Epic Racing around the World

Bart Gillespie is tearing up the planet with the first CX race report of the year…off the plane from Puerto Rico, no less!

The Utah cyclocross season got off to an early start on August 25th with the Worlds Collide CX Race and Clam Bake in Heber City, Ut. With temperatures soaring into the 90’s and a strong South wind kicking up dust it was a challenging early season test.

Fortunately, I had returned from Puerto Rico the day before the race where my internal thermostat had been reset to tolerate oppressive heat. I built my new Cannondale cyclocross bike the night before the race and outfitted it with sweet new Reynolds carbon handle bar, fork, seatpost, and off course world famous wheels. The bike was light and solid but without any time in the saddle I felt a little awkward.

The race started with Ali G taking the holeshot and pushing for the 1^st lap prime, I settled in and mercilessly passed him just before the last corner into the start finish, that’s racing. Unfortunately, Ali had a mechanical sprinting out of the corner and I was left alone to punch out another 50 minutes of bumpy trails and dismounts. By the finish I had built a solid lead and was happy not to have to sprint it out. The new bike worked flawlessly but I hope to get the position dialed in before the next race. I think the clam bake following the race was the highlight of the event and I particularly enjoyed the crab bisque.

Cyclocross racing is now on my mind and an early season race like this is perfect for working out equipment and fitness issues before the season really hits. I felt pretty good considering the recent travel and new bike, with a little luck and a steady diet of Mona Vie I hope to put together a stellar season of cross!

by Thomas Spannring - (when’s the last time you wrote a blog in your 2nd language?)

It’s always great to have a big event in your hometown. The E100, part of the National Ultra Endurance Series, came to Park City this past weekend. I guess my real hometown would be a small town called Liezen, in Austria, but I have been living here in Northern Utah for the past 6 years or so. Logistically this was great, no long travels involved, especially since these long races start at 6 am usually. That meant I got to sleep in until 4.45am. What a treat.

The race started in the dark, who knew that the sun doesn’t come out until 7am or so. I guess I haven’t been up that early in a long time. I used an old head light I found, and riding in the dark turned out to be really fun. It is so quiet that early in the morning all you can hear is your own breathing and that of your competitors.

Occasionaly, you can hear crackeling noises coming out of the woods and all you can think of is this big moose staring at you. Or maybe it was just a squirrel? When the sun came out, we actually saw a moose, standing there like a statue just staring at us.

The race itself was a lot of fun. Tinker Juarez, Josh Tostado, Chris Etough and myself were riding together for the first stage or so.

After the second leg I happened to be in the lead, which felt great. I was in such a rush, I just kept hammering until after about 6 hours, my body totally shot down on me. I got dizzy (maybe keeping the arm and leg warmers on after the temps went up to about 90 wasn’t such a good idea), and actually had to stop and get off my bike. My hr stayed really high for about 5 min after I got off the bike. I tried for the next 30 min or so to keep riding, but I just couldn’t.

This not being a short XC race, where I could have just finished the race by cruising the last 20 min. or so, I had to make a dicision no racer ever wants to make. I decided to quit. It never feels good, but it really hurts if you have to do it on your home turf and after feeling so great the first part of the race.

This race utilizes some of the best trails in Park City, or the best trails I’ve ever seen, period. I hope more people will come to this event in the future, I will definitely give it another shot next year.

Two weekends ago, Bart, Blake and I headed down to Puerto Rico for the Cayey Ciclismo Classic - a 3 day road race. Nothing beats a bunch of mountain bikers causing chaos in loaner magenta uniforms. Remember, its not pink. Man-genta…..

The crew rode well each day…unlike your average mtb race, there was more than our fair share of sitting around - island time, no doubt. It was a nice change from the hectic starts of most mtb races…with road races, especially on the Islands, a start time is more of a loose suggestion. Warm ups are optional.

Which leaves plenty of time for catching up, discussing politics, or which snorkel spot we’ll hit after the stage finish.

Midway through Saturday’s big mountain stage…Hurricane Dean moved in.

Forecasters expected the storm to completely miss the island, but Blake, on our off day, basically dared fate…”There’s NO WAY it’ll rain Saturday during the race. What are the odds?”

Yeah, Blake…what are the odds?

While every time we pin a number on its all about the dollars, I mean, competition, Cayey was tossed up to training for the Fall cyclocross season…not because of bad legs, but the results were a bit challenged to say the least.

To keep it real, the following Saturday MonaVie hosted a mountain bike skills clinics at the Cerro Gordo beach front trail system.

Just your average mtb course.

Though, I’m not sure which appeal to me the most in Puerto Rico…the trails, or the myriad of empty, quiet, and almost vertical roads.

Cyclocross season has already started for the Utah crew. Updates shortly!

With everyone on the team having a blog: bart, bryan, and blake, and Thomas, and even me…how do we keep this site fresh, live, and not a recycled version of what each of us is doing on our own?

We’ll see….in the mean time, half of the boys were racing this weekend in the Utah state road race (results better left in the moral victory department) while Bryan and I held down the knobby fort at the NMBS finals in Snowmass/Aspen, CO.

Alders set himself up for a solid Fall Collegiate season…if only I’d finished 13th in a STXC when I was 14, or how ever old college kids are these days.

Sometimes, after lining up for what feels like (and likely is ) the 100th time…its the little things that get you going.

A group of guys you’ve always known, but weren’t connected with other than through the commonality of suffering, suddenly become your teammates.

And while they can’t pedal the bike for you out there…

Its nice knowing you’re beating up on the rest of’em together.

The Boulder crew of Blake, Bryan, and I are keeping this side of the Rockies warm..

Now its time for the Utahans to step it up.

Because, even though I haven’t tucked away August yet, its starting to feel like cyclocross season.