2nd Place Finish at Ed Sander Cyclocross!
The annual race in Buckystown, the first race on the Mabra Cyclocross Series calendar, is known for two things...Lilypons Water Gardens and mud. Lots of mud! And this year did not disappoint. I had a front row start with 90 racers and unlike last week got off to a good start (see video link at bottom). I knew it was going to be critical to get through the prologue near the front before we entered the muddy section so I hit it hard at the whistle. The course was very sloppy from all the rain we had the days before and being at the front allowed me to pick appropriate lines without fighting all the other racers. The muddy, technical section made the race separate earlier than usual on this day and fortunately I was there for the selection along with Chip Hoover and Keith Rohr. As soon as we realized we had a small gap on the field we decided to work together and put major time on the rest of the field. After another lap, we knew the race would come down to the three of us, barring any major mistake or mechanical. Chip, an exceptionally strong road racer, put in a hard attack and got a gap on Keith and I that we could not shut down. After a little jockeying for position I made a move to pass Keith on a run-up, made it smoothly through a couple technical areas and powered home for 2nd place and a $50 gift certificate to a fancy restaurant in DC.
Click on link below to watch video of first lap (I am 2nd from right)...you probably won't be able to watch much without dramamine but just pull through and take a look at how muddy the day was!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CupyDJqzO9k
The annual race in Buckystown, the first race on the Mabra Cyclocross Series calendar, is known for two things...Lilypons Water Gardens and mud. Lots of mud! And this year did not disappoint. I had a front row start with 90 racers and unlike last week got off to a good start (see video link at bottom). I knew it was going to be critical to get through the prologue near the front before we entered the muddy section so I hit it hard at the whistle. The course was very sloppy from all the rain we had the days before and being at the front allowed me to pick appropriate lines without fighting all the other racers. The muddy, technical section made the race separate earlier than usual on this day and fortunately I was there for the selection along with Chip Hoover and Keith Rohr. As soon as we realized we had a small gap on the field we decided to work together and put major time on the rest of the field. After another lap, we knew the race would come down to the three of us, barring any major mistake or mechanical. Chip, an exceptionally strong road racer, put in a hard attack and got a gap on Keith and I that we could not shut down. After a little jockeying for position I made a move to pass Keith on a run-up, made it smoothly through a couple technical areas and powered home for 2nd place and a $50 gift certificate to a fancy restaurant in DC.
Click on link below to watch video of first lap (I am 2nd from right)...you probably won't be able to watch much without dramamine but just pull through and take a look at how muddy the day was!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CupyDJqzO9k
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