Race Team News – Cyclocross Race Report: Adventure in Mud

Cyclocross Race Report:   Adventure in Mud

By John Steggall

photo: Jeff Namba

The running portion of the singlespeed cross race

Tom Kellner and I lined up at the Lange Twins Winery in Lodi Saturday November 20th for the 45+B race. As you might imagine, it was very muddy and hard. My lower back got really worked over. A couple of times, I sunk down almost to the hub of my front wheel. Sometimes it was obvious where the mud pits were but other times you couldn't tell, without warning, you just stop.  Sticky stuff, but fun.

Aside from lots of mud the consistency of peanut butter, the course  featured a bunch of short, steep (muddy) climbs with short steep descents soon after. I'm still getting used to this CX stuff (this was my 3rd race) -- on the first practice lap, I almost went over the bars on one of the drop offs. Picture yourself 4 or 5 feet off the ground looking at a very steep ramp, which is soft and muddy at the bottom and immediately flattens out. You have to get your butt back over your rear tire a bit to keep from endo-ing. After a few times around though, I was going down these without hesitation. There's a bit of technique to learn in this sport.

Tom ended up 20th and I was 10th/30. Some other results that I heard  about: Karch Miller came in 3rd in the Men's C race (6 weeks after  breaking his collarbone!) and father Shawn rode the 45+A race and finished 6th. Ellen Sherrill was 4th in the Women's A race and Bruno Pitton finished well in the Men's A race. DBC had also had several cyclocross racers riding the single speed category.