Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge: Day 1

One double weekend this year.... Brett Davis' Solon Bicycles, Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge. Beautiful warm Friday evening... temps in the 70's... until 1:30am, and the rain starts to fall with the temperatures. 7 hours later, and the Davis property is sure to be a nice mix of mud and grass. Isn't that how they make bricks? Race temp about 50... maybe.

Although it was damp on my way to the race, it didn't actually rain on anyone. I did not costume this year, for no particular reason. I just can't compete with Bob Rodger's in the hot dress. Seems there were not the costumes that we had last year either... I think there should be more marketing.

I've got to give props to Brett for another nice single track addition to the course. Aside from the ruts which I managed to avoid, it really added to this course made for bike drivers. Brett also has the fire going, and the beer flowing to add to the ambiance that is his race. Barriers by the beer just add to the fun.

A small field of 22 in the A race, but the regulars were there. We only had 6 Spin riders... a low turn out for us. Dave, Zak, Derek, Tom K, Justin and myself. I lined up on the front row, hoping to repeat my Spin start. But it wasn't to be. I ended up half way back by the first corner, and further by the run up.

Derek was rocking the start though, got the hole shot to the first turn.... and further. Nice work there.... even if a few crashes in the woods killed that nice move.

I wasn't alone. Shawn Adams crash in front of me at least three times in the first lap... but had the power to get up and get by me each time... until he figure out the mud. Zak seems to spend most of his race recovering from his start also. He came by me about 2 laps in.

For most of the race, I was chasing Zak and Greg from Carbon, and trying to hold off John Proppe from Lake Effect and Bob Rodgers from Solon. I was succeeding in keeping everything together too. Riding through the course with minor mishaps. Zak was going well, and managed to get by Greg and catch onto Rudy. My plan was to work to the same as Zak.

About three laps in, I see Bob stop... and take a beer? It is hard to keep racing while everyone around you is having a party.

My trouble spots were the hill before the barriers, and the big mud puddle.

In the barrier hill, I kept trying to stay close to the inside and turn sharp instead of straightening the turn out going outside, through the apex and back outside. My reason was the wet slop on the outside approach, but I ended up bogging down on the rise, and having my rear wheel slip instead of grip. Even with the Grifo's between 25 and 30. Maybe some true mud tubs are the answer to this... or just go for it and deal with the slop. A tip from Ernesto... though I didn't get it until after the race.

I also kept trying to take the right side of the mud puddle. I'd spend more time lining up my path, instead of just riding through. I picked up that tip with three to go, when John caught me and dropped me right there.

I worked to keep him close, especially when Robert Sroka yelled that I may have been in the top 10. Top 10! That would be fantastic. So head down, let's see if I can bring John and or Greg back to improve on that.

John is running the hill to the barriers.... so I change my tactic and do the same thing, for the last three laps. I did not change my hesitating at the big mud puddle though. I probably lost one place with my technique through that over the 7 or so laps we did.

Battles were raging up ahead. Zak and Rudy were close to each other, Greg responded when John came by him. I was just trying to keep myself close, but I could tell that it would be some serious work to bring myself up there.

In the end, I was content to stay where I was. The best part of the day was I was not lapped on this short course. That alone made my day.

I counted back from the top 5 and was sure I was 10th.... for about 15 hours. When I remembered Ross Clark was up there also. Checking out results the next day confirmed I ended in 11th. I'm not complaining. I put together a good ride in conditions worse than my two "bad" races this year at Stark and (worse still) Leroy. This will put to rest any thoughts that I don't go well in wet grass/mud. I didn't really believe them, but there is always a slight nagging thought when you have a couple of not good days in the same conditions.

I did a long cool down, since I needed my legs to be recovered for Sunday. Right before leaving, Brett asked me to take a lap backwards to check out the course for day two. So I did... Bob Rodgers and I gave a thumbs up being the first to preview the layout for day 2.