Mid January I left for California to get in some good training on the bike. Home base Healdsburg.
The first race of the year was Fontana. I took the win battling with teammate Barry and Tinker Juarez.
The first US Cup was in Austin, Texas. I had a decent ride ending up 10th, Barry 15th. Barry and I drove over to Louisiana to race the Rouge Roubai. The Rouge is a road race with three gravel sections. I crashed out on the second gravel section. Barry 5th, Cory 11th, Spencer 12.
The roads in Louisiana are amazing. Great riding.
I was a little sore from my crash at the Rouge Roubai but that didn't stop me from doing the Fort Ross Grasshopper back in NorCal where I was the bridesmaid to Sam Bassetti, Jim Hewett 3rd, Roger Bartels 6th. The dirt decent into Cazidero helped me make some ground on the road guys.
For my 31 birthday I went up to Barry's in Bend to do some skiing. That week turned out to be quite a ride. Awesome MTBing, skiing, which included a 25km skate ski race and just hanging with a good crew of people. We even went to a rock show. Barry's mom and sister came to town so it was quite the full house. Adam Craig took us on some cool mtb rides by Smith rock.
Back in NorCal Odessa had an amazing birthday party. Cake flown in from Florida. I have never eaten so much cake.
Took in a San Francisco Giants game with Odessa, Hilary and Roger.
Geysers Grasshopper hillclimbing challenge was good. Taylor Burrett and I broke away from the gun and managed to stay away all day. I couldn't hang on the Pine Flat hillclimb. 1st Tyler, 2nd me, 3rd Billy Damon, 6th Roger Bartels.
The Kona Crew arrived in Healdstown for the Kings Ridge Grasshopper, to get the legs warmed up for Sea Otter. Kabush decided to join us . 1st Geoff, 2nd Barry, 4th Spencer, me 8th Cory Wallace 10th and Roger Bartels 12th. We thought it would be good training to do back to back races so we nailed the Napa Dirt Classic the next day. Barry won I got 4th, Cory 6th, and Roger 16th.
It felt good to get to SeaOtter and get the new bikes dialed in. It has been a long time since a bunch of euros came over and it was nice to see more of a european presence. The short track for the Kona boys: Spencer 14th, Barry 21st, me 38th and Cory 58th. In the XC I lined up becide Meguel Martinez. Martinez won. It has been a long time since I have seen Meguel on top of a podium. Barry 8th, me 28th, Cory 55, Roger 81st and pencer rand over a nail which took him out.
Altitude and the desert make for great racing. Everyone should check out the Whiskey Off Road. It is probably the second biggest mtb race in the USA. Very awesome atmosphere. Every Pro has to do the Crit in downtown Prescott on the Friday before the race. It is a muscly coarse and has a nasty climb. Max won, Spencer 4th, Barry 9th, me 20th and Cory 24th. The main event is the 50 miler that includes an 11mile hillclimb which blows the race apart . Geoff won, Spencer 6th, Barry 17, me 20th and Cory 30th.
After being on the road for 3 1/2 months it feels good to be home in Sechelt. It feels good to see logging trucks rolling through the main strip. Lots of the snow has melted and the trails are in good shape. Would like to build some new trails but don't know if time will permit with training for the upcoming Euro races at the end of the month.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Monday, September 29, 2008
Cyclocross, Interbike
Well the Cross season has started. For the moment I haven't been training much, spent 8 days during the middle of September hunting elk in the East Kootenays. It was awesome, saw about 100 to 200 elk, lots of mule and white tail deer, one fox and one moose.
Star Crossed (starcrossedcx.com) was quite muddy. It was pouring rain almost right up to our start. I was a little nervous about my form but that's what you get for not training . I finished 18th. Wendy took second in the women's race. Ryan should have won, but clipped a lapped rider when trying to pass and crashed, he finished second. Barry finished 6th. The next day was was sunny for the Rad Racing GP. Rad Racing puts on an awesome event, always playing AC/DC on the run up. I spent most of the race riding with two Rad Racing kids, and I ended up finishing in 18th place, again. I should give my team-mate Wendy a shout out for winning her first race of the year. Ryan finished 2nd, and Barry nailed 6th.
Las Vegas and Interbike were awesome, got to see lots of people. I spent most of my time between the Kona and Cove crews. It is the first time I have ever spent whole days at the show, so I was up at 7 am, finished the day at 5 pm, and then was out until 1 or 2 am. I did that three days in a row and was quite tired by the end. I was planning on doing Cross Vegas, but I didn't register in time so I couldn't race. Ryan defended his title by winning, and Barry hung in there and beat Lance Armstrong.
Star Crossed (starcrossedcx.com) was quite muddy. It was pouring rain almost right up to our start. I was a little nervous about my form but that's what you get for not training . I finished 18th. Wendy took second in the women's race. Ryan should have won, but clipped a lapped rider when trying to pass and crashed, he finished second. Barry finished 6th. The next day was was sunny for the Rad Racing GP. Rad Racing puts on an awesome event, always playing AC/DC on the run up. I spent most of the race riding with two Rad Racing kids, and I ended up finishing in 18th place, again. I should give my team-mate Wendy a shout out for winning her first race of the year. Ryan finished 2nd, and Barry nailed 6th.
Las Vegas and Interbike were awesome, got to see lots of people. I spent most of my time between the Kona and Cove crews. It is the first time I have ever spent whole days at the show, so I was up at 7 am, finished the day at 5 pm, and then was out until 1 or 2 am. I did that three days in a row and was quite tired by the end. I was planning on doing Cross Vegas, but I didn't register in time so I couldn't race. Ryan defended his title by winning, and Barry hung in there and beat Lance Armstrong.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Brian Head
Well Brian Head is one of the most awesome race courses we do all year. However, I have never had a good ride there, maybe because it starts at 9700 ft. This year turned out no different. The short track was an absolute disaster, I finished second last. I had no snap whatsoever. It scared me pretty good and I thought I was going to get crushed in the xc. Fortunately that was not the case, but I didn't by any means have a stellar ride, I finished 19th, behind Eric Tonkin. Ryan nailed 7th and Barry finished 13th in the xc. Barry won the short track overall.
I should give Geoff Kabush a shout out because he finished 3rd in the World Cup in Canberra, Australia then flew to Brian Head that night and finished 3rd again.
I should give Geoff Kabush a shout out because he finished 3rd in the World Cup in Canberra, Australia then flew to Brian Head that night and finished 3rd again.
Friday, August 22, 2008
BC Bike Race, TranRockies...
There has been a lot of racing since my last blog entry, and I got sick a couple of times. One of the highlights was the B.C. Bike Race. Though my form was good going into this event, I was not quite sure because I had a rough Test of Metal. The BCBR started in Shawnigan Lake and 7 days later ended in Whistler. Went through some of the finest single-track in the world. My partner Barry and I won stage 4 in my home town of Sechelt, which was on Canada day, and took the overall victory a couple days later in Whistler.
BC Bike Race, photograph by Gibby.
Then it was back to normal MTB racing Canadian nationals were I ended up 14th not so good, and two world cups 26th and 34th... sort of mediocre performances.
I figured it would be fun to end on a epic note so I talked Max P into doing Trans Rockies, holy that is an epic race! Completely different than BCBR (lots of granny gear climbing and hike a bike) Max and I ended up second.
BC Bike Race, photograph by Gibby.
Then it was back to normal MTB racing Canadian nationals were I ended up 14th not so good, and two world cups 26th and 34th... sort of mediocre performances.
I figured it would be fun to end on a epic note so I talked Max P into doing Trans Rockies, holy that is an epic race! Completely different than BCBR (lots of granny gear climbing and hike a bike) Max and I ended up second.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
NMBS #2 Fountain Hills AZ
It really sucks trying to update a racing blog 4 days after you raced, it is hard to remember what happened but here are some highlights from the Nova Desert Classic.
Barry and I totally tarded out and ended up arriving on friday 30 minutes prior to the super D which we had to do if we wanted to be part of the stage race. I ended up 15th, without preriding. Ended up 11th in the shortrack where I watched Toulouse get taken out by someone who was so lactated they just fell over, it was a nasty crash. The XC was extremely suffer-y, I was holding on all day, had nothing left at the end and finished 11th. At the end of all that I ended up 8th overall.
Kris
Barry and I totally tarded out and ended up arriving on friday 30 minutes prior to the super D which we had to do if we wanted to be part of the stage race. I ended up 15th, without preriding. Ended up 11th in the shortrack where I watched Toulouse get taken out by someone who was so lactated they just fell over, it was a nasty crash. The XC was extremely suffer-y, I was holding on all day, had nothing left at the end and finished 11th. At the end of all that I ended up 8th overall.
Kris
Monday, March 31, 2008
NMBS#1 Fontana, CA
Well what do you know, I missed the podium at the first norba xc. Felt pretty good worked with JHK for a lot of the race and on the last lap punched hard to try and catch some of the shrapnel from the lead group (Geoff, Adam, Max, Sam, Barry, Ricky) which had self destructed. Well I was only able to get Ricky, and came close to Barry. Big thanks to our Mechanic Bass Man. He was a big help.
I had a wicked start on the short track, came from second row to fourth through the first corner. Ryan led for the first lap, Barry lead the second, Geoff took half lap, then I went to the front and gave it everything that I had for a lap. Barry went around, and all the sudden there was a crash behind me and Geoff. I ease up and Barry got a gap, Geoff tried to bridge the gap, but didn't make it. I couldn't hold his accelerations, and my front derailer twisted sideways into my crank, which sucked. I was, however, able to finish. Barry won.
The Super D was fun but I didn't like the downhill running start on pavenment in bike shoes, that is a good way to twist an ankle, so I took that bit easy and ended up mid pack. If I didn't get disqualifid for a radd line, that some spectater gave me crap over - remember this is super D, anything goes! It was actually longer, it is not like I cut a switchback.
Kris
I had a wicked start on the short track, came from second row to fourth through the first corner. Ryan led for the first lap, Barry lead the second, Geoff took half lap, then I went to the front and gave it everything that I had for a lap. Barry went around, and all the sudden there was a crash behind me and Geoff. I ease up and Barry got a gap, Geoff tried to bridge the gap, but didn't make it. I couldn't hold his accelerations, and my front derailer twisted sideways into my crank, which sucked. I was, however, able to finish. Barry won.
The Super D was fun but I didn't like the downhill running start on pavenment in bike shoes, that is a good way to twist an ankle, so I took that bit easy and ended up mid pack. If I didn't get disqualifid for a radd line, that some spectater gave me crap over - remember this is super D, anything goes! It was actually longer, it is not like I cut a switchback.
Kris
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Lake Sonoma MTB #1 - March 22
The plan was to do the Copperopolis Road Race, but Eric Tonkin bailed and Max Plaxton broke his road bike. It seemed like a better idea to do a mtb race close to Sonoma Lake anyways. Liam Killeen came into town this week and we were able to talk him into racing.
The day of the race was awesome... nice and hot. From the gun Barry went out like a bat out of hell, followed by a couple locals, then Max, Liam and I. By the second lap Barry and Max were ahead one minute, while I was in third with 1:45 on Liam. The third lap was the same but the gaps opened up more. On the fourth Max said Barry headed it but flatted a couple miles from the finish, so the Canucks took it 1, 2! Barry ended up third and Liam fourth.
Went swimming in Lake Sonoma which was cold, but awesome. Looking forward to Fontana next weekend. All the info for the Sonoma lake race series is availible at www.bikemonkey.net.
Kris
The day of the race was awesome... nice and hot. From the gun Barry went out like a bat out of hell, followed by a couple locals, then Max, Liam and I. By the second lap Barry and Max were ahead one minute, while I was in third with 1:45 on Liam. The third lap was the same but the gaps opened up more. On the fourth Max said Barry headed it but flatted a couple miles from the finish, so the Canucks took it 1, 2! Barry ended up third and Liam fourth.
Went swimming in Lake Sonoma which was cold, but awesome. Looking forward to Fontana next weekend. All the info for the Sonoma lake race series is availible at www.bikemonkey.net.
Kris
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