2008 Nor-Cal Cyclocross Season - Ride Safe - Have Fun
Many thanks to Dusty Downs for this great 2008 Nor-cal season preview:
The schedule has been set for Nor-Cal's 2008 Cyclocross season thanks to some great work from the regions promoters. As in past years, the Cyclocross action will be rolling along at a fast pace for multiple months giving riders ample time to hone their Cross skills and race under very different conditions and courses. The beginning of the season always has riders fighting it our for placing on dry, loose, and dust filled race routes. While the end of the season features wet conditions that more resemble classic Cross racing one would see in Europe. Nor-Cal's finest riders made a huge impression at last years National Championships, with many of our best riders making podium appearances and claiming national titles. The constant racing that Northern California provides for it's athletes insure riders will be firing on all cylinders come time for Nationals.. The long history of great racers and great races in the Nor-Cal region will continues in 2008, and will again make this area one of the most competitive places in the USA to race Cyclocross.
Races Ahead- Each promoter works extra hard to deliver fun and challenging racing for all riders. Here is a look ahead into some of the action awaiting Nor-Cal's Cross racers. The NCNCA Cup has six races from the regions top series that will attract the largest fields and provide the most competitive racing through the year. The popular CCCX Series opens the NCNCA Cup affairs on Oct 12. The CCCX race is followed by Northern California's most fun day of racing at Velo Bella's Spooktacular event on Oct 26. Next up is a Sat. & Sun. weekend of NCNCA Cup racing on Nov. 8 & 9 with the Sagebrush event in Reno on Saturday and Sacramento's great race on Sunday. Then Nov. 30 has the Bay Area Super Prestige Series taking over Golden Gate park and providing a awesome course for race 5 of the 6 race series. The NCNCA Cup Series final will be raced under peak cross conditions with the Peak Season Series hosting the final at the Watsonville County Fairgrounds on Jan. 4. These six races show a fine collaboration from the Nor-Cal promoters to spice things up for the racers and set the stage for racers to do battle on a variety of different courses.
Other race notes would be the Bay Area Super Prestige Series holding one of Nor-Cal's first ever Cross races contested at night under the lights on Nov. 15. The Fresno Series has hosted multiple night races and night Cross races posses a perfect party atmosphere and are great entertainment. The B.A.S.P. Series bringing night Cross racing to the Bay Area will surely be a spectacle to take part in and witness.
Velo Bella's Halloween Cross event on Oct. 26 is always an amazing show of Nor-Cal's Cyclocross spirit. The racing is top notch and ultra competitive, but the costume races and party activities make for one of the best days of racing and fun for the year.
The CCCX Series will host the District Championships on Nov. 23 as well as the NCNCA Cup kick off event on Oct. 12. The Series will open up its racing with a back to back weekend of Cross action on Sept. 20 and Sept 28. The Central Coast Cyclocross Series has put on more Cyclocross races over the last eleven years then any other Cross series in all of California. They hosted the District Championships for three straight years in 1999, 2000, and 2001 and this years Districts race should be an epic test.
The Sacramento Cross Series continues to evolve into high quality races that take part on high quality courses. Sacramento's Cross scene has continually improved over the past eight years. It now produces some of the finest racers in Northern California and on Nov. 9 they will host the 4th race of the NCNCA Cup. This will give the locals home field advantage over Nor-Cal's contingent of Cross competitors and highlight the great racing Sacramento has to offer.
The Peak Season Series will host the NCNCA Cup final on Jan. 4. The Peak Season Series closes out the year with their races starting in Dec. They produce challenging cross racing under damp conditions combined with a casual atmosphere of good times and frolic. The Peak Season Series runs into Jan. and puts a fine finish to the continual racing Northern California provides for its racers.
The Sagebrush Series will host the NCNCA Cup race in Reno on Nov. 8. The Sagebrush Series has a long history of Cyclocross racing. Cross racing in Reno and its surrounding area's provide something that most Northern California series can not, snow, and sometime freezing winter like conditions. It makes for strong racers fighting it out to win dificult races. The NCNCA Cup weekend of racing on Nov. 8 & 9 will be very popular and the Sagebrush Series will play a huge role in testing Nor-Cal and Nevada racers to see who can handle all types of race conditions.
The Livermore Series has a long schedule of races starting on Sept. 6 and finishing on Dec. 20. In its second year of racing the Livermore Series is set to use a new course for a few of it's events and will most likely use its Rodeo grounds course as well. Cross racing in the East bay keeps getting better and better thanks to the LARPD Series.
There will also be a new group of race farther North at the CXSR Series held in and around Santa Rosa. This is great news for riders from this area of Nor-Cal. Past reviews from the first races put on in Santa Rosa in 2007 have it as a very good time for all and excellent Cyclocross racing.
Teams and Players- The Nor-Cal region contains far too many super talented riders to list, and too many teams to mention. Nor-Cal has many serious Cross oriented teams such as the Scott/Ritchey/SRAM Team, Sycip Racing, Team Roaring Mouse, Altezza 40 Race Team, Black Market Racing, Family Cycling Center, Buy-Cell.com Team, Hunter Cycles/Freewheel, Santa Cruz Cycling Club, Velo Bella/Kona, and Velo Girls. These Cross crazed groups focus the majority of their resources and efforts into just Cyclocross racing. While other Road and MTB Teams such as Specialized, Webcor/Alto Velo, Pen Velo/Kondra Systems, SoulCraft, Kaiser/Team Oakland, and Morgan Stanley/Specialized dabble in Cross to keep fit and work on their riding skills.
Two of Nor-Cal's most dominate teams will continue to take on all challengers for 2008. These 500 pound Gorilla's of Nor-Cal Cross racing are California Giant Inc./Specialized and the HRS/Rock Lobster Team. Each of these teams field an outstanding group of riders and to win any Elite level races, being Master, Female, Male, or Junior, you must top a California Giant Inc. or a Rock Lobster rider to claim top honors. Both Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster, and Anthony Gallino of California Giant Inc. have put together National Caliber programs that will compete on a local level, as well as select races across the USA. Locally it allows for the highest level of competition in all divisions and makes for some great racing action ahead in 2008.
2008 Nor-Cal Cyclocross Season - Ride Safe - Have Fun
The schedule has been set for Nor-Cal's 2008 Cyclocross season thanks to some great work from the regions promoters. As in past years, the Cyclocross action will be rolling along at a fast pace for multiple months giving riders ample time to hone their Cross skills and race under very different conditions and courses. The beginning of the season always has riders fighting it our for placing on dry, loose, and dust filled race routes. While the end of the season features wet conditions that more resemble classic Cross racing one would see in Europe. Nor-Cal's finest riders made a huge impression at last years National Championships, with many of our best riders making podium appearances and claiming national titles. The constant racing that Northern California provides for it's athletes insure riders will be firing on all cylinders come time for Nationals.. The long history of great racers and great races in the Nor-Cal region will continues in 2008, and will again make this area one of the most competitive places in the USA to race Cyclocross.
Races Ahead- Each promoter works extra hard to deliver fun and challenging racing for all riders. Here is a look ahead into some of the action awaiting Nor-Cal's Cross racers. The NCNCA Cup has six races from the regions top series that will attract the largest fields and provide the most competitive racing through the year. The popular CCCX Series opens the NCNCA Cup affairs on Oct 12. The CCCX race is followed by Northern California's most fun day of racing at Velo Bella's Spooktacular event on Oct 26. Next up is a Sat. & Sun. weekend of NCNCA Cup racing on Nov. 8 & 9 with the Sagebrush event in Reno on Saturday and Sacramento's great race on Sunday. Then Nov. 30 has the Bay Area Super Prestige Series taking over Golden Gate park and providing a awesome course for race 5 of the 6 race series. The NCNCA Cup Series final will be raced under peak cross conditions with the Peak Season Series hosting the final at the Watsonville County Fairgrounds on Jan. 4. These six races show a fine collaboration from the Nor-Cal promoters to spice things up for the racers and set the stage for racers to do battle on a variety of different courses.
Other race notes would be the Bay Area Super Prestige Series holding one of Nor-Cal's first ever Cross races contested at night under the lights on Nov. 15. The Fresno Series has hosted multiple night races and night Cross races posses a perfect party atmosphere and are great entertainment. The B.A.S.P. Series bringing night Cross racing to the Bay Area will surely be a spectacle to take part in and witness.
Velo Bella's Halloween Cross event on Oct. 26 is always an amazing show of Nor-Cal's Cyclocross spirit. The racing is top notch and ultra competitive, but the costume races and party activities make for one of the best days of racing and fun for the year.
The CCCX Series will host the District Championships on Nov. 23 as well as the NCNCA Cup kick off event on Oct. 12. The Series will open up its racing with a back to back weekend of Cross action on Sept. 20 and Sept 28. The Central Coast Cyclocross Series has put on more Cyclocross races over the last eleven years then any other Cross series in all of California. They hosted the District Championships for three straight years in 1999, 2000, and 2001 and this years Districts race should be an epic test.
The Sacramento Cross Series continues to evolve into high quality races that take part on high quality courses. Sacramento's Cross scene has continually improved over the past eight years. It now produces some of the finest racers in Northern California and on Nov. 9 they will host the 4th race of the NCNCA Cup. This will give the locals home field advantage over Nor-Cal's contingent of Cross competitors and highlight the great racing Sacramento has to offer.
The Peak Season Series will host the NCNCA Cup final on Jan. 4. The Peak Season Series closes out the year with their races starting in Dec. They produce challenging cross racing under damp conditions combined with a casual atmosphere of good times and frolic. The Peak Season Series runs into Jan. and puts a fine finish to the continual racing Northern California provides for its racers.
The Sagebrush Series will host the NCNCA Cup race in Reno on Nov. 8. The Sagebrush Series has a long history of Cyclocross racing. Cross racing in Reno and its surrounding area's provide something that most Northern California series can not, snow, and sometime freezing winter like conditions. It makes for strong racers fighting it out to win dificult races. The NCNCA Cup weekend of racing on Nov. 8 & 9 will be very popular and the Sagebrush Series will play a huge role in testing Nor-Cal and Nevada racers to see who can handle all types of race conditions.
The Livermore Series has a long schedule of races starting on Sept. 6 and finishing on Dec. 20. In its second year of racing the Livermore Series is set to use a new course for a few of it's events and will most likely use its Rodeo grounds course as well. Cross racing in the East bay keeps getting better and better thanks to the LARPD Series.
There will also be a new group of race farther North at the CXSR Series held in and around Santa Rosa. This is great news for riders from this area of Nor-Cal. Past reviews from the first races put on in Santa Rosa in 2007 have it as a very good time for all and excellent Cyclocross racing.
Teams and Players- The Nor-Cal region contains far too many super talented riders to list, and too many teams to mention. Nor-Cal has many serious Cross oriented teams such as the Scott/Ritchey/SRAM Team, Sycip Racing, Team Roaring Mouse, Altezza 40 Race Team, Black Market Racing, Family Cycling Center, Buy-Cell.com Team, Hunter Cycles/Freewheel, Santa Cruz Cycling Club, Velo Bella/Kona, and Velo Girls. These Cross crazed groups focus the majority of their resources and efforts into just Cyclocross racing. While other Road and MTB Teams such as Specialized, Webcor/Alto Velo, Pen Velo/Kondra Systems, SoulCraft, Kaiser/Team Oakland, and Morgan Stanley/Specialized dabble in Cross to keep fit and work on their riding skills.
Two of Nor-Cal's most dominate teams will continue to take on all challengers for 2008. These 500 pound Gorilla's of Nor-Cal Cross racing are California Giant Inc./Specialized and the HRS/Rock Lobster Team. Each of these teams field an outstanding group of riders and to win any Elite level races, being Master, Female, Male, or Junior, you must top a California Giant Inc. or a Rock Lobster rider to claim top honors. Both Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster, and Anthony Gallino of California Giant Inc. have put together National Caliber programs that will compete on a local level, as well as select races across the USA. Locally it allows for the highest level of competition in all divisions and makes for some great racing action ahead in 2008.
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