WORS #4 Subaru Cup ProXCT

In just 2 years this event has become a premier National Event.  Both for the Professionals and Amateurs.  Although it is in the middle of nowhere they have found the perfect spot to create world class course and atmosphere   I've never been to a World Cup but I have been to my fare share of events and nothing compares to the pure excitement and talent that is present at this event. I'm also taking into consideration that the World Cup athletes are saying the course and fans create a World Cup environment.  Bravo to WORS.  WORS is a a State Mountain Bike Series that I have the privilege of competing in every other weekend and has presented an opportunity for us regional guys to compete at the highest domestic level.

XC

Saturday was the XC event.  At the ProXCT events you race within your category and in my case it's Category 1.  Last year a few JR's took the top spots so I was sure to pick them out and pay attention this year.  As expected it was no different this year as the Nations/Continents best talent was present.  A few guys from CA and another from South Africa who is the current African Continental JR Champion.   

Start of the final lap

They made some small changes to the course this year bringing us straight up a ski hill and then giving us some A and B lines in the single track.  We were also riding the exact same course as the Pro's which was nice.  As always, the start seemed quite important so I targeted to be top 3 in the single track at the top of the 2 min steep climb I jumped in 3rd and was feeling pretty good.  The SA Champ got the hole shot and wasted no time in creating a gap.  I'm not sure who was 2nd in but he had a few mishaps causing a few of us to put a foot down a couple times.  We were able to jump around him but the hole shot had a huge gap already.  By the end of the first lap me and to CA kids had established a 3 man chase group.  The 2nd lap we split up as the Single track took no prisoners and rewarded the skillful riders.  The 3rd lap the 3 of us were riding solo.  I started to see a group of chasers closing in on me and I felt like there was nothing I could do in the single track to keep a safe distance.  At the beginning of the 4th and last lap the chase group had caught me.  Each one rode a steady tempo up the hill that I just could not match.  I was so concentrated on the single track it seemed to have sucked everything out of my tempo pace and I could not match them.  I instantly went from 4th to 9th.  I went into chase mode but could not close the gap as I had lost all confidence in the single track from 2 endo's I had on the 3rd lap.  I finished 9th overall in the XC.  Although I believe it is a very respectable position and the placing makes me happy I was disappointed in myself.  I was disappointed for allowing my bike to ride me instead of me riding my bike.

The best support crew!

Short Track

Short Track stands for Hurricane of Pain and it lives up to every ounce of its name.  Short Track is an all out effort for 20 min racing around a XC style course in a short circle.  It is mostly open but has a few obstacles such as small rocks, hard turns, sand, and small climbs. I was excited for the Short Track.  I was excited that it wasn't that technical and it was going to be more about fitness than the skill and I was also ready to get on that podium.

The gap after my attack

I didn't have the greatest start, I got pinched into a corner and got pushed back to about 8th.  By the end of the first lap I had worked my way up to 2nd wheel.  I didn't want to be more than 3rd wheel the whole race so I was right where I wanted to be.  By about the 3rd lap the front was handed over to me so I went up to make it as hard as possible to shrink the down the front group.  This is where I found that I had good legs. I pushed the pace up front and felt good doing it.  After noticing the a front group was established I went back a few wheels to monitor the race.  I was feeling good and didn't want to regret anything, when I looked at the clock and noticed we were 1/2 way done I launched my attack.  Nobody responded right away and after 1 lap on my own I was joined by the SA Champion.  Now I'm exactly where I want to be out front with only 1 other rider.  We stayed away for another lap or so and then we were joined shortly by a few others until the SA Champ put in his own attack.  This was the move and I could feel it.  I was quick to follow and it was back down to us 2.  3 laps to go and he put the slightest gap on me.  I put everything out there to close the gap I just couldn't do it.  With 1 lap to go another rider was chasing so I went into defensive mode.  Round the last loose gravel corner I came in conservative not wanting to wash out and he came in with nothing to lose.  In the last 100m he made up a 10 foot gap beat me by a tread length at the line.  The last conservative corner was the difference between 2nd and 3rd.  A great learning experience for me.  I was and am extremely happy with my Short Track.  3rd overall and I pushed and controlled the race.

Conclusion

This was an incredible weekend of racing and the fans were unbelievable.  The team and I have so many supporters and I can't tell you how good that feels.  The pain seems to disappear when you have people screaming your name in support.  Especially in the Short Track where it seemed their cheers we pushing me along the course.  I have to give a huge shout out to Ben Koenig who cheered me on to push to my limit, thanks Ben.  This was also a great experience for Nationals.

This goes without saying, but thank you to my family and wife who support and follow me in everything I do.  

All pictures courtesy of Straight A Photography.  

Keweenaw Chain Drive Pictures - Straight A Photography

 

Keweenaw Chain Drive

Every year the Keweenaw Chain Drive appeals more and more to me.  It's not the smoothest of races nor is it the bumpiest but it carries a decent rhythm that I enjoy. Ask anyone though and most likely their first response is, it's hard.  It's a race that pounds you which is weird to say about a course with some rhythm.  Could it be this relentless profile?

I've had a small chip on my shoulder with this race and I wanted to get rid of it this year.  2 years ago I crashed near the end which resulted in a nasty hazy eyed bonking finish knocking me 1 spot from the podium.  Last year I made the lead group up cemetery hill only to clip a branch resulting in a fall and losing my water bottles.  That fall was proceeded by me clipping a handlebar of a racer I tried to pass which resulted in a fall.  I missed the lead group and rode solo to another 6th place.  Learning experiences for sure but I was ready to avenge my mishaps.

The race begins with a laid back 3 mile roll out so the “race” starts at Cemetery Hill.  I kept a steady pace up the sometimes 15% grade hill making sure never to be more than 2nd or 3rd wheel.  At the top is a $50 KOM and no one had gone yet and I wasn't feeling bad so I tried but B. Matter responded and took the money.  He sat up to let it regroup so I took advantage and jumped to the front to lead out the first single track.

Having the lead into the single track I wanted to set a pace I could maintain early but ride hard enough to keep the 4 man split you see in the picture.  The split happened quite early leaving me, Anderson, Braun, and Matter.  Knowing I now created a small gap I took every hill with more effort to keep my lead up front but also to deter any chasers of trying to join.  I was feeling good on the front so I didn’t want to give it away to the strong behind.  About 55 min into the race I grabbed my first bottle in the feed zone.  Anderson rotated to the front and had one goal, go hard.  This was at mile 15.  If you look at the above profile mile 15-20 is not easy.  Add Anderson’s hard effort and it became extremely difficult.  I would be gapped in the technical stuff and bring it back on the hills.  After doing this 3-4 times I was gassed and they slowly rode away.  I seen them all again in the twisty Drunken Sailor trail and it was all split up, each one on their own.  Anderson only had about 10 seconds on me and for a moment I thought I could bring him back and maybe work together to bring back Braun.  He recovered well and went back it and I never caught him.  This left me solo in 4^th place.  This was good for me because I have to learn to ride on my own at a hard pace and not rely on others to push me.  The rest of the race I challenged my skills and fitness to continue hard on my own.  I felt good at the end of the long race and finished 4^th overall.  I finally got on that pesky podium.

B. Matter, D. Braun, M. Anderson, T. McFadden and all the others that travel quite a ways to make it to the UP, thank you.  It’s awesome to see the UP races getting such solid competition.  If more see the excitement and quality in UP races maybe WORS will have a UP race someday!     


Team Notes:  Glen Lerlie had one of his strongest results of the year riding to a 23rd place overall in a very good field of riders.  He looked good early climbing Cemetery Hill with the leaders and then continued his solid pace through.  Congrats Glen.  

WORS Wausau Start Picture

This is a pretty sweet picture.  It really shows the popularity of the WORS Series both in spectators and participants.  Take a look at the amount of spectators at the start line.  Also take note at the incredibly large field of riders  (I'm 2nd in from the left.).

This picture is being used from Nathan Guerra's blog courtesy of Amy Dykema.

WORS #3 Wausau Big Ring Classic

Usually I put together a pretty detailed race report but this one just might lack that detail.  Why? I didn't have the legs on Sunday to make my bike go which can cause a lack of excitement in a race.

I didn't have much energy all week.  The prior week I put in a hard week of training and group riding.  I've also been keeping my hours up to continue to work on my endurance.  All of this must of really pushed me to the edge because rolling into Monday I was down and out.  I hadn't went over yet but I was close.  I continued on with the training but my coach and I changed some things up to catch up on rest.  I just attributed the fatigue to an awesome block getting close to the end.  As the week rolled along the rest never caught up with my body and as Saturday approached I was feeling a bit better but after the pre-ride things were not clicking.  I did complete my warm-up not feeling all that bad so I had a bit of optimism on the start line.

The start wasn't too bad for me but I played it safe and sat about 5-8 deep taking the draft in the 2 mile lead out.  I knew where I wanted to make position and I went for it and no sooner did I stand I sat back down.  I instantly knew the legs didn't have what it took to be where I wanted to be.  A racer can tell pretty darn quick, usually within the first 5 minutes, of what kind of legs they're going to have that day.  Mine were telling me, "no."  The first lap mission was to maintain a pace I could sustain and stay calm.  I did this for 2 laps and I hurt the whole time.  I just couldn't find an ounce of energy to go.  The start of the 3rd lap my brother handed me an ice cold water and I dumped it over my head.  Not soon after that I found a second wind and at least now could salvage the time I had lost.  I'm not sure if it was the water that cooled my core temp or just the legs kicking in but I was happy to at least be able to move.  To make up for a lost time and to work out the frustration I built up I went on the attack for the last 2 laps.  With every opportunity I went hard out of the single track and even harder up hill.  I was able to leave a couple riders on the 3rd lap and bridge up to 2 more.  I then attacked hard enough to bring that down to 2 of us.  On the 4th lap a group of guys came back to us and I wanted nothing to do with it so I sat in before the Ho Che Min climb and from 4th position attacked.  I was able to gap the group a bit making them work hard behind me.  2 were able to bridge up and I never stopped attacking after that.  I guess I had to prove to myself I could still ride.  I finished 2nd in the 3 man sprint for 11th place overall.

11th place, it is just out side of my season goals but the good thing is I was able to have a good placing after not having the legs.  I've learned that all races have days like these and it's not about how many you have but what you can do with them when you have them.  I'm learning to accept the day as it is and make the best race out of it.

Tour Divide - Danny Hill

Today is the official departure for Danny Hill in the Tour Divide.  My nerves shake in anticipation and excitement for him as I type this.  For those of you that do not know or have not heard of the Tour Divide I'll explain below.

Tour Divide
They call it, "The Grand tour of MTB."  It is a trip on mountain bike form Banff, Ab CA down to Antelope Wells, NM USA.  This one stage ride/race is self-supported racing traveling 2,745 mi or 4,418 km.  Either way you look at it it's a long way.

Decidedly not for sprinters, this battle royale braves mountain passes and windswept valleys of the Continental Divide from hinterlands of the Canadian Rockies to badlands of the Mexican Plateau.

This is the worlds longest off-pavement cycling route.  The route is highlighted by long dirt roads and jeep trails that wind their way through forgotten passes of the Continental Divide.  It travels through Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the Unites States of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.  By route's end a thru-rider will climb nearly 200,000 vertical feet.  (Equivalent to summiting Mount Everest from sea-level 7 times)

Divide races must not only be conditioned to endure weeks of consecutive 16 + hour days in the saddle, they need to bring other skills to the trail.  The route is unmarked and circuitous, requiring navigational acumen.  It travels through remote back country owned by the Grizzly and Mount Lions.  Intervals between services are frequently 100 + miles and demand calculated food/water resupply.  Riders mus also find shelter each night whether be near by shelter or trail side tent.

                                                                                                                                                                     


Now that you have an idea of what the Tour Divide race is you know what is in store for Danny in the coming weeks.  I will be posting regular updates via the blog, our Facebook page (Culvers Racing p/b Meyer Family Vision), and twitter (@culversracing).  Please follow along in the next couple of weeks.  Post encouraging words to Danny on our FB page as he will need everyone's love each and every day.  You can also follow his progress via these sources:

www.tourdivide.com/leaderboard
www.bikepacking.net

Danny's rig .

View from his starting point in Banff, AB