USGP Portland Sunday

Final race (#8) of the USGP Series. Saturday was gorgeous, sunny, calm, and about 8C. Sunday was about 0C and really windy.

Canadian Champ Alison Sydor leads Butler, Dunlap, and Nash first time through the barriers. Alison had the early lead on both days, but would then fade.

Amy Dombroski didn't have the legs on day two.

Maureen Bruno Roy

Number One! and she was clearly the class of the women's field on both days. Too bad Georgia Gould didn't show.

Nash is tiny, but there should never be any doubt that she means business!

Multiple times US champion Alison Dunlap

Sue Butler

I'll post men's photos tomorrow. I also have video if I can figure out the Canon software. The mens starts were so unbelievably fast (even the 35+) that it felt like the world's biggest semi trailer going by. Still photos almost don't do it justice.

USGP Portland #1 Saturday Dec. 5, 2009

Cyclocross is awesome. How many other sports are there where you can wander around the course/field/race track pretty much anywhere you like and mingle with the best in the sport. Just try wandering around the pits during an F1 race, or the field during an NFL game, or the court at an NBA game.

Hanging out with Molly Cameron before the race.

'Hey, come in and have some of our coffee.' Cool person. Excellent rider.

Check out Portland Bicycle Studio.

Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks.
Hanging out and deciding how they wanted to warm up before the women's race. Hey guys do you mind if I take your picture? No problem!

Elite men waiting to warm up.

L to R: J Pow at the very back, Jamie Driscoll, Jesse Anthony, Trebon, ?, Danny Summerhill, ?, Tim Johnson, ? Chris Jones, Wicks, ?

Katerina Nash leading Alison Sydor through the barriers.

'Barbarella'  Barb Howe

Geoff Kabush ahead of Todd Wells

Trebon and J Pow

Molly Cameron

Wells leading Trebon about 1/3 of the way into the race

J Pow showing the pain as he bridges up to Wells and Trebon

Tim Johnson was cross-eyed in 4th

Cyclocross Provincials

A couple of snap shots from the end of the junior, espoir, senior, 30+ race to come.

Photos

Charles Feaver's photos

Video

Nice little video of the A race from Charles Feaver:
-1st lap drop into the single track of everyone led by Olli
- followed by 2nd lap at same spot of most of group
- then 3rd lap at same spot of just Chris H and me (black MUCR skinsuits)
- then a large part of the group on 4th or 5th lap a little further along the single track closer to the mud pit
- then one lap later quick shot of the leading six (Don, Craig, Dylan, Paul, Jason, Olli)
- then finally most of the group from me back (ie missing Chris and the leading six); me, Tristan, Graham, TimW, Hal, Mike, Luc, Ron, TimT, Brian, Dan, Jon, Gilles, Ian, TimF, Josh and Lincoln, DaveP, DaveL, Blake, Rick, Melanie, Dallas) on the hard path heading back past the drop-in from earlier in the race.

Updated Results

Updated results here. Average lap times included. You'll need to remember that the first lap was short by about 1/3 of a lap based on time.

More Pictures

Charles Feaver has posted some photos here. Mostly 'A' at the drop in to the single track, but also some 'B' race from the far end of the course and a few 'A' warm-ups.

Sorry. This link keeps breaking down. I'll get Charles to post elsewhere or send me a CD.

Charlene showing how to dash up the stairs.

Mike dropping into the single track.

Next Up

Next up is Provincial Championships

In keeping with the over the top cross goodness of this season Hal is offering free homemade bread and soup after the race. You must bring your own bowl and spoon.

Go here for complete information.

Lost And Found

A few clothing items were left behind on Sunday. Contact me with a description to claim them.

Thank You All

Well, that was quite a party. I hope everyone enjoyed the food and drink, and the racing. Thanks to everyone who helped. My apologies if I missed talking to you after the race. I bonked really really badly. Comfortably crusing between Chris H and Tristan until the anchor dropped. Ouch! But it was fun to be out there with all of you. Super cool early in the race to have lines of racers riding past one another all riding in 3 or 4 different directions

So many people to thank, but Al and Chris were working on the course all weekend and thanks to Dave, Seema, Hal, and Dallas who were there since early morning.

The pit of despair turned out to be fairly tame. You wouldn't have thought that yesterday with half the Red River in there.

There were lots of cameras out there. Send me your photos to share with everyone please.

FOG member Garry Stewart has posted 141 photos (almost all of the A race) here

Updated results here.


The grand prize winner was Krista Robinson. Those Mag brakes are going to look so cool on her new bike!

Race winners (the top 4 in the case of A men - being the largest and most competitive category by far) had extra tickets entered into the draw. Next year we'll keep the draw prizes and add some traditional performance based rewards.

Ideas for 2010 will pop up here occasionally.

Course Map

A big shout out to Allan Robertson and Chris Ashley for their help today. We were out there a long time. Don't blame them for some of the crazier details. Chris's eyes were popping out of his head sometimes. We'll start again tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

Click on the map for a larger version. The start section is used only for the start. The full width of the road will be used for the start after which the road will be divided in half by pylons with riders passing in opposite directions.

* There are a couple of pinch points of note where the course narrows (marked in light blue). One is between the light standard and baseball fence, the other is where the east end of the road ends and the course moves to grass. There are other potentially dangerous obstacles. Make sure you pre-ride the course.

Didn't get a chance to use the GPS on the course. It's in the 2.75 km range.

Adult Prizing

There is one small (Euro medium) Flandria jersey, one medium Lion of Flanders jersey, one large Lion of Flanders jersey and one XL (Euro XXL) Sunweb Projob team jersey. See here. The large jersey is a little on the generous side. The Sunweb Projob jersey is a little on the small side for an XL so they end up being fairly similar in size unfortunately.

They will be on display at the sign-in area. You may look at them for sizing, but you may not try them on. When you sign in you will be given a ticket. Write your name on the ticket and place it in the box corresponding to the jersey that you think best fits you. No you can't look to see how many tickets are in each.

The jerseys will be drawn for first. All of the tickets will then be combined for the smaller prizes and then the grand prize. Since prizes in cycling are normally assigned based on performance and difficulty of category I will probably provide bonus tickets to the top finishers for the grand prize based on race category and number of racers in category. Haven't decided if or how yet. Everything else will be a straight up draw.

You must be present to win any prize (except if you're on an errand for me having to do with the race).

Volunteers

Please dress warmly.
One marshal will be stationed at the mud pit. A pair of rubber boots, might be an asset there.
Having a cell phone will help.
The course is about 1.25 km from one end to the other. The course is walkable, but a bike would make the journey quicker.
The kids race starts at 1:00 p.m. Unless I've asked otherwise of you, being at the sign in area by 12:30 for instruction should be fine.
There will be hot chocolate and coffee. If you're going to be one of the marshals further down the course, a small thermos might come in handy.
If you want to bring a camera and take some pictures, you should be able to do that at most marshalling locations.
If you can help with course tear down and repair afterwards, a rake would be helpful.
Thanks to everyone!

Details

Two more days till pure, sweet exhilaration!

Race Bible here.

Waiver form here. Must be signed by all participants.
Registration form here.   Filling in your forms ahead of time and exact change will speed things up. Thanks.

Food:
Free hot dogs, European wieners, and smokies for racers, volunteers, and spectators.
Free coffee and hot chocolate.

The washrooms will be open and heated, but there's often a lack of hand towels to dry hands. Might be smart to bring your own.

Adult draw prize info here, here, and here. More prize information will be posted Saturday night. Kids prizing will depend on the number of kids.

Course map will be posted here Saturday night.
Final couse set-up Sunday a.m. Tentative time 9:00. Will be updated Saturday night.

Help repairing the course after the race will be appreciated. Bring a rake.

Check out the rest of this page for more details.
Check back Saturday night for any last minute details/changes.

Start Times Updated

Kids Race: 1:00 p.m.
'B' Race: 1:45 p.m.
'A' Race: 2:45 p.m.
Registration cut-off 30 minutes before your race starts. Call-up will begin 5 minutes before the race start (see Cross-Tastic Seeding here) so please give yourself enough time.

Al and I will ride the course on Saturday and decide the time plus laps i.e. for 'A' 50 minutes plus 1 lap vs 45 plus 2, etc. The goal is for a total race time of about 60-65 minutes for A, 40-45 minutes for B/Citizen.

Fees: $12 for A and B. Citizens free. Kids free.

This is not an all-comers race. Everyone including kids must hold a valid licence (UCI race licence from anywhere in the world, MCA citizens licence, KOM). If you need one, the commissaires can sell you one at the race.

I will post forms tonight. Registration will take place at Whittier starting at 11:30 a.m. Pre-printing the forms and filling them out ahead of time will help things go smoother.

The race will go ahead rain or shine. Even the better if it does rain a bit. If you can't race, come out and cheer, but bring your cowbell.

So What Made It Into The Course

The course contains a mix of most cross terrains and challenges. There are fast easier pedalling road sections that will appeal to roadies and give everyone a chance to recovery before the next challenge and slower, heavier grassy sections that benefit the MTB crowd.

- Road -short and long sections (though sadly no pavement)
- Grass fields - short and long sections
- Forrest path (sorry not 3m wide, but fast and flowing)
- 'Wall of Pain' run up. It will challenge!
- 'Pit of Despair'  It will be rideable, but a challenge.
- Fast and slow flat corners
- Fast and slow off-camber corners
- Fast and slow banked corners
- Off camber descent
- One section of stairs
- Tough little climb or two

Special thanks to Al Robertson for his help. We weren't allowed to do anything within the weedy area on the east. Apparently it's a natural grassy area. There is an event at the Fort so we will be avoiding the Fort. Please remember to be on the lookout for other people and always be courteous. Do not damage any of the turf (except what naturally happen on the race line during the race), especially the soccer field. It's going to be awesome!

Still too vague? Map will be posted Saturday.

More Cowbell Please

Or a guide to being a 'cross spectator:

Cyclocross is the ideal race for spectators. The races are fast and furious, there are lots of slips and falls, the courses are compact and highly visible, and riders come by many times so that after a while it is difficult to sort out who is first and who is last. In Europe and the US fans are often fortified by the local brew. In Canada we cheer for the love or it... or maybe to keep warm.

Spectators show great concern for the well being of riders, but what they're really interested in is seeing great mishaps in the mud

Cross fans are intense and vocal

... okay maybe more intense than the competitors

Cowbells are a traditional way to cheer on competitors, but any means of being loud works

Loud and boisterous is not only encouraged, it is expected! Come out and cheer. More cowbell please!

Free Food and Drink

If I can swing it, there will be free hotdogs and hot chocolate / coffee for everyone (racers, volunteers, and within reason spectators too) on Sunday. I need a couple more BBQs (I'll reimburse for propane) and someone who can transport them to and from Whittier and we're a go. You can email me at 99gsewell99@99mts.net (remove the 9's) if you can help.

Sorry, no Stella or Hoegaarden. Maybe next year.

Update: We now have a huge BBQ courtesy of John Daniels and Qualico. Free hot chocolate/coffee and hot dogs/European weiners/smokies for everyone. We do still need a couple of cooks/servers.

Kids Race

More details will come up later.

There were 54 kids at Altona. Lets see what we can do. Kids Of Mud has been formally invited. Kids race is free. Adult draw prize not included, but I'm working on something for the kids race and because it's not the adult prizes the kids will not have to be present to receive their prize. Free hot chocolate for all racers and volunteers; maybe for spectators too. I'm working on free hotdogs, but need some BBQs and a couple of volunteers.

Pit Lanes and Hand-Ups

Hand-ups are forbidden in cyclocross. It is illegal for anyone to hand you any material anywhere on the course with the exception of the pit lane. A rider may not cut the course in order to reach the pit area. They must proceed forward along the race course until they reach the pit lane. Within the pit lane a rider may make repairs to their bike or change wheels and/or bikes only. They may NOT take on any additional food or drink anywhere during the race including the pit.

Here are some pertinent rules regarding pit lanes:
5.1.026 The pit area is the part of the course where riders can change wheels or bicycles.

5.1.038 A rider may only take the pit lane to change his bicycle or a wheel.
5.1.039 Equipment changes must be carried out within the confines of the pit lane and at the same point. A rider who has passed the end of the pit area must continue to the following pit area for any bicycle or wheel change. A rider who is still in the racing lane may enter the pit lane as long as he retraces his route in the racing lane and enters the other lane at its start without obstructing other competitors.

An advanced feature in cross is the double pit lane. This is placed where two different parts of the course come close together allowing the pit to be used on two different sides. The advantage of this is that if you have a mechanical or need to change bikes because of mud for example you have two opportunities per lap instead of one and are therefore always closer to the next pit.

Here is an example of a double pit lane:

Bikes, wheels, and if you are on a pro team your mechanic reside within the magenta area. A rider wishing to use the pit rides through the blue area. Any change to equipment must take place after the yellow line and be completed before reaching the red line. A rider may not ride through the blue area if not changing his bicycle or wheel(s). Should a rider suffer a mechanical after passing the end of the pit area (marked in red in the example) they may not turn around and re-enter the pit, but must proceed on to the next pit area. On the other hand, if a rider suffers a mechanical in the race lane between the pit entrance (yellow line) and pit exit (red line) they may retrace their steps along the race lane in order to enter the pit (as long as they don't interfer with other competitors).

Bikes

We accept almost any bike in Manitoba cyclocross races. Many jurisdictions prohibit mountain bikes in their advanced catergories because they offer an unfair advantage in many instances, particularly sand, bumpy terrain, tight turns, and difficult climbs. So you should not feel that you need to have a 'cross bike or are at a disadvantage if you don't. If you are using a mountain bike you may not use bar-ends though.

A range of gears offers increased flexibility, but you will find that many 'cross racers prefer to ride a single speed for either simplicity, lighter weight, or increased reliability in the muddy conditions that are common to cyclocross.

Whatever bike you use it must have working front and rear brakes and both wheels must be the same diameter.

Cross-Tastic Start Seeding

Riders will be called up in rows of 5, higher seeded riders at the front, lower seeded riders behind, those who haven't raced yet (i.e. no points) next. If you arrive after the call-up you will be placed at the back of your race.

'A' race seeding here.

'B' race seeding here. Citizen riders will start in seeding order behind B riders.

Kids race will be arranged on the line by age category.

Seeding was determined by number of races taken part in and finishing position with a maximum of 25 points and a minimum of 1 for each race.

Updates

Okay, I'm back so the updates should come fast and furious this week. Ohio is absolutely beautiful this time of year. Lots of awesome 'cross potential. I'm off to see the park foreman today to see if we can resolve some issues regarding the course.

In the meantime, David Lipnowski has been taking some great pictures at some of the races.

More Draw Prizes

In tribute to the Belgian passion for cyclocross: one Flandria, two Lion of Flanders, and one Sunweb jersey, Lion of Flanders socks, Lion of Flanders bike caps, cowbells...

Our draw prize list is now topping $1000!

The jerseys range in size from Small to XL.
For information on the grand prize go here

** You need to be present to win any of the draw prizes **

JP

This is the fastest North American cyclocross rider. Check out the calves. Hmmm, nice brakes ... TRP EuroX Magnesium.

Look at this season's race photos and you'll also note them on the bikes of at least half the peloton; current World Champion Niels Albert as well as three times World Champion Erwin Vervecken, Christian Heule, Ryan Trebon, Jeremy Powers, Geoff Kabush, and Katie Compton to name just a few. The cannibal of cyclocross Sven Nys uses EuroX in the less expensive carbon version.

Pure, Sweet Exhilaration

'Nuff said.

Registration and Start Information

Registration information and forms will be posted in the week before the race.

Preliminary schedule (details subject to change)
Kids race at 1:00 p.m. modified course
'B' race at 1:30 p.m., 30 minutes plus 1 lap
'A' race at 2:30 p.m., 50 minutes plus 1 lap

Rider order for the start of each race will be based on previous race results this year within the same category (that means if you're now in A, whatever you did previously in B doesn't count since by definition everyone in A was faster). You can improve your seeding in two ways, taking part in more races and finishing further up the field. No we're not the USGP or World Cup yet, but we're getting enough people out for our races that it's becoming an issue with some of our starts. Besides, it makes for better racing if you start out surrounded by others of the same ability level. Seeding will be based on results through the Belgian Super Cup.

Course Layout

The course is still being tweaked and will not be revealed until the day before the race. On the evening of Saturday the 24th I will post a google map of the course outline on this page.

In the meantime you can expect the course to be true to the fact that 'cross is a road discipline that combines both road and off-road elements.

To paraphrase the UCI regulations on cyclocross: A Cyclo-cross course shall include road, country and forest paths and meadowland forming a closed circuit of a minimum length 2.5 km and maximum 3.5 km that is a minimum of 3 metres wide throughout.

Careful consideration of the regulations and examination of numerous UCI races suggest the following elements are of prime importance:
- A wide contiguous section of pavement of several hundred meters in length (often the start/finish)
- Sections over both grassy fields and smooth established grassy paths and/or sections of dirt roads/paths and/or sections of forest roads/paths
- A limited number of obstacles requiring the rider to dismount and carry their bike
- A long/taxing run up over either stairs, grass, or sand
- A long/taxing climb
- These will be linked by high speed and slower turns, some of which may be off-camber
All of the above must be at least 3m wide. This promotes safety, the ability to pass, and flowing course design.

A section of mud or sand which the better riders can ride through is often a feature as well as one or more traverses along an off-camber section.

With limited resources in Manitoba it is not always possible to follow the UCI regulations exactly to the letter, but it is possible to follow the spirit of the regulations. For example, in Manitoba we often use an extra barrier to force a dismount before a climb since we have so few long climbs. Mountain bikes are prohibited in the top race in many jurisdictions because of the unfair advantage they offer on some parts of the course; climbs being one. We still allow mountain bikes in our A races, but the barrier at the bottom ensures that everyone has to run the hill. At Whittier there will be some single track. It will not be 3m wide throughout, but it also will not include any tight narrow turns greater than about 45 degrees. That will allow it to remain (relatively) fast and flowing as it would be if it were 3m wide. That works for me, but these are challenges that each race promoter has to make an individual decision on and will likely approach differently.

Prizes

Amongst the draw prizes the grand prize will be a complete retail set of TRP EuroX Magnesium canti brakes. Retail Value about $450. These are the bomb! Not only are they the lightest canti's you can buy (at only 103 gm a pair including all hardware - which is Ti by the way - they are about half the weight of standard canti's) they are also super powerful and unlike every other brake of this style they are super easy to adjust.

TRP has improved on their Euro X design. The new TRP brakes are designed to give maximum stopping power and mud clearance. They are constructed of magnesium arms and alloy hardware and titanium mounting bolts, for an incredibly low weight. The Euro X magnesium brakes come with removable cartridge style pads for easy pad changes. They come with an extra set of pads that are compatible with Carbon wheels. The straddle cable also has a barrel adjuster to fine tune your setup.

The 2009 UCI World Cyclocross Championships were held in Hoogerheide, The Netherlands. Championships were held in the following categories: Elite Men, Elite Women, Under 23 Men, Junior Men. In the 4 events, riders using TRP Brakes won 9 medals, including 4 gold.

There Will Be Tears!

Tears of pain? Tears of exhaustion? Tears of joy?

There Will Be Sweat!

There Will Be Mud!

First poster in the series. There will be mud, but the plan is that it will be rideable for many riders. Check back tomorrow for poster #2 and another hint at what is to come.

Cross-Tastic

Cross-Tastic takes place at Whittier Park on Sunday, October 25, 2009. Tentative starting time is 1:00 p.m. for the 'B' race.

I will post details re: times, races, start order, course layout, prizes, etc. over the coming week as they become available and as I have time. Check back frequently as this page will be constantly updated.