The Keweenaw Cup turns out to be one of the best weekends of the year. Even though the forest looks like death with every leaf finding the ground it leaves a feeling in the air that cannot be matched. It is screaming Keweenaw Cup. The Copper Country in late October is brilliant and I look forward to it every year.
Day 1
I made the 2 hour journey with Tyler J (Gear Grinder) early Saturday morning. We scored a room at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and changed in just enough time to get some warm up in. The first day was held down town around the pond with a few changes from last year. They added a few more turns making accelerations crucial. I missed the hole shot but stayed patient with a 12 lap race on tap and let the leaders come back to me. The course was not set up for a group and I knew it would be easier if out front so on the back side of the 2nd lap I busted to the front and put in a small dig to make some separation. Tyler J. jumped on and we created a small gap. This is just what I wanted so I kept the pressure on until I heard a cannon fire behind me. I think I might have subconsciously ducked thinking someone was trying to shoot me down. It was the sound of Tyler J's tire exploding off the rim. I looked behind and all I could see is a tire wrapping a death grip around his bike. I hated to see that and do not like when riders experience mechanicals. With Tyler out because of mechanical I noticed that the next rider, Aaron Swanson, was not around the corner yet. I quickly reacted with an attack and a hard steady tempo. I attacked a few more times during the lap and found myself out front. I never let my guard down and rode hard for the remainder of the race taking revenge on a course that ate me up last year.
Day 2
Our cabin couldn't have worked out any better. I got a decent nights rest and abused the French coffee press in the morning. It was then out the door and a quick roll up to the start. The course was much more open than the day before. It had about 50% hard packed gravel or golf cart path making it extremely fast and set up to be more like a traditional CX course. The wind was howling at the top of the hill which may have slowed things down but it added the element of tactics. There was plenty of speed and wind, not a day set up for a breakaway. I let the race organize it's self on the first lap or so. The first 3-4 laps the group was 4-6 strong. Eventually it worked its way out and Tyler J., Aaron Swanson, and I were out front. We exchanged pulls every lap or so and with a few laps to go the attacks started. I tried a time or two with no success until with 2 laps to go an attack was made and as it came back together I countered it. It created enough room for me to fully commit to riding the next lap at full effort dead into the wind trying to keep the gap. Aaron and Tyler made me ride hard and smart to earn my 2nd victory of the weekend. I appreciate good competition and they are great competitors.
I was so happy with my Keweenaw Cup victory I ate my oatmeal in the home made "Keweenaw Cup" this morning. Thank you to whoever made that!
A full report and pictures will be available soon at www.upcross.net and www.keweenawcup.com
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