Powers looked super strong when he jumped from chase group. May have been suckered into working too much by LVDH and Pauwels. Pauwels had right to sit on since teammate was in 3rd. LVDH seemed intent on dropping other two rather than working with Powers. Pretty clear Powers would be out sprinted by other two. 

Trenton really looked great. Fantastic course for his talents. Would have been great to see him get Top 10. U.S. Riders one Top 10 in WC history before last night and just missed two in same race.

Big props to Michael Vtrnht for hanging on to podium place. He looked done when dropped by Van Aert and Sven  after they caught him. A lot of firepower behind and he would not give up. Really good ride for Curtis White who didn't seem to be in same class as Bosmans last weekend.

Jim Feehan said:

Big props to Michael Vtrnht for hanging on to podium place. He looked done when dropped by Van Aert and Sven  after they caught him. A lot of firepower behind and he would not give up. Really good ride for Curtis White who didn't seem to be in same class as Bosmans last weekend.

I agree. Curtis White has a pretty powerful kick, and at smaller races, like our own Supercross he's been able to start fast, fade, kick back into gear and hold on for podium. But to go 70 minutes against a world-class field and still get 20th? That's some next level racing for sure.

Gloucester/Providence weekends are going to offer up some OUTSTANDING viewing with a couple of C1s on tap for both weekends, you can be sure all the top pros will be here. CANNOT wait!

Marc Bertucco said:

mugwump said:

Saw CrossVegas aka the first-ever CX World Cup in the Americas.  The women's race looked like other crossvegas women's races, except that there were some Euros trying to beat the luna chix--Nash winning solo and Compton not looking impressive is old hat.  

Part of the reason this was, is because more of the world's best women call US cross racing home than other places. I said it last year, after literally watching most every pro race in the Midatlantic and New England regions, week to week, the women put on a better show than the men. More lead changes, more aggression, more drama.

FWIW, the women's race was less exciting.  It was because Luna did their thing and only Lechner made any effort to do something about limiting their dominance, though I don't think she did the right thing.  Cant pretty much seemed to be sitting on for the sprint.  

Can't make the Gloucester trip so I'm headed to Hippo Cross on Saturday for the 9:50am race. I have room for two more. Leaving Brooklyn at about 7:00.

Registered for Hippo , but cant make , Kids soccer conflict

Interviews are up from the first race of NE Holy Week. Listen to Stef Wyman tell Garrigan to fuck off:

http://dirtwire.tv/2015/09/midnight-ride-mike-garrigan-had-some-mechanical-issues-but-hes-feeling-good/

I have one grifo-style tubeless tire and one shitty clincher file tread tire.  Which do I put on the front wheel and which on the back wheel?  Tubeless grifo-style on back wheel for traction, right?

Nope. Other way around. Grifo up front to help w cornering

#ymmv

(Pit wheels)

Mark Taylor said:

@jim_nelson
How was hippo cross

I'll leave aside my particularly dismal performance and comment on the race itself.

The promoter did a great job of organization and getting the vibe right. Some good food (some delicious post race pulled pork), a beer tent (local Riverhorse Brewery), some vendors, a bike wash (though not hose driven it was stocked with plenty of water and brushes), etc... The location was lovely and my 20 minute warm up ride took me along a pleasant country dirt road past bucolic farms and bubbling streams.

The actual race course - not so great. The whole race took place in one giant pasture. It was sloped so there was a bit of elevation to work with but mainly it was just winding around in the grass. The venue seemed to be a working farm so perhaps they were limited to how far they could stretch the boundaries but I would have liked a little bit of through the woods and down the road. There wasn't even a tree on the course. There were a couple of easily rideable steps and the standard barriers but no other course feature
except
bumps.
This pasture had seen many years of hoof churned mud resulting in by far the bumpiest cyclocross course I have ever ridden. A lot of folks ended up with blisters on their palms from the constant jarring. It was seriously unpleasant. There were no good lines. I would hesitate going again unless I found out they had figured out a way to expand the course and provide at least some respite from the bumps.

Jim, those holes were hippo prints.  It's an active hippo farm.

Laugh all you want...

http://www.wired.com/2013/12/hippopotamus-ranching/

Brendan Rigby said:

Jim, those holes were hippo prints.  It's an active hippo farm.

Jeez, maybe that was a pulled hippo sandwich......

Jules said:

Laugh all you want...

http://www.wired.com/2013/12/hippopotamus-ranching/

Lake Cow Bacon!

Maybe Pablo Escobar owned the place previously

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27905743

Recognize the guy in 2nd?

http://shop.cxmagazine.com/collections/backcopies/products/issue-3

Anyone race Cooper River before? Any intel on what that course might be like after 5 days of rain?

jim_nelson said:

Anyone race Cooper River before? Any intel on what that course might be like after 5 days of rain?

I have a few times. Last two years it's conflicted with Providence. Search "Cooper River" and you'll get lots of hits. But it's a long skinny course that winds it's way up and down a narrow riverside park. Flattest course you'll do all year. Pretty challenging despite that fact, and I would definitely go back if it didn't conflict.

Not sure what the drainage will be like. I think they have a FB page.

Anyone headed to Charm City next weekend? 

My two thoughts: I've been off a bike on vacation the past two weeks, been trying to get back in the swing of things, so I hope to back fit within the next week. Also, I've never done a cross race before. 

Is this a good "first" race?

Scott Kuhlke said:

Anyone headed to Charm City next weekend? 

My two thoughts: I've been off a bike on vacation the past two weeks, been trying to get back in the swing of things, so I hope to back fit within the next week. Also, I've never done a cross race before. 

Is this a good "first" race?

Complicated answers. Some will ask, why travel so far when there are "local" races in nearby CT? But others like myself, might say, YES, this is a great first race because this is a well-run event, with many of the fun trappings of bigger events (food vendors, snack bar freebies, kids races). You will have the opportunity to see high quality Elite racing (and all the associated benefits of watching good elite races). The course has a little something from all the storied cx courses. Namely climbing up hills, off camber turns, flyovers and literally the hardest sand pits I have ever ridden/run. That was last year's course.

Also, Baltimore is my first hometown and I'm biased. But if you have time and enjoy this sort of thing, the aquarium in Harbor Place is amazeballs. And also crab cakes. And also some interesting civil war and literary history things/places going on.

But if you are looking for a quiet entry into cross, with little travel/expense. Checking out a local CT race that weekend may be the way to go.

If you can travel THIS weekend, I can personally recommend Bubble Cross in the Philly/NJ area. That's a really nice smaller event. Plus #cheesesteaks #useyoursmartphone

Also Scott and all, being "fit" should not be the primary motivator of whether you race or not. Because ultimately, you are never going to be fit enough. Especially in cross. By all objective measures, I'm plenty fit these days. And you know what? I'm still getting my ass kicked all day long in cross. Seriously, I beat on average about 10 riders per race. Leaving 80 or so in front of me, kicking sand in my face.

The only question should be, "Do I WANT to race?" If your head is in it, the legs will be do what they need to do.

I guess if an extra week or two of riding/training is going to get your head in the right place, then okay, that makes sense. But don't anyone kid yourself. Done properly, cross racing is brutal, and you will never, ever be strong enough.

Thanks for the insight Marc! if anyone else is heading down there, let me know.  I have reason to be in the Baltimore area next weekend so it will be a great time.

So, after I wrote the above, I registered anyway (cat 4/5 Sat morning at 9am).  They only had 3 spots left on Bikereg, so I sucked it up!

Also, work travel has sucked up all my free weekends as of late so Charm City is my only opportunity to go race around.

If you can travel THIS weekend, I can personally recommend Bubble Cross in the Philly/NJ area. That's a really nice smaller event. Plus #cheesesteaks #useyoursmartphone

Minor point - this weekend is Cooper River. Bubblecross is 11/1.

And Marc is right - cross is hard no matter what shape you are in. If you're in fantastic shape you finish a bit quicker but its no less painful and either way its no less fun. Just jump in and do it.

Doh, Jim is right Cooper River...that's the one I was thinking of! Bubblecross is muy awesome though too.

Marc Bertucco said:

If you can travel THIS weekend, I can personally recommend Bubble Cross in the Philly/NJ area. That's a really nice smaller event. Plus #cheesesteaks #useyoursmartphone

You know you've ridden your road bike by the Bubblecross venue, right?

Bubblecross is in West Milford, NJ, which is northwest of NYC.  Less than an hour drive from Manhattan.  People can actually take a train to within ten miles or so of the venue.  And a bus goes even closer.  

Even though it's in a land that time forgot, it is pretty nice.  Don't know about the #cheesesteaks though.  (#useyoursmartphone)

I have not done a bike race since last year and I am doing Providence CX this weekend.  First race fun race!