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Rachel Lloyd (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)

02/01/09: Cyclocross World Championships - by Rachel Lloyd

2009 Cyclocross World Championship race report This year's Cyclocross World Championship adventure started Thursday, January 29, when most of the US riders converged at the team hotel, a converted abbey in the small town of Rilland, in the Netherlands. We unpacked and unloaded and settled in our rooms, had lunch, then rode to the race course in Hoogerheide. To my surprise the course was very dry, mostly frozen and very fast. The conditions made me excited for a much different race than I had been mentally preparing for. Last year I raced a world cup race in Hoogerheide and it was more like the race in Nommay (thick and heavy mud, the perfect course for Katie Compton and Georgia Gould.) I had my bikes set up for mud - and wasn't getting my hopes up for a great race, since I often don't race as well in the thick, power intensive race courses – but as soon as I saw the track I realized it would be a different, faster, race.

The race turned out to be so fast it felt more like a crit than a cross race. Saturday the Juniors and U-23's raced and both races were indeed fast and furious. Sunday dawned early for me with the dreaded knocking on my door of the UCI anti-doping doctors calling for my blood. I unhappily rolled out of bed at 6:20am and was escorted downstairs to have two vials of blood drawn from my right arm. As much as I tried to keep my eyes closed and stay relaxed, I couldn't fall back asleep until about 15 minutes before my alarm was to wake me up.

We arrived at the race course at 9:30am (two hours before the start) and started the warm up process. With all the support staff in place all we had to do was ride our bikes. Trainers for 30 min then a couple of laps on the race course. The two or three turns that were slick the days before had frozen over leaving the course in unbelievably fast and dry conditions. I was leaning over in turns on the dirt as if they were paved turns in a crit course. The course started on the cobbled streets of town, made two right hand turns, past the church and then a left hand turn onto the grass. It then curved right, passed the pit for the first time, went over an overpass and into the woods for a quick down/up U-turn and exited the woods to double back on itself and descend down to the field and bend back into the woods to the only running section on the course where a set of 5 stairs forced riders to dismount. After the stairs the track passed under the overpass and again looped back on itself then passed the pits for a second time turned left and popped up onto the road again. Only on the road for about 25 yards to dive to the right, chicane right/left and wind it up on the frozen bumpy ground to a 10ft 'wall' that hit with enough momentum was easily ride-able. This 'wall' took the course back onto the road to cross over the start line on a real overpass then turn left and right to the downhill feature, which was a steep 20 yard chute of dirt with a quick left/right/left at the bottom. Back onto a short road section, fast left onto the frozen dirt past the VIP boxes, left again and then heading back onto the cobbled road up to the finish stretch. It was a long windy finish.

Temperatures had dropped for us on race day, below freezing with a bit of a wind chill to factor in as well. They started calling riders up and I got called up 14th and decided to line up behind Christel Ferrier-Burneau whom I had raced with in Milan and who I knew to be a fast starter. Once all the girls were called up and the countdown done, we started on the green starter lights. Only 150yards in we hit the first turn and a couple of riders went down. I managed to avoid the crashes and started making my way towards the front end of the group. I could see when we entered the woods that Katie Compton had already gotten a gap on the rest of the field, with Hanka quickly making her way to the front. By the end of the first lap, I think it was Katie off the front, Hanka chasing with Marianne Vos glued to her wheel, Christel Ferrier a ways back in fourth, and a Dutch rider solo in fifth. I ended up in a group with three Dutch riders including Daphny VandeBrand, the young Belgian Sanne Cant and maybe another French rider. Once my group got to the pavement they all sat up and looked at each other. Who would chase. Well, I came here to race, so I got to the front and took chase.

We eventually caught the Dutch rider, and after three laps when my fingers thawed we started closing in on Christel. Usually over here in Europe it is the first lap where the riders are aggressive and taking each other out in the turns, on this day of racing, at this caliber of an event, it was non-stop racing action. Elbows thrown in every turn, fighting for position constantly... until the cobbled uphill finishing stretch where the girls would sit up and play games. I just couldn't sit in the pack and force someone else to work, I was too worried about more girls joining our group, so I ended up being the sucker that pulled everyone up the hill into the wind. I knew that I was working harder than I should, but I wanted our group to get smaller. My hands were working, and my legs felt like they were warming up.

At one point I remember assessing our group and I figured we were 4th place through 8th place. I remember seeing 2 laps to go but with the craziness of the crowds and the chaos of the racing, I made the ultimate rookie mistake. I miscalculated the laps. Somehow in my head, I counted wrong... with one lap to go, and finding myself in the lead again I drilled it for the line. I figured I will just go for it and the worst I can get is 8th place, I crossed the line in 4th place only to have two Dutch riders pass me and continue on past the podium and onto the course. There was still one lap to go. I had given it everything I had left, and there was still one lap to go. I couldn't believe it, I looked at my watch and indeed it said we had only been racing for around 36 minutes. So now all I could do was suck it up and recover as best I could. Maybe this wasn't the worst thing, now I would be last in our group and someone else would be forced to lead out the sprint. All I had to do was hang on that pack. I got gapped a couple of times, but I still was able to catch back on with no effort on the turns and descents. I found myself chasing hard to close a 10ft gap only to have to brake at the bottom of a descent as I easily caught back on. Back to the cobbles again, and everyone sits up. This time I will not be the one leading it out. Christel goes up the left side even though she is tired looking from riding half of the race solo in 4th place, and then sometime after the right hand turn the sprint starts and I slide to the back of the pack. I had nothing left, no sprint, and we got caught by three more riders when we were playing games before the sprint. I rode most of the race solidly in 4th-8th and ended up placing 11th. A very disappointing placement considering I was consistently 5th-8th in the 4 World Cup races that I raced in. I had no idea how the sprint played out, but Sanne Van Passen won the sprint for 4th. Marianne Vos won the race out sprinting Hanka (2nd) and Katie (3rd) at the line. One thing is certain, if this race was a muddy race it would have played out very differently.

The crowds of spectators were amazing, the techno beer tents, big screen TV's and crazy Belgians made for a truly spectacular weekend of racing. It is always an amazing experience racing with the crowds in Belgium (or the Netherlands) and I think this race had the most people in attendance of any race I have ever raced. I heard estimates of "at least 50,000 people" The racing was fast and furious, and I raced as hard as I could. I left it all on the course, that is the most I can ask of myself. The support I received from everyone back home was amazing this year, I cannot thank everyone enough for all the great emails and 'wall postings' that I got. My bikes worked great, I had good health and good spirits. So it is the end of a successful season, with the exception of my flight being canceled today and having to spend another day in Brussels the whole trip has gone with a hitch. So now I head home for some much needed rest. I will be racing on the road with the Proman Racing women's team and some select mountain bike races. Thank you to Anthony Gallino who runs the California Giant Berry Farms team who made this season of 'cross racing possible for me. See you out there on the roads and trails! Thanks for reading! -Rachel Lloyd

Rachel Lloyd (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)

01/25/09: Cyclocross World Cup #9 Milano, Italy - by Rachel Lloyd

We raced the last World Cup race of the series today in Milan. The weather turned nice for the weekend despite forecasts for rain and snow! After spending the last few weeks in Belgium riding in harsh weather conditions it was a delight to not only see the sun, but race a whole race on one bike! The course was fast and flat with a lot of turns and steep little climbs and dips. The Italians appear to like having their races in beautiful parks. We checked the course out on Saturday and rode around the lake watching the kayakers and scullers paddle back and forth, sleek and fast looking.

The course started on a paved section for about 300 meters and then headed out for the rest of a mostly grassy course. There were a few very steep slick uphills that were difficult to ride with tired legs and a lot of turns. Just what I like! I got called up on the second row, and when the whistle blew at 1pm we were off to a drag race start. Everyone wanted to hit the first hard uphill, that was only about 400 meters into the lap, in the lead, I think Daphny got through the first turns with a gap, then extended it while the rest of us battled for position. I made my way up into the top ten, then got lucky when there was a crash before a dip (down/up) that I got around. I soon found myself in around 3rd position (I think.) I could see Daphny ahead, Hanka chasing and a french girl Cristel. I started chasing but we seemed to be maintaining our gaps. A couple of laps into the race they showed 5laps to go, and soon after that Maryline Salvetat (former World Champ) caught me. I could tell that Cristel was fading, and I thought I would use Maryline to pull me up to Christel. Somehow, that didn't work, she just slowly rode away from me. I caught Cristel by the end of the lap and saw 4 to go. I didn't want to sit on Christel's wheel, because I was worried about 6th place catching us. I could see a rider in blue and white (Mirjam Melchers I think) so I tried some small attacks to shed Christel. They didn't work, so I figured maybe we could work together. I don't think the French women like 'working' with another racer, so I would just go to the front when I thought she was riding too slowly, or if I wanted to ride a technical section ahead of her. Often she would speed up if I tried to go around, so you can see, there wasn't much working together. We went back and forth 4th and 5th while 3rd place rode away from us. With two laps to go, my legs felt pretty trashed and I was making mistakes. I didn't think I was as tired as Christel by the sound of her breathing, but she was riding the steep uphills better than I was. On the last lap she got around me before the hardest steep uphill (we were both trying to hit it first) and I slipped when trying to put a foot down at the top of it. She got a gap on me, I had to get off the bike and Mirjam came very close to me. I got up and went as hard as I could. I finally caught Christel on the back side of the course and we rode the last couple of turns in the woods together. While looping around the turns I could see Mirjam about 20 feet behind and a hard charging Maryann Vos (the sprinter) closing in fast! I thought to myself "oh, shit, I ride around in 4th and 5th for the whole race and get out sprinted by Vos" it wouldn't have surprised me, the girl is fast... and a World Champion! We hit the pavement and I gave it everything I had. I came across in 5th and held off the other girls. My best World Cup finish ever! It was a very hard race. My legs didn't feel great, but that is probably because I was going as hard as I could.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for all the well wishes. We fly back "home" to Belgium and then meet up with the US National team on Thursday. So now it's all about recovery and resting up! Stay tuned for the World Championship report next weekend!

Rachel Lloyd (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)

01/04/09: Tervuren Belgium UCI C-2 - by Rachel Lloyd

My host for the next few weeks Franky Van Haesebroucke and I packed the car up and headed for Tervuren this grey cold Sunday morning in Belgium. We arrived in town and headed for the centrum, looking for the signs to tell us where inschriven (registration) could be found. We ended up parking in the dirt parking lot of a nearby pub, so that our getaway would be easier. Then I set off by bike to find the place where I would pick up my numbers. It took a while, but eventually I found the British School and the hidden room where numbers were being given out. I thought I had registered online, but my name was not on the list. It didn't seem to matter, they wrote my name down, I signed, paid the 3 euro fee and got my numbers. Then I rode back to the car where Franky was waiting for me. I quickly dressed and got on the race course, to ride three laps. The course was pretty cool. Set in the English style grounds (gardens) of some kind of huge museum, it had fast flat sections, steep technical uphills, frozen ruts, a sand pit, and lots of tricky turns in the woods. I liked the look of it!

I finally got a front row start spot and it sure paid off. With tiny snow flakes falling lightly, we started fast and furious on the green start light. Off the line it was Saskia Ellmans first with everyone else battling to be the first to the turn. I came around on the inside of the first turn onto the slight up hill grassy slope. Helen Wyman soon came around me and rode on the front with Saskia Ellmans in second and me in third. We all line up through the woods then came out onto the grassy headwind before the sand pit. Daphny attacks around and to the front before the sand pit and I jump on her wheel. I guess we gapped the rest of the girls through the sand, because now it is just Daphny and myself. I ride with Daphny for the rest of the lap, she gives me the elbow wag to pull through and I figure I would rather work with her and keep our distance from the rest of the field. There are frozen ruts that are better taken solo, and I just prefer racing a few girls rather than a whole pack. Sanne Cant crashed pretty hard early in the race in the frozen ruts and abandoned (apparently) they also showed this on the brief TV summary. So Daphny and I ride together, then on the second lap she waves me through on the headwind grass before the sand so I go around and in the sand she crashes and has to run it while I ride away. It seemed like I got a pretty good gap, but I didn't really want to ride the whole race solo. Well, I didn't have to. I think I might have done one lap solo. Then with three to go I went through a left hand turn soon after the gradual uphill after the finish and I took the turn too fast and slid out, I crashed and lost my rhythm and Daphny soon caught me I stayed with her for a bit but she put a small gap on me on the steep hills directly after the deep sand and she just kept extending her gap. I rode the last two laps solo and I guess Daphny had 20-30 seconds on me and I had 35-40 seconds on the chase group that had Henen Wyman, who got third, Pavla Havlicova and Nikki Harris from Great Britain. I think Sue Butler from the US got 8th.

It was a good race, and a great first time on a podium in Belgium! I got kissed on the cheek (three times each person) a whole bunch, a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a hand made glass blown vase/trophy! Now I will have a weekend off from racing while the European countries have their Nationals and I train hard. Then it will be Roubaix, Milan, and World's and that will me my season!! Hard to believe it, it has gone by pretty quickly!

Thanks for reading and sending me such supportive emails.

12/30/08: Cyclocross C1 - Azencross Loenhout, Belgium

The period of time between Christmas and New Year's day in Belgium is a busy time for cross racers. I think you could race every day (if you are a man) and every couple of days for women. I have opted out of a few races, because I feel that I need more time to recover, my main goals are the world cup races and Worlds. I know if I put myself in a hole by racing too much that it might just be too big of a hole for me to climb out of before the last big races of the season.

Now for Loenhout: this race is a pretty big race. I think all of the big names were at the start line (with the exception of the French women.) I got a second row call up and still didn't manage to have a good start. I had to make my way past girls who started faster than me during the first lap, and by the time we were going through the finish for the first time a group of 4 had gotten a gap on the rest of the field. The group of 4 had Katie, Hanka, Daphny, and Marianne Vos. The group I was in appeared to be looking at each other to see who would do the work to bring the leaders back. I could see that the group of 4 up front were playing games and not going to fast so I decided to do everything I could to get to them. I put my head down and closed the gap. I brought everyone in my group up with me, but they seemed content to let the leaders ride away, and I was not. Now the lead group was more like 10-13 girls. I figured that it would be safer near the front, so I worked my way up there.

The course was completely flat, well it would have been pancake flat if it wern´t for the artificial bridges, over passes and dirt mounds that were built into the course. There was also an astro turf covered "rhythm section" a series of bumps or whoops near the end of the course. The outside temps were around freezing, but the sun was shining brightly. This meant that the turns in the sun were just slightly thawed, and the turns in the shade were frozen and very slick. We had to corner very gingerly, aka slowly. So, back to the race! We rode around in the big group for a couple of laps fighting for position but trying not to work too much, till about 2-3 laps to go. The pace slowed and I decided that I was here to race, so why not have a go at it. I attacked the group into what I thought was a more technical section and tried to get a gap. I don't know what happened behind me, but I hoped I made some of them work for a bit. I ended up on the front for the whole of the second to last lap till on the bell lap Vos attacked me, or maybe it was Daphny. I figured it was coming and I managed to jump on to one of the passing wheels and stay in the top 5. I figured if I could just hang on that wheel that I could hold my position.

After the stair section Vos crashed and slowed Katie and me down, Daphny and Hanka had a gap now. Till the rhythm section where Hanka took herself out and Daphny rode away. Katie chased, I rode with everything I had left. Maryanne Vos came past me so fast on the straight away before the final turn onto the finish stretch, where I sat in 4th leading Hanka. Hanka easily sprinted around me, and I made it across in 5th! Daphny won, Katie second, Vos the sprinter got third, Hanka fourth and I got fifth! Each race, a better place!! I know there were a few girls missing, but it was a pretty exciting race, more like a crit really. There were times when we were just sitting in and not working hard at all, then there were times getting gapped out of turns because these girls accelerate HARD!! Anyways exciting racing! I appreciate the support from everyone, emails good vibes etc. Thank you and happy holidays to all. I miss being home for the holidays, really being over here racing during the holidays is more like they aren´t really happening. Stay tuned for more cyclocross action from Belgium. Next up UCI race in Tervuren near Brussels January 4.

12/26/08: Cyclocross World Cup - Zolder, Belgium World Cup, by Rachel Lloyd

The Zolder circuit is a famous car racing track. It turns out that our host Gert has driven on the track (in his dealing with the company he works for, BMW.) The race track is about 30 minutes from the town where we are staying in. Since the track is so close, Gert offered to drive Sam and I to the course on Christmas (the day before the race) to pre-ride the course and pick up numbers, parking passes and pit passes. Gert kept telling us that it would be crazy the next day, that there would be 40,000 people there, which turned out to be true! So Sam and I rode around 4 laps on the course, which was a very fast and fun course. In trying to find super fast lines, I ended up crashing a few times (one time quite hard wrenching my right shoulder pretty well in the process.)

The race course started on the track into a headwind up a false flat for about 250 meters, the made a sweeping left onto the dirt and immediately bent to a right hand U-turn, crossed the track, turned left passing the pits for the first time made a few more turns then headed up and down a sandy dune a few times before diving into the woods. Then the course went down a quick rooty descent and bent a few times before climbing quickly up a grassy hill past a small chapel to again quickly descend down the hill and out of the woods. Crossing the other side of the track and heading back by the pits to do a series of steep up and downs along the hillside on the west side of the track. There was one very descent and one very steep run up, then the course traversed the hillside turned 180° to the right in a loose sandy turn, went over an overpass and back onto the track. I could tell the the race would be fast and the laps short.

Race Day: Gert and his dad Jo met us at the house in Herentals at 10am. We had decided to leave earlier than usual to give ourselves a cushion for traffic and craziness at the Zolder circuit. We made good time to the course and were parked with two hours till race time. We got the trainer set up, Gert was off finding some mud tires for me so I will have something in my quiver for the really muddy courses like Nommay. I warmed up on the trainer next to Hanka Kupfernagels trailer, then got on the course for a couple of laps. The course had gotten even faster than yesterday. It had frozen overnight and the temps were still below freezing. The whole west side of the course was in the shadow of a hillside and would be for the whole day, keeping the ground frozen.

We lined up at 1:30 and started with the green light of the race car start lights. As soon as we started the U-turn chaos ensued. I got around a couple of girls only to give my hard fought spots away on the sand dune. We almost came to a stop and I tried to ride around people off the line in the sand which was a mistake. Eventually the field strung out and passing was a possibility, except that the pace was so blisteringly fast and girls would fight for the turns and any spot they could. After the race, Sam said that on the second lap the race almost came back together. I think at that point the group of 4 that I was in had some trouble and that was the end of the leaders being in sight of us. Basically there was a group of 5 off the front with Katie Compton, Hanka, Daphne Van De Brand, Marianne Vos, and Maryline Salvetat. All of these people have either been World Champions, Olympic gold medalists, or World Cup winners! My group of chasers had Cristelle Ferrier, Wendy Simms, Pavla Havlicova and myself.

Eventually Cristelle rode away from me to take 6th (she was accelerating so much faster out of turns and on the paved sections, I was going downhill faster, but she took more time out of me on the track). I put a small gap on Pavla and managed to hold it to the line for 7th (she almost caught me on one of the steep uphills that I was running). And Wendy held on for 9th with a hard charging Georgia Gould closing in to finish 10th. The leaders sprinted for the line with Katie leading out the sprint but being over taken by World Champion track racer Marianne Vos who won the race. Hanka got second, Daphny third and Katie fourth. Former cross World Champ Maryline took fifth. It was a very exciting race! The men's race proved to be just as exciting! Thanks for reading, now I am packing to move to Franky VanHaesebrouke's house near Oudenaarde. I will race a local race in Louenhout on Dec.30 called Azencross I have heard that there will be thousands of spectators at this one, should be exciting!

12/20/08: Cyclocross World Cup - Nommay, France, by Rachel Lloyd

We managed to get a rental car with the help of Gert Van Mechelens Dad Jo (sounds like Yo.) on Friday. Packed our bags and checked the bikes over only to discover a cracked rim on one of my rear wheels, maybe from the flight over. Woke up Saturday morning at 5:30am and left the house by 6:30am. Despite our worries of getting lost we found our way to Montbéilard with no problems. We found our hotel with no problems, till they told us that the hotel was full and they had booked us at another hotel. Hotel La Balance. We found the hotel, checked in and headed out to the race course.

Finding the course was a bit of a wild goose chase, we kept following the yellow Coupe de Monde UCI signs and closed gates. Finally we parked the car and I rode to the course, we could see it the whole time! I rode a couple laps, and could tell that it would be a thick muddy race the following day. After I finished riding on the roads around town, got changed and warmed up (Sam had thoughtfully brought hot chocolate) we went to the Permanance to pick up race numbers, pit passes and parking passes. That done we decided to skip the managers meeting and head back to our hotel. Once showered and warm we ventured out into the old town of Montbéliard to find some food. We soon discovered that you can not sit down to dinner before 7pm in France. So we decided to walk to the Christmas market that we had heard about. It was beautiful, the Christmas spirit was everywhere. Sam took lots of photos, there was an out door ice skating rink, lights lined the streets of Le Avenue de la Lumeier. There were market areas with vendors selling Crépes, vin chaud (hot mulled wine) and crafts and artisanal work. We bought a beautiful cutting board made from olive wood for the owners of the house we are staying at. The night was magical and I know I ended up walking around way more than was prudent for the night before a race, but this will most likely be my last season racing cross in Belgium so carpé diem! To make up for it all the walking I slept 12 hours. Sam woke me up at 9am so we would make it down to breakfast before they closed the doors. We checked out of the hotel at 11am and headed to the course in Nommay.

The race course: 250 meters paved start to a left hairpin turn to a 30 meter uphill stair section... steep hill with smooth round pieces of wood put into the hillside to make steps. It did not look good. I started on the 5th row and as I expected by the time we got to the stairs it was jammed up. Once to the top we got going and started passing girls. Georgia Gould was back with me and I figured we were around 30th position.

The course was thick, slick mud with three good steep hillsides that were partially ride able. I worked my way into 8th place and stayed there. During the race I could hear that Katie and Hanka were racing for the win and that Georgia had made it into third place, which was truly amazing considering how far back she started. Katie ended up riding away from Hanka and I felt great finishing in 8th with an all time best finish at a World Cup. Today Sam,Gert and I spent the day walking around Antwerpen. Gert telling us ancient stories about the city and thoroughly entertaining us. Next up the World Cup in Zolder Belgium the day after Christmas.

12/14/08: Cyclocross Narional Championships - Kansas City, Missouri, by Rachel Lloyd

Sam and I flew to Kansas City Friday. We built our bikes up and headed out to the race course Saturday around 11am to warm up (for Sam`s race at 1) and to check out the course. We kept hearing how muddy it had been the two days before, but by the time we got on the course the track was fast and tacky! The course started with a 300meter long paved stretch and then made a right turn onto the grass. It basically then started climbing and winding its way up the long hill to the top of the course where we encountered the first of two stair sections, then back down the hill through fun fast turns and quick chicanes. Back down at the bottom of the course we rode past the circus tent and switched back at a double barrier section, climbed the hill a short way and doubled back hitting the second short stair section. A couple more turns and we hit the pavement for the drag race to the finish line. The person who won this race would be the strongest competitor of the day, there was no place to `fake it`out there!

Much to my dismay, I had caught a cold the day after returning home from Portland. I had not gotten better by race day, so I was happy to be able to finish as high as I did. Katie Compton showed us all why she won a World Cup two weekends ago winning this race in a convincing fashion. Georgia and I hung on her wheel for one half of a lap, and then she rode away from us. Georgia got about a 10 second gap on me the first lap and basically held it for the race. I warmed up a bit halfway into the race and started to catch her, but I just did not have the power I needed in my legs to catch her. The weather was kind of crazy, which I guess we should expect from Kansas, the morning of our race it was 60° out and by 11am the temps had dropped 30°. By the start of our race I think it was 21° out with the winds a blowin´ I do not remember what the wind chill was, but it was very cold. We all were wearing full leg warmers, hats and long fingered gloves. I think every ones fingers froze in the beginning of the race, one of the hardest things to do was to shift and brake. So Katie Compton won for the 5th time in a row, Georgia Gould took 2nd, and I placed 3rd.

12/07/08: Portland, Oregon - USGP #5 and #6, by Rachel Lloyd

The final weekend of USGP racing promised to be an exciting weekend. With the Portland 'cross scene and Brad Ross/Cross Crusade's course design we were all in for some serious 'cross fun! I just came off two weekends at home, a rest week and some good training and local racing, I was looking forward to testing out my form. We all flew up to Portland Friday and got out to the course to check it out that afternoon. The weather was very un Portland like, sunny and mild. The course was similar to last year's course, but included most of the motocross track, with a complete rhythym section, and some good steep little climbs. Saturday rolled around and the weather held out, blue skies and sunshine! I got on the course, rode a couple of laps and then finished my warm up on the race car track surrounding the 'cross course. I found myself surprisingly nervous before the race, I couldn't tell how my legs felt, good or bad?

I lined up #6 and when the gun finally went off, I found myself easily shifting up to the next gear and taking the lead on the paved start stretch. Once on the course, a group of 5 that included Katerina Nash, Wendy Simms, Sue Butler, Georgia Gould and myself soon formed. I felt great, easy and relaxed. I guess since my legs felt so good, I was impatient. I wanted a smaller group. Soon Sue and Wendy got dropped and it was me and the Luna Chix, just like in Kentucky. I took some pulls and small attacks to see what the Luna girls had, and at one point Katerina and I put a small gap on Georgia. With three laps to go, I realized that I had better be smart and figure out what I was going to do. I actually felt like I could win the race. I decided that my plan would be to attack them on the last lap in a section that I thought I was riding faster and try to hold an advantage to the line. Well, I never got my chance.

I let Katerina lead me through the motocross track and she got a small gap upon exiting the track. She took that advantage to the line. Georgia let me chase for a while and then jumped around me when she saw that I was good and tired, and she held it to the line. I fought with everything I had, but I think I just used up too much earlier in the race when it felt easy. I finished a close third, and was very pleased with my race. Sure, I made some tactical mistakes, but I felt strong! I hadn't actually 'raced' with Georgia and Katerina since Kansas (I had done races with Georgia, but she just rode away from me.) I guess the rest week paid off! Now with the confidence of really feeling strong in this race, I can look forward to Nationals and beyond with optimism!

Sunday turned out to be a different story. We awoke to grey skies and promising rain. I like it when it gets sloppy, it makes for interesting racing. I lined up #6 again, but I slipped a pedal at the start and found myself no where near the front of the group. I passed as many girls as I could and fought my way up to the top five. The rain changed the course quite a bit, it was very slippery out there and there were long puddle sections. There was also a steep run up right after the start. Today, the tactics were minimal. Katerina soon strung out the field and never looked back.

My legs were tired from yesterday's race, and I pretty much stayed in fifth place. Georgia got up to second, Sue Butler fnally got on the podium and I caught and passed Wendy Simms with two laps to go and ended up in fourth with Wendy fifth. I was a bit disappointed, especially since my Mom, Dad and twin sister Monica had driven down from Washington to watch me race. I kept wishing that they had been there the day before. But, that's racing, sometimes you just don't have the legs. The California Giant Berry Farm's team had a successful weekend of racing. Chance Noble finished Saturday in 3rd of the U-23 men, Meredith Miller had her best result finishing 6th and winning the SRAM Most Aggressiver Rider award on Saturday, Josie Jacques-Mains finished in the top 10 and her husband Andy finished 6th on Sunday! I ended up in third in the USGP series, Katerina took first in the series with Georgia second.

Now, I am figuring out the logistics for Nationals next weekend and my month and a half European trip after Nat's. Thanks for reading, stay tuned for the US Nationals!

12/15/08: Kansas City, Missouri - US National Championships, by Emil Gercke

Have you ever wondered what possesses a small college team to play a major powerhouse, almost guaranteeing a huge asswhupping? Yes, every so often a college like Appalachian State beats Michigan , but more often the smaller school is left beaten and bleeding…

This year was my first full season of ‘cross racing. I’d raced two of the Santa Cruz CX races while going to school 15 years ago and was totally overwhelmed and under-prepared (even sustaining a black eye which did not suit me during my patient contact in Nursing school). To improve upon those efforts as well as solidify my fitness, I enlisted Dario’s help from Whole Athlete. With well planned intervals as well as skills practices, Dario guided me through and around many pitfalls. My plan was to race the Boulder , CO , CX series of four races, as well as two Boulder Cup UCI races and the CO State Championship. Although there are other races in this part of CO, the 4 ½ hour drive, sometimes with dubious road conditions, limited the races I could attend.

My races seemed to be never ending adventures, with events such as blowing a tire on the first lap, getting a Goats Head induced flat on another first lap, blowing a tire on a second lap on an aggressive pass that took me over a treacherous tree root. Missing the start of one race, causing me to chase the pack from 30 seconds back (I caught them!). Anyway, from the beginning of my season I wanted to go to Nationals, I could only wonder at the spectacle, and to be able to participate was almost beyond imagining!

Arriving at the venue, I was as calm as before any race. I had already convinced myself that this was just another race to me; after all, it wasn’t like I was here to win! Conditions for the races before mine were muddy and slick, being used to the dry and rough courses we’d had for the Boulder races, this terrified me, after all I’d never raced in these conditions!

By the time my category came around (Masters 45-49) the course had dried quite a bit, still slick but not goopy mud requiring bike changes every lap as the juniors were experiencing. I started in the back row (last place!) by virtue of my late registration, with 94 riders arrayed before me. I started with a rush, following an experienced crosser through the pack. I think we probably passed close to 40 riders on the starting straight! We hit the dirt flying but we soon stymied by several tight, twisting turns that slowed all but the very first few riders. The long uphill was made even tougher by the slick mud, making traction a difficult prospect. As is the trend with ‘cross courses now, barriers were limited to one double barrier and two- four or five step runnups, leading some riders to compare the course to a Mtn. bike cross country course.

I rather enjoyed the course, fast and technical; narrow with interesting turns, both banked and off camber. After my first lap, I settled into the stasis of pure survival-living at the edge of my Max Steady State Heart Rate, dripping snot, my mouth in a bug catching oval. Did I consider embrocating in the 30 degree weather? My legs were afire with the effort; anything furthering the heat would be cause for spontaneous combustion! As with any ‘cross races, there were sections that I could ride as well as some of the best, other sections that were mediocre. With one lap to go I was pulled, Steve Tilford (multi-time National Champ) was raging through the pack, it would not do to have someone who had not yet cracked a top 20 placing slow him up. I was crushed to be pulled, most races I get stronger as the race progresses, but even more crushed to find out that the officials had made a scoring error, listing me as a DNF. The best I can determine, I finished in mid-fiftieth place. As to the small colleges playing major powerhouses? How many of you have raced against a giant like Steve Tilford? Although beaten and bloodied, I’ll be back!

10/19/08: Lake Sonoma, California - Lake Sonoma XC MTB Race, by Dario Fredrick

How do I define a real cross country mountain bike course? Well the first thing that comes to mind is singletrack. Then throw in some climbing, both trail and fire road, and maybe some fast descents, and perhaps even some highly technical sections for good measure. Oh yea, and do all that with 50 or so other dirt-enthusiasts, as fast as you possibly can. Mix well, bake at 350, and repeat four times. That's Lake Sonoma XC.

Race promoter (and promoter of many cool things bike -- e.g. Bike Monkey), Carlos Perez has successfully brought back, what in my mind is the essence of mountain bike racing. Not just an outstanding course at a beautiful venue, but the social aspect that I missed from my years of cross-country MTB racing in the 90s. How many race entry fees these days include beer, BBQ, food and camaraderie post-race?

But I digress...Not having done a MTB race in over three years, I wondered how I would fare, particularly on a course I've never done. I warmed up reasonably well, then my buddy Will Longstreth took me on a quick recon of the first section of the course, which was all singletrack. I got to the start line, we were lined up, and I didn't recognize anyone. Carlos made some announcements about the race series for a while, the almost under his breath says "go."

I immediately jumped hard, not having forgotten the importance of a good start. We climbed a short, paved segment of road, then took a sharp left into a singletrack soiree. I knew I had to be one of the first few onto the trail, as it stayed narrow, twisty, and dreamlike for a long time. Fortunately I was able to get the hole-shot and dove headlong into singletrack bliss. I pushed the pace hard through the rolling terrain for the first half of the lap, until I realized that I was only half a lap into a four-lap race. I told myself to relax and be smooth, and wait until the climbing to see if I could make some time there. No reason to blow a fuse less that 1/4 into the race...

When I hit the first section of climbing, I turned on the gas, finding a good rhythm and building my lead. When I finally finished the first lap, I looked back and was out of sight on the paved hill, so I decided that rather than trying to hammer the singletrack on lap two, I would ride it as smoothly and fluid-like as I could. Lap two was much more relaxed and fun, and when I completed it, I found out that my lap time was similar to the first lap without as much effort. I continued to tell myself, "relax, be smooth, remember this part, take the corner wide, shift down..." By the third lap I felt like I knew the course. I kept recognizing sections, picking the right gears and wasting minimal energy. Smooth is fast. I was reminded again how valuable it is to know the course in MTB racing...

I finished the fourth lap with a smile on my face as I took the win. How often do you get to ride trails as fast as you can, knowing that it's both legal and one-way. There's nothing like flowing through miles of twisty, swoopy singletrack in the sun and shade, up and down hills, through canyons and creeks at the limits of your ability and physiology. Cross country racing at its finest. Bravo, Carlos.

Congratulations to the two Whole Athlete Team Juniors, Tony Smith and Bobby Zidek, who took 1st and 2nd respectively in the Sport class. Nice work!

02/10/08: Cherry Pie Criterium, Napa, California, by Sir Joshua Litwack

'Twas a warm and balmy day in scenic Napa whence I came to partake in the Pie made of Cherry.

Full field for the 3's with large representation of a number of teams and as February racing is wont to be, 'twas a slow race. Verily we rode 'round 'n 'round about the circuit, up and down and all around. Fruitless were the attackes by men who thought that they were more than they were but came to discover that they were, indeed, less.

It seemed that no sooner had the race commenced, than the gong rang "5 To Go" whereupon the participants were whipped to a frothy fervor of futility. Many a courageous soul ventured to try his hand at Cherry flavored glory, only to find himself rapidly engulfed by the thundering hordes, intent on a bunch gallop.

"2 To Go!" Rang the cry of the barker in to the clear crisp sky! Around the course we swept. So intent was the competition on preventing Whole Athlete victory, a fiendish devil in azure blue attempted to force our hero into the gutter, nay, to the asphalt. For a score of meters did I skate upon my cleates whilst straddling my toptube; one foot upon the curb, the other, surfing the pavement. It looked to be the end for sure! Crashed out at the last!

But NO! I remounted my steed with much haste and chased down the pack of slavering devils, not be denied the prize for which I had fought so dearly.

"1 to Go" and the bell pealed its call for all to hear. And into the back stretch we flew, singing our death song of "On your left! Inside!" Not to be outdone, I forced my way back to the front of the horde just before we hit the ultimate dash for the summit. Drilled it from the very start I did and dared the others to catch me. But their efforts were futile. I had triumphed on this day and, gods be willing, will do so again. Whole Athlete had won the day, our first victory. Verily we hope, 'tis not the last.