we see some new faces? or more of the same ol' guard. Will the Bissell boys try to throw down in the dirt? then sweep up...
East side -VS- West side, who's riders are better? Who's series is tougher & faster. Why do some of their dates overlap...come on guys, don't make us choose.
Ithica GP...Jb puts more heart into this event then anyone knows. Huge prize list, awesome course & the swag alone makes the trip more then worth the drive. Now let's bring back the band...!
" The nails have stated to be pounded for Michigan's first fly-over" where will it show up first?
I'm hearing September 13th for whats becoming the annual Kinetics/Tailwind Cyclocross clinic. Same day as Addison Oaks...we'll who care about MTB anyways ! bring on 'cross...
Two NEW events this year. Sounds more like Psycho-Cross to us...

Christian Tanguey wants to do some more 'cross this season for fun...scary, good thing it only last 1 hour and isn't 100 miles long.
Foshag retires, only to come out of retirement....for fun?
Tubeless tires for 'cross? hey guys, there's a reason the pro's don't use them...BURP!!!

The new events sound like they are going to be a 'cross between something that resembles cyclocross but might end up like a alley cat mountain cross bike race.

The first date is Saturday, October 17th "Mad Anthony CX" at Detroit's old Fort Wayne!- Joe Lekovish says, "This will be the most unique setting for a CX race in Michigan, 170 year old cobbles, a 50m TUNNEL, a Sherman tank as an obstacle, all with the Detroit skyline as background. This will also be the ONLY bicycle race in the city of Detroit in over 5 years!!!

...and the other event is Saturday, October 24th, Maybury Cyclocross. Held at Maybury State Park, the course will be run on the grounds of the old state hospital. Single-track, bike path and grassy commons.

Not sure who the promoter is yet but details will be out there soon. That's all for now...

2009-08-03T09:41:00.002-04:00

Christmas in August on my front porch...always nice to see they made the trip safe

Just got back from a family trip to southern Ohio's Amish country & Pennsylvania. The riding was incredible and the time away to refocus was much needed.

So, now that I'm back in town it's time to start getting things ready for the rest of the season. First up, gluing some new tires and getting the equipment dialed in. This may be the first year I'm not scrambling to get bikes built before the first race which is fast approaching. I think I now have everything I need to get'r rolling.

Maybe the only thing I really need to do now is build up a new set of practice barriers. My old barriers have taken quite a few beating these last few years laying out in the woods all year long. So a quick trip to Home Depot is in order this week.

2009-07-28T14:09:00.003-04:00

We'll, I'm officially in tour withdrawl. What do I watch now? nothing because TV is admittly boring. I must admit that this was the first tour that I was simply hooked on. I think playing Versus fantsy cycling kept me glued to the tv to see if my team or rider was going to win that day or not. Kind of a like watching a race with in a race.
My fantasy team (Lawrence Armstrong) took 59th overall and my best result was on stage 21 where my team finished 17th. Placing 17th or better on a stage qualifies you for a daily prize, mine being a signed Columbia jersey! I'll be waiting for that to show in the mail.

My lineup was

Mark Cavadish
Mark Renshaw
Tyler Farrar
Gerald Ciolek
Alberto Contador
William Bonnet
filippo Pozzato
Funiyuki Beppu
THor Hushovd
Ryder Hesjedal
Tony Martin
Sebastain Lang
Vincenzo Nabili
Kurt-Asle Iverson

I only lost one rider along the way, Iverson. All the rest scored points with Cavidish being the biggest scorer. Next up with be Cyclolcross magazines fantasy cycling in the fall. I can't wait...

Brake chatter, gossip and rumors

2009-07-20T16:22:00.008-04:00

Well, the season countdown is on with only 60 days to go and counting, but it sure feels like fall out there. You won't catch me complaining about the weather because this is 'cross weather for sure, right.

So have you been noticing that the cyclocrossers are starting to line it up with regular consistency at either Grattan, Waterford Worlds or the MTB and road races the past few weeks? I sure have, I even saw that current USGP Elite Masters Champion, Mike "the Reverend" Wissink came out and took a big win at Big M this weekend, crushing the field. If I can just get one win off him this season I'll be satisfied. Also, a quick check of the results sheet still shows Tim Sarri leading the Thursday worlds point series and too many other spottings here and there to mention.

Anyways, I'm sure the 'crossers will be out and racing hard when the weather finally heats up come August as the season draws near. Are you getting your cyclocross gear out and blowing off the mud and dust yet? I should be getting my first order of Challenge tires in the mail anyday now.

So with the MichiganScene MIA with race reports and gossip here are a few rumors I've heard floating around town....If you can either confirm or deny them let me know...

Reigning Cyclocross State Champion Rob Foshag retires...is he going out on top?
Due to the economy, the KTR double Cross is still happening but it will not be a UCI c2 race this year. Sorry Page fans but no hand holding across the finish line this year.
A new race format for the Tailwind series: 10am C's/B'women/Juniors U14...11am B's/Elite Women/Juniors 15-18...12pm Elite men...1:15 M35+/single speeds
Ann Schwartz will be riding a new Salsa rig this year...Sub 16lbs? like 'ol Ann needs the advantage. Maybe she can snag that Nationals title to match her Michigan crowns
Springfield Oaks site of the CX State Championships...Finally a great venue to host the Championship and I'm hearing a huge banquet will follow. Were talking warm & indoors, plus it will hold more then 20 people. Bring on the Chili !
JB Hancock doubling up by going single speed and Elite....ouch!
Tandem class added to KISS cross? That should be fun through the river crossing. And they are opening up the series with a night race, minus the river crossing...uuggghhhh
Possible downtown Rochester venue for cyclocross race...bring it to the people if they don't want to come watch!

It may be the end of July but can you believe that I had to already register last week for the Ohio International Triple header. Once again promoters just don't get it. Why does start order have to be based on registration? isn't there another way that is just as fair. All I can say is, it's totally ridiculous that I have to be thinking this far ahead. But I guess that's the price we have to pay to play the game come fall.

Speaking of pain in my ass. Also a big change in Nationals registration this year was just announced. Supposedly this guy Ross who is organizing the race is implementing changes to start order. Order of registration will still determine start positions, but it will determine your start position only among racers in your USA Cycling cyclocross category (1-4). So, while you may be the very first person to register for Masters 30-34, if you’re a Cat 3, you’ll be starting behind every Cat 1 and Cat 2, even if they register last minute, a week before the race. Can they just make up their mind as to what they want to do instead of changing their mind every year...Personally I'm sitting out Nationals this year

Funny that the Cyclocross Masters World Championships race is day of registration only and start order is based on lottery order....not like there's much riding on that start position hugh

2009-07-18T15:07:00.002-04:00

Original Video- More videos at TinyPic

You make the call why Cav got relegated to last place...but that barrier juts out into the course at that exact point Hushovd is trying to come up along side. It also doesn't help the lines on the road are going all over the place. I'm just glad I'm not a sprinter because that's no place for a nervous person.

My Versus fantasy team is still doing pretty well... overall 658th through today's stage. I'm hoping to score some big points tomorrow...we'll see. I've got Contador taking tomorrows stage into Verbier but we'll see if he unleashes it or not. He may decide to wait for the Vontoux.

Riding and training has been going good. Tried to go up north this weekend but the plans got derailed. So we headed back home and I did some dirt road riding on my cross bike. Also, still trying to grow that skin back on my left hip from Waterford over 4 weeks ago. I can't Believe there is still a hole there. And when will I be able to sleep on that side again? Next week I'm off to Ohio for vacation. Maybe I'll get in some decent riding...

2009-07-11T17:15:00.003-04:00

In my eye's Alberto pulled a punk move yesterday (not conforming to team orders) and is now the enemy of state...

Team Astana's director says neither of his leading men will be denied the chance to chase Tour de France glory...
“If it ultimately turns out that they are the two strongest riders of the race and it is clear no one else can win, it is pretty clear they both want to win.”

That, in Bruyneel-speak, means one thing: Let them race.

2009-07-08T07:58:00.001-04:00

2009-07-03T22:38:00.003-04:00

Been absent lately working on the Michigan Youth Cycling / Wolverine Sports Club Elite & Junior Development Cyclocross team website/blog. Wow, don't say that three times fast. I also just came off a week break and have started to pile back on the base miles in prep for 'cross season which seems so far yet is closer then we think.

Matt and I also started a little cyclocross dirt road group ride called the "dirty&over30" on Saturdays starting from Panara bread at Adams/M-59. Tires hit the dirt @ 10am. The route is ~45 miles and take in just over 2000 ft of climbing. I know that's not much but most are short and steep. Come on out and join in if your in the area...

Isn't it easy to get motivated to ride this time of year with the tour ~ starting tomorrow morning. It's amazing how much faster I seem to ride after watching a stage of the tour. At least that's what it feels like to me!
This year I'm partaking in the Versus fantasy cycling challenge once again. Last year I managed to make it into the top 500 and I'm hoping this year I can move that up a few notches. I actually beat Frankie Andreau and the other commentataors in most of the stages. So tonight I got my rooster set for the "practice" session. I'll change that out after a few stages and I see exactly who's going well, or not! The Prologue is always such a touch stage to call. Can't wait to see how Armstrong performs after such a big break.

If you want to search and check out my team it's : Lawrence Armstrong

And if you're playing along, post up you team name in the comments section and I'll try and keep track of everyone here for a little friendly fun.

2009-06-21T12:26:00.008-04:00

I have to say I was pretty impressed with the State Time Trail today. NO, nobody rode a record TT. Actually for those that didn't get the message at 6:30am, the event was canceled due to flooding on and off course.

Matt and I, however, never got the message and showed up to volunteer for the day @ 7am but it was for naught. The people that did make the drive over and showed up actually took the news pretty well considering all the time and investment that they had put into peaking for this event. Hopefully!! they can work on rescheduling it into a open date still this year.
We talked about maybe next year having it back at Stony creek like a few years back instead, so we can avoid this whole mess again. That discussion is for another day I guess.
Last year the same thing happened, the park was flooded the night before but the waters receded by morning. I guess lightning can't strike twice...

2009-06-18T13:34:00.003-04:00

Hey cocain Tom. No that's not a "crack" rock, and so sorry but no Tour De France for you.