Fairport Harbor CX - 10-14-2007

The second race of the 2007 Bike Authority Cyclocross Series was at Lakefront park in Fairport Harbor.

I'm a bit disappointed with the series this year, since I had to miss the first race... the first BA series race I've missed in the 5 years of my cyclocross career. The down side isn't so much the missed race, but having dropped one race, I'm totally out of any points contention... it's hard to make up 23 points when there are at most 2 points between places. Nothing can be done though, so I'm giving myself the point spread and seeing what could have been instead... and setting my own goals for the series.

Course
I was thinking all sorts of "North Shore" stuff as I came into the park with plenty of time to pre-ride, warm up and cheer on the team. Right on the lake front (as the name implies) the weather is kind of weird as the lake temperature is 66, the air temperature is either warm or cold depending on the wind direction.... so pick your clothing well!

Team LakeEffect did a fantastic job on the course this year. The park has all sorts of options, and they used them well. From the paved start, we crossed the park entrance drive, and rode along the amphitheatre benches. Three benches, you choose which one you want. 180 around to the top level, and then straight up the hill to the lighthouse level... grind it out in your 27, or you'll have the only run up. Across the light house level, to another 180, this one off camber with a freaky drop down the hill if you missed it. Off camber back along the hill to a sweeping left hand drop down hill to another off camber sweeping 180... and into some twisty parts heading to the stage.

Off the stage it's time to accelerate to the next feature, a "death spiral"... loop clockwise around the outside, 180 back for a counter clockwise turn inside, and again for a clockwise spin before jumping into another acceleration to the next bit of twisty parts. Through these and accelerate to the beach area.

We looped around the parking lot to make the beach approach which included a light drop to the sand and then right through the sand pile. A mound of sand about 10 feet high... if you stayed right, you would go through the shallow 2 feet deep section, any lefter and you could go much deeper. Fifty feet further on was the true sand crossing of another 50 feet leading to the side walk part. Around the side walk, across another ten foot sand section, around the barbeque, and back across another 10 foot of sand. Some twisties through the beach house, and back to the longest sand crossing that ended in an 12"+ log barrier. Quite a bit of sandy goodness....

Once over the barrier, we did a long parking lot loop. Out to the end of the park, and up the ramp drive, around a cone and back down the other side. Another long grassy, sandy, pavement stretch interrupted by a barrier set, then loop around a traffic circle, up and over a paved ramp and all grass back to the start finish.

Overall a very technical course with lots of twisty parts, lots of transitions and lots of sand. 1.6 miles of fun, though it seemed longer.

B Race
Turnout was pretty good even with the double conflict weekend of the Cincinnati UCI races, and the first race of the Orrville series. There were still 55 B and C racers, and it was loads of fun watching them take the course. Great spectating at the death spiral, and the sand hill.

The gauntlet was laid by 14 year old Drew Bercaw who was riding through the sand hill while most the others were running it. Carnage all over the course as Tony Marut put in a big attack half way through the race, got a gap of at least 30-45 seconds, but was hauled back by Cameron Jackson who took the win. Tony ended up 40 seconds back in 6th overall, but 4th in the B's. Snakebite had Gary Burkholder and Ian Hoffman getting 18th and 16th in the B race (nice job, guys) and Rick getting 5th in the Master's field. Brett Davis also raced the B race on his single speed.... until he had a pedal failure and changed over to the A race bike. Brett finished in 5th 30seconds behind Tony.

A Race
The A race had 13 and 4 master's. I signed up for the master's since the whole field was racing together, it may or may not have been the best decision. Some of the master's raced down with the B's and others didn't show because of the UCI race. My goal was to key off of Rudy Sroka, and see if I could hang and maybe give him a go. The other fast guys were Shawn Adams and Matt Weeks, and Zak Deringer and Thom Dominic on his single speed. Should be fun.

Dave Steiner is my only companion in the A race, and we did some pre-rideing together to get the technical aspects down. I'm hoping it'll be helpful to both of us as we figured out the correct way to ride the sandy bits.

At the line, Brett lined up next to me, and said he was going for the hole shot. He probably had one good lap in him, then he was going to coast....

At the gun, we're away and I had the front for a whole 5 seconds before about 3 guys got in front of me. Shawn, Matt, Greg from Spin... Up the hill, Rudy comes around me so I'm fifth at the top. Greg gets the "Go! Daddy, GO!" call... gotta love that one. Everyone is clean around the turns and heading to the spiral... Shawn leads it out and we start the spinning.

Once through the spiral, it strings out more going to the twisty parts, and then more to the beach. There's still a good bit of traffic, so I decided to run the sand hill the first lap, then use the riding technique to get and hold some space in the later laps... using my best Ernesto "don't show off the good lines until you need them" technique.

I rode the longer beach section, passing Greg and when Brett pulled off, I moved into 4th.... But by then Shawn, Matt and Rudy had a little gap, and once they hit the side walk, they took off... I knew immediately that the train was leaving the station, so I dug in to try to get there without much luck. I held the gap firm, but did no good closing it... then their team mate Derrick passed me before we got to the end of the side walk... I don't know if it was intended to be a block, but I didn't want to give it a chance. First opportunity I got to pass was in the longest sand section, and the race was pretty much made.

Around the lot and through barriers, I made a point of accelerating on every open section to solidify my gap behind and close the one to the front. Especially on the grassy stretch through the start finish, since I'd already heard a "demoralizing" comment about that section. Heading into lap two, I dropped about 15seconds to Shawn, Matt and Rudy and was about the same in front of Zak, Greg, another Spin rider and Thom Dominic.

Through the sand the second lap, I decided to ride it, and bobbled slightly... loosing more time to the front. I did open the gap behind a bit though, and pressed that advantage along the pavement. Brett jumped back in behind me, and rode the log barrier as I dismounted. Talk about a possible demoralizer... the sand sucked every bit of momentum from the bike as you approached the log, so dismount late and run through sand. Back on the bike, and accelerate again. Thom is trying to close my gap, pulling the spin guys with him. I'm more interested in Rudy and Derrick... since they're both in my race, though I'll take a fourth overall if I can get it. I just need to hold on and open gaps.

Through the start finish for lap 3 and I realize I haven't even looked at the lap cards yet. What lap am I on? How many will to go? Just watch the gaps, and do what I can. Digging in deep up the climb, and the spectators are fantastic... team mates screaming at me... at everyone. It was fantastic... DIG IN!!!

Through the sand clean, overall a good lap, and the gaps are growing... both ways. Shawn is pulling Matt and Rudy away... Matt and Rudy may be working, but I only see Shawn on the front. So it's the three Lake Effect, me, and then three Spin behind with Thom. Up the hill at the far side, and Thom is now behind the Spin guys, he must have had some trouble in the sand.... 5 to go as we hit the start finish.

Around the course, and Brett says 30 seconds in front and behind. Looks good, now ride clean. I time the front gap, and it's much closer to a minute... Zak is making a charge at me, and closes it down a bit. 20 seconds at the hill with 4 to go... that hill is getting harder every lap. Brett is on my wheel on the off camber section, and I screw it up and go low.... every other time I do it fine, he suggests I take it higher next time.... thanks Brett, I have been. He follows through the spiral giving encouragement... "take the corners clean, and accelerate on the straights"... pretty much what I've been doing. I don't know if he's helping or not... it was fun for him anyway.

Around clean again. I've got the lines, I just need to execute the turns, and accelerate on the straights. 3 to go, I've opened it a bit again. Shawn's group seems to be about constant on the east side of the park, but they're opening on the west more technical part. When I'm making the 180 turn at the amphitheatre, they are heading right at me on the other direction. It takes my concentration enough that I turn the wheel to hard, and I'm on the grass. DAMN!

Bloody knee, remount and get through the hill... muscle it up, then take stock. My knee is sore, but I was back on the bike quick enough to not loose too much. Now to get back in the game. It doesn't seem like Zak has closed that much, but I have to keep the pressure up... I've got second in the master's locked up, now I'm running for fourth overall... and who knows what may happen in front over the next two laps.

Brett jumps on my wheel again through the sand, and suggests a new line through the beach section.... I like my line, but he says that the high line is faster... I stick with the one I know. Accelerate away as he's ringing the bell right behind me!!! I feel like a skittish horse with some madman with a bell behind me! WAAAAAHHH!!!!

2 to go, through the hill clean.... oh, 1 more after this... my body is getting stiff, but every technical bit, and I've only got one more to do. Brett and Rick are standing near the better beach line... so I try it.... and the bike stalls. Not a complete dismount, but it certainly didn't save me any time. I'll just stick to my own lines, thank you.

I'm still opening the gap behind, and maintaining the gap to the Lake Effects... barely. They are slightly (by a few feet) opening their gap at the barriers, but it looks like I won't be catching them.

Bell lap... finally. I just need to get through and I'm fine. Zak is at least 30 seconds back, and Lake Effect are better than a minute ahead. One more grind up that hill... I want to run it, cause it's hard, but I WON'T! GRIND IT OUT and go! Everything else is clean. At the beach house Shawn is through WAY before he has been, so he must have drilled the last lap... as expected. Matt and Rudy are at the same spot through the barriers. So no gains there... It's really hard to push the last 500meters or so.... Zak is far enough back that he won't catch me, and I can't catch the other two since they're already done... so I'm only pushing to hold the time gaps down.

Results
Fourth in the A's! I'm 100% satisfied with that result. Even with the reduced field, 4th out of 17 is a fine result in my book. Second master's is a bonus, but I was only racing against 4 guys so I'm much happier with the overall numbers.

Turns out Shawn decided to give it a go on the last lap and left Rudy and Matt as expected. Then Matt bobbled the sand hill and took Rudy down. It slowed them down, but not by much. Shawn had me by 2 minutes, Rudy and Matt got me by a minute and a half and I had another half minute behind before Zak and Thom.

Dave Steiner suffered through to get 8th out of the 13 in the A race... a bit more technical than he liked, but still a good result even if all the Master's finished in front of him. Take your points Dave, and look to the next race.

The upside of the series is Bill Marut raced down in the B master's, so basically gave up his second place A master's standing. Rudy is now a lock for first since Brent raced in the UCI race, as are Derrick for second and Larry Pandy for third. Since there were only the same 6 Master's fighting for 3 places last year, we basically gave the Derrick and Larry their place this year. Maybe I should have raced A's, maybe not.... I like the format this year better than last year where we started 30seconds behind the A field. This year will be about fighting it out with both fields. More guys on the course at the same time.... more fun and we're scored separately.

So, the next three weeks are the Orrville Series, I'll make no more than 2, and those are iffy at best. There's also the Louisville, KY series on the 27/28th that I will be paying attention to, but not attending. Then a Saturday race nearby put on by Spin on November 10th.... before we get back to this series on November 18th. Lot's more cyclocross action to go!