2 races - 2 victories

10.21 - snakebite cross/team lake effect race #2 (pics up tomorrow)
a small field of about 20'ish riders showed up, and all the riders that were in the top 5 last week were there, excluding the winner of that race.

temps were in the lower 50's and the course was mostly a typical cross course (twisty/turny).

after the field section, double barriers before the pine section, and back into a field section.

then into the one trail section which had two dismounts and came right after a decently long field section.

out of that section, through a field and into a sand pit run. fun, fun.

then back into the field, zig zag across, then cross the finish line.

get all that?

race takes off, and the soft muddy conditions and the hell it about to cause is immediate. the field is ripped apart on the first lap. nate is flying, i am chasing and paul martin is about 10 seconds behind me.

paul soon catches me, but i chase him back and hold the gap steady at 5 seconds. we slowly real in nate. paul attacks hard to catch nate, but by this time i am right on his wheel. this is about 1/2 way through the race.

for the next couple laps, the top three ride together. then, paul is pulling us and then lets me take the lead and i throw down my best lines and open up a gap. nate starts fading, paul is still chashing me.

ends up, i stay upright, consistant and use some good lines to hold my gap - and i managed the win in the hellishly muddy conditions.

10.22 - team lake effect race #3
classic cross course, with tons of twisty turns, switchbacks, barriers and two stair run ups. oh my.

line up was the same as yesterday, got in my good warmup on the trainer so i was good to go come start time. weather was overcast and chilly, conditions on the course were exceptionally good.

with the ammount of turns on this course, the turns themselves were going to be a major factor. with our race being the last one of the day, the corners were going to be slick and the lines i scoped out earlier would not be the same come race time.

best advice i can give for a cross race - never show the competition your good lines on a cross course. wait until you have a gap and use it to build up your lead, or if you are with another rider, wait until the last lap, surprise your competition with it and attack immediately after.

anyhoo...

race starts, and nate takes off. i chase. slowly the top 5 break away from the rest of the pack. on the second run up early in the race, everybody hesitates and takes the outside line up the stairs.

i take the inside line and attack - a gap opens immediately and shatters the pack of 5, dropping one guy istantly.

i slowly build up my lead, gaining seconds every lap. slowly, i pull away, but paul martin is coming on strong and has another rider in tow. i try to stay consistant.

with 3 to go, paul has dropped the other rider and the other chasing rider is nowhere in sight. he is closing the gap on me, i put my head down, pick my best lines and run like hell up both the run-ups.

with 2 to go, i turn around - the gap on paul has grown substantially (i later find out he gets caught up in the ribbon on the course and goes down). i pedal on, keeping the pace high.

with 1 to go, the gap is steady and holding. i hold off paul for the second day.

great way to wrap up the weekend - two victories in two days.

photo write up of saturday's race will be posted tomorrow...

for now, got to get some sleep...

sologoat out