Promptness while always appreciated, ain’t always possible…. I’m lucky to get to the start line on time for a race so posting updates on may take time getting there.
With two years of hosting rights for the US National Cyclocross Championships occurring in the Midwest (Verona, WI) this year, along with the World Championship Cyclocross race happening in Kentucky rather than Europe. If person from the Midwest wanted to opportune time to race in the Big Shows this would be season to do it.
As such, that was the plan starting last year to make a focused effort on cyclo-cross and see where I could go with it. As with many things in life, the plans & outcomes can differ. Despite purposeful efforts, I had at times the same fortune of getting the traction of a file tread clincher in a muddy cross race.
First gotta make a point about cyclocross competition – for anyone that gets serious about and this applies for the vast majority of racers. It’s ALL about the POINTS. Whatdda talkin’ about Swanson? For the uninitiated, think of it in terms of Preferred Starts or “call ups”.
Get enough people in a race (25+) that isn’t too long (like ‘cross, being only an hour), limit the width of the starting line to 8 riders wide and you can start to visualize the problem of showing up at races of 40, 60, 80 or even 100 racers. An attempt to solve who starts where instead of a free for all of who can plant their butt & bike on the front row first is done by a “points” system. USA Cycling which acts a unifying body for rules, etc for many cycling races has created a not too simple but nonetheless a reasonably effective ranking system.
Everyone racing gets a score/points based on how they place, it’s adjusted for the caliber of competitors & the level of importance the race is given.
In 2011 I learned the ropes of this system on the fly. In 2012 it was intended to be a more purposeful effort to ultimately get in the most favorable position possible going into US Nationals & the masters World Championships.
Here’s the problem I faced… cyclocross while growing in popularity… in certain areas of the country still doesn’t measure up to MTB or road bike racing opportunities. All summer long there’s almost never a problem picking up a MTB race several weekends each month, most of which one doesn’t have to travel more than an hour or two. In ‘cross racing, well… there’s races that close but not ones running under USA Cycling, so it meant strategically mapping out treks of 4hr & 5hrs drives to races in Southern WI or the Twin Cities.
I don’t know how many cycling enthusiasts, even the die hard ones like to travel a lot. It’s not even just the economics & logistics, it’s the time. When you like to ride a bike, it more enjoyable to spend time racing your bike than driving the car.
The first effort for points came at round one of the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross. That was strike #1 of sorts. The rules set in place favored starting positions the first day of racing to previous years participants, point leaders in local cross races secondly & lastly to order of registration. So with 70+ position start, 9 rows back, in a 45min race didn’t lend itself to having the opportunity to place well, get the necessary points & move up in ranks.
Now despite a very professional setup, where I will openly criticize the USGP organization is not restructuring the starting order after the first days results. So if even if a talented racer moves up significantly day one, he’s gonna start in the back row again the second day, instead of being moved up to a more appropriate starting position & getting to race closer to the front as is done in other two race formats.
I happened to move thru 40+ riders and ended up in the twenties day one. But day two it was back to the rear of the field. An significant injury took place to one of the racers shortly after the start & it ultimately halted the race. However decision #2 I don’t agree with is USGP, instead of shifting races back 15-30min & restarting, they cancel the race altogether. People may agree or disagree with me and that’s fine. But I think a huge majority of guys/gals that race bikes, if they are the ones that get injured will say if asked say “Yes, the race should go on. Don’t stop it on my account.” Never haven been in that position in a bike race, but having been seriously injured in other sports at one point or another – those games were never stopped. I’d of been P.O.’d if a game/race was ever stopped because my sorry ass got hurt. Get me off the course or field, get me the necessarily medical help and let the games/races proceed!! So promoters -- think like the athlete, no one wants the race stopped on their account, the athletes are the ones who are supporting your event, there’s a respect in carrying on & not going soft. That’s just my feelings.
So trek # 1 was foiled. Next step, scour the multitude of websites & USA cycling’s website to find the next best place to invest time, energy and effort for possible points.
The next stop, a Saturday MN Cyclocross series race at ElmCreek, a good field, with Bjorn Selander, Jessie Reints & Josh Roeser, but for some reason not the ideal caliber of points in play & an untimely roll of the tire in the first lap never present an opportunity to mix it up at the finish.
By mid Oct, after enough research of previous results, the best chance for points I would need for a decent call up at Nationals wouldn’t be at the Sat MN Cross races, it would from their MN Tues night ‘cross series…great, a 4 hr drive on a weekday. Ok, not ideal but it was the last week of those races, so I gave it a go. Again another mechanical in the first race, but a rescue & sacrifice from Jeremy Ames (thanks!!) lent itself to a reasonable result in race #2.
Had sorta started feeling this sense of disillusionment coming over me in trying to get this “Operation ‘Cross Nationals” to take flight. I went back to square one & tossed all my eggs into two sets of races in December. MN Cross Championships & the WI/Midwest Cross Championships.
In both cases it would be last row starts, & require a big effort & plenty of luck to get to the front in the first 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the races….. recaps to come…
