Gloucester: This Is Why US Nationals Can't Be in January

I mean, if it's like this in October...

Check these photos out on the Hup United site - two photos from the same spot - the first is Saturday and the second is from Sunday, at the USGP of CX course in Gloucester:
(ok sorry http://www.hupunited.com has changed their home page images, but suffice to say the first photo was a blizzard and the second one was a sunny 70-degree day).

TJ and wife Bessette won in Saturday's Blizzard but I haven't found complete results. Barbara Howe's 2nd place definitely a testament to her MTB handling skills, not to mention her form.
http://www.velonews.com

Trebon and Bessette won Sunday. Results from CyclingNews:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/cross.php?id=cross/2005/oct05/gloucester052

Lot's of NorCal women in the top 10, but our NorCal men were well off the pace...hopefully Justin/Andy/etc had better results on Sat...

Hopefully get a report to you later... -JF

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CX Natz - Split B's

Overwhelming registration numbers for Cyclocross Nationals...they're actually splitting the B category...

Gimme a Brake

VeloNews article on brake options for 'cross, thx Dennis...

CN Tech feature: AJM's TriCross

Someone tipped me off to this CyclingNews interview with Andy Jacques-Maynes from Interbike about the cross bike he and Chris D'Aluisio designed for Specialized.

Intervals for Cross

For those who don't get enough on the weekend...article from Cycle-Smart.

Three-Dot Lounge

Random 'cross notes for a Monday morning:

* * *

Sunday's "jungle cross" course at Surf City lived up to its billing. As one of the original Surf City jungle venues (see article here ) Aptos revisited its checkered past with no fewer than five runups per lap and full-suspension bikes out in force in every category. One of the inspirations for that article, Anton McGready was out again this year, the other - Todd "Strappy" Hoefer was not...

* * *

Each year in the Cat. A men, there is one or two riders, lurking in the top ten in previous seasons, who step it up to the podium. Guys like Aaron O'Dell last year or Justin Morgan a couple years before that. This year it looks like Simon Vickers is one of the new guys on the hot seat. Congrats. Meanwhile, despite all that has changed in the world of 'cross one thing stayed the same at Surf City: Ben and Justin on top of the standings.

* * *

Funke noted on the ncnca front page the domination of the Bellas - in addition to Barb Howe's win we gotta take note of Melodie Metzger who led out the first lap, calmly breathing thru the nose...

Gotta Have More Cowbell

In honor of the season opener of the USGP in Portland, I gotta pass along this tidbit in evidence of the great CX vibe they got up there. Maybe it's borrowed from the spirit of Surf City but they really get into their 'cross up there, y'know?

Cross Crusade Open Forum - Topic: More cowbell...
http://crosscrusade.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=349&PN=2

Photo trivia

OK fans, here's a trivia tidbit. Check out the Tom Moran photo on the first page of the cyclocross special in the latest edition of Velonews (the print edition, that is, page 43). The photo is from a Norcal race last season -- see if you can pick out which one. Extra credit if you can guess the identity of the featured riders.

A taste of Interbike

Howdy 'cross fans,

For your off-the-bike entertainment here are some random notes from a brief visit to Interbike. On the floor for only half a day I didn't make a full scan of 'cross offerings but here's some of the bling that caught my eye:

- While the dirt demo was busy, the 'cross circuit introduced last year was not brought back for this edition -- cancelled, as the show daily tersely noted, "for lack of riders". Sad stuff, and only a few of the companies selling CX bikes brought theirs out for testing, such as Schwinn with their brand new CX bike. I did spot a few dedicated riders checking out the single track on CX demos. Frischy was there too but not on 'cross bike either.

- Inside the show, 'cross was still there in evidence, though again unlike years past when every manufacturer made an effort to have at least one token 'cross bike on display many have given up on the category altogether. Fortunately that means that with all the bandwagon-jumpers gone, the authentic bikes can show through the clutter.

- With the carbon revolution seemingly all but over in the road world there were loads of full-carbon 'cross bikes around - Ridley, Colnago, DeRosa, Guerciotti, to name a few. It must take courage to set out onto a rocky NorCal course on a $6000 carbon Guerciotti with deep dish carbon wheels, but I guess if you got the bank for that you must not care.

- Dave's picks for the tasty bikes of the show: Ridley X-Night for the cost-is-no-object crowd, Felt F1X with the best race-ready value at $1600, and Bianchi Axis in the lead of the relatively crowded "budget" segment.

See you at the races --
Dave Carr