CCCX Opener
all pics stol'd from that kickass photograbber, RickRass
CCCX Opener
It's news of local flair and heart warming shenanigans. As ya'll might have read before, i'm a huge fan of the CCCX series. It's the kind of gig that brings out the best in Cross ... fun-loving, relaxed vibe with fierce competition, and loads of us regular joes & josey's out there kickin' it for nothing more than the pure pleasures of pedaling.
though it does burn me a bit to see boys looking this fabulous ~ i mean, come'on Grey ... don't rub my face in it.
The junior turnout was exceptional on Sunday ~ with what? almost 30 kids racing it up? That's boss. I especially like the young hucker crowd that finds their way to the shows. I mean, you know them bikes weigh in at a couple twelve-packs ... but, they zing and zoom their way around the course and light it up any chance they get come descent or dirt jumper-time.
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The Women's race saw the return of world famous Barbarella to our local scene. We all know that the starlet has fought illness and fatigue these past couple years and many, many rejoice in seeing her fire rekindled for the bike.
The start for the Elite femmes race was in-control and gauged, as the smaller field made a blitzkrieg first minute of racing and fighting for position unnecessary, and likely detrimental. The paved climb that shoots up the start/finish section of Manzanita is a soul-crushing brute - it's low-grade early slopes taunt you into putting power down, but as you continue climbing ... the steeper gradients hook anchors to shoulders and soon you find your body hunching more and more over your bars, teeth bared and eyes crossed with the effort to just make it up that fukkall hill.
it's glorious.
Lap 2 saw Barb unleash a bit of gas and only fellow Bella, Ann Fitsimmons, risked the hootxpah to go with her acceleration. Ann has decided this year to just ride at the front of the race until her gasket blows ... nothing else as a tactic. Respect.
CrossLobster Stella Carey, on the other hand, was returning from throwing out her back last Saturday and hadn't even touched her bike in a week ... so, she waved a stoic bye-bye to the two as they pulled away on the climb. As the race progressed, Carey's experience and long road season of fitness building would kick in and she would pass the RomanCandle Fitsimmons and eventually close to within a minute of winner Howe.
In other Women's results, Nicole Bumbaca (the coolest last name of any racer, btw) won the B's in a tightly contested battle with Megan Cordes. Beth Welliver took the C's in a strong showing and her first ever cross race, I believe. But, the best battle of the series might be shaping up in the women's 35+ ... ever-ready Kathleen Barolussi was able to distance herself from Janel Lodge and Julie Bates on the grueling up/down course. Hello ~ is that Janel riding uber-fast again? Awesome.
With Bev Chaney and a number of other 35+ riders yet to make their presence known ... i think this could be one helluva series in the 35+ category. Bartolussi is probably the best pure athlete of the group, but Janel is tough, tough, tough. And, the two Roaring Mouse riders go very well with each other and could work some magic on the field later in the year.
In the Elite Men's race ... how you gonna compete against that big bad Berry, Justin Robo-son.
i mean, he's the man.
But, a ridiculously sexy looking Lobster crew showed up and gave him the fight. DJ Snead and the Wolf did their best to knock Robinson down, but he's the giant, the mountain, the steady rain that wears you down ... eventually.
To beat Justin, you've got to unleash a torrent of speed so intense and chaotic that you are able to blow out his storm, destroy that unyielding rhythm of his by forcing him to follow the most random and barbaric of efforts. And then you just hope.
-
More later, but i gotta skoot from the boot.
~m
CCCX OpenerIt's news of local flair and heart warming shenanigans. As ya'll might have read before, i'm a huge fan of the CCCX series. It's the kind of gig that brings out the best in Cross ... fun-loving, relaxed vibe with fierce competition, and loads of us regular joes & josey's out there kickin' it for nothing more than the pure pleasures of pedaling.
though it does burn me a bit to see boys looking this fabulous ~ i mean, come'on Grey ... don't rub my face in it.
The junior turnout was exceptional on Sunday ~ with what? almost 30 kids racing it up? That's boss. I especially like the young hucker crowd that finds their way to the shows. I mean, you know them bikes weigh in at a couple twelve-packs ... but, they zing and zoom their way around the course and light it up any chance they get come descent or dirt jumper-time.
-
The Women's race saw the return of world famous Barbarella to our local scene. We all know that the starlet has fought illness and fatigue these past couple years and many, many rejoice in seeing her fire rekindled for the bike.
The start for the Elite femmes race was in-control and gauged, as the smaller field made a blitzkrieg first minute of racing and fighting for position unnecessary, and likely detrimental. The paved climb that shoots up the start/finish section of Manzanita is a soul-crushing brute - it's low-grade early slopes taunt you into putting power down, but as you continue climbing ... the steeper gradients hook anchors to shoulders and soon you find your body hunching more and more over your bars, teeth bared and eyes crossed with the effort to just make it up that fukkall hill.it's glorious.
Lap 2 saw Barb unleash a bit of gas and only fellow Bella, Ann Fitsimmons, risked the hootxpah to go with her acceleration. Ann has decided this year to just ride at the front of the race until her gasket blows ... nothing else as a tactic. Respect.
CrossLobster Stella Carey, on the other hand, was returning from throwing out her back last Saturday and hadn't even touched her bike in a week ... so, she waved a stoic bye-bye to the two as they pulled away on the climb. As the race progressed, Carey's experience and long road season of fitness building would kick in and she would pass the RomanCandle Fitsimmons and eventually close to within a minute of winner Howe.
In other Women's results, Nicole Bumbaca (the coolest last name of any racer, btw) won the B's in a tightly contested battle with Megan Cordes. Beth Welliver took the C's in a strong showing and her first ever cross race, I believe. But, the best battle of the series might be shaping up in the women's 35+ ... ever-ready Kathleen Barolussi was able to distance herself from Janel Lodge and Julie Bates on the grueling up/down course. Hello ~ is that Janel riding uber-fast again? Awesome.With Bev Chaney and a number of other 35+ riders yet to make their presence known ... i think this could be one helluva series in the 35+ category. Bartolussi is probably the best pure athlete of the group, but Janel is tough, tough, tough. And, the two Roaring Mouse riders go very well with each other and could work some magic on the field later in the year.
In the Elite Men's race ... how you gonna compete against that big bad Berry, Justin Robo-son.i mean, he's the man.
But, a ridiculously sexy looking Lobster crew showed up and gave him the fight. DJ Snead and the Wolf did their best to knock Robinson down, but he's the giant, the mountain, the steady rain that wears you down ... eventually.
To beat Justin, you've got to unleash a torrent of speed so intense and chaotic that you are able to blow out his storm, destroy that unyielding rhythm of his by forcing him to follow the most random and barbaric of efforts. And then you just hope.
-
More later, but i gotta skoot from the boot.
~m
posted by norcalcyclingnews.com at 10:27 AM
5 Comments:
Grey and Vaughters.... separated at birth?
dat course was so sweet~
da rain made it better then ever.
i still want to be out there riding around and tearing it all up.
too bad they had to kick me off when they had to clean it all up.
How about former national champion Don Myrah showing up for the elite race after probably 10 years out of racing.....incredible!
Yeah seeing Don race again was way cool. that takes guts to go out there and suffer when you have not been on the cutting edge of it all for so long. the best might have been his 4 year old son racing the kids race, now that kid has potential.
dave, if only i could stick out my tongue at the top of the podium of a really big race.
as one who was near Don for much of the race, it was very cool how many cheers he was getting around the course. for me, not so much...in fact i tried to pretend my name was Don (or daddy, the kids were loud too) for motivation.
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