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Race Preview – Terra X CX Race – Sun, Dec 18 2011

December 13, 2011 in Race Previews with 2 Comments

Day two of the Texas State Championship Weekend finds us just north of H-Town at the venue of past great races promoted by The Woodlands Cycling Club. This planned community has great parks, and I’m glad we get to shred them every year.

One unique change for this year – all the profits raised at this race goes directly to the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation. Our hosts have been hit hard by accidents with miserable outcomes, so they’re doing their part to give back. Please race, and please donate if you can.

Eternal 40+ fast guy, Craig Fitzgerald, what’s your take on the 2011 Terra X?

How would you describe the course?
One big lump of glorified cyclocross nirvana. Mostly grassy with climbs, off-camber sweeping descents, straight-away sections, and a run-up section.

Anything special about the start/finish?
How ’bout a gridded start? For races that have a TXBRA Cup Series (e.g. Masters 40+), the first row (8 lanes) will be reserved for top 8 in the series. Subsequent call-ups will be by registration order. Non-TXBRA Cup Series races will be called-up per registration order. Continue Reading…

Race Preview – Bikesport/ION CX Challenge – Sat, Dec 17, 2011

December 12, 2011 in Race Previews with 0 Comments

This is depressing.

There’s only two races left in the season. Yes, there’s the Big D Cup (WTH happened to all the wall posts?), Dirt Derby and others, but this is the last of the bike pro-style TXCX events.

Sad.

But let’s not lament just yet – the party is still going strong and “Tornado” Tom Boonen just showed up at the disco. That’s right, hard core.

This weekend is the Texas State Championship Weekend, and we start our day in glorious Mason Park, guests of Bikesport/ION as we toe the line in the CX Challenge. Don Paullo, tell us about your fine race.

Great looking flyer for this weekend's first event.

How would you describe the course? 
Mason Park has a little something for everyone, we have wide open grass sections, paved path, planks, a steep run up, and a nicely forested section.  The elevation changes are decent and flow very nicely.

Anything special about the start/finish? 
Not really,  just register early as we will do call ups based on top 8 per TXBRA rankings then registration order.  If we have a combined field we will stager the fields so each race has a separate start.

Ah, so if you don’t have points you need to register ASAP. Check. How about technical sections – what kind and how many?
The will certainly be one run up and a set of planks,  there are some 180 degree turns in the wooded sections but they are fairly wide.  Continue Reading…

Race Preview – Webberville CX – Dec 11, 2011

December 7, 2011 in Race Previews with 0 Comments

Remember that epic Webberville CX race in 2007?

3″ of rain fell overnight, temps were near freezing, it was January and you were…well, it’s likely you were sleeping. Many people didn’t make the greatest version of Webberville that there has ever been. But this year you could get another shot at mayhem in the mud.

We had a chance to catch up with man who drives the coolest BWM 2002 in town, John Bartle, to get his take on the Violet Crown Cycling course.

How would you describe the course?
We try to make it a flowing course, not too technical but you will know you have ridden a cyclocross race.

Anything special about the start/finish?
Start is on asphalt into a wide grassed corner. Finish is heavy grass/dirt; the stronger rider will prevail.

How about technical sections – what kind and how many?
Few tricky sections (depending on wetness), hope to find a downed tree in the woods/run-up section. Continue Reading…

Race Preview – Cyclocross Scuffle – Dec 10, 2011

December 7, 2011 in Race Previews with 1 Comment

Hide yo kids. Hide yo wife. Cause they’re racing CX out here tonight.

Aww yeah, let’s see what the good folks at Team Brain and Spine have brought to the table this year. The Cyclocross Scuffle is about as old this guy’s chamois, and the event never seems to disappoint. But don’t take it from me, here’s James Sides interview on Saturday’s race.

How would you describe the course?
Roughly 8 minutes average racer.

Sounds, um, wait….Anything special about the start/finish?
The start and finish are slightly uphill.

How about technical sections – what kind and how many?
There are two run ups, off camber, sandpit that requires a dismount, bunny-hop railroad tie (or dismount), two very large logs/fallen trees that require dismount unless you are in a monster truck, and a challenging change in rolling terrain.  There are no CX barriers other than natural and you will not even notice it like last year. Continue Reading…

Race Preview – Cross Houston – Dec 4, 2011

November 30, 2011 in Race Previews with 1 Comment

Day two of the Houston double double has the CX crew in the hamlet of Hockley, TX, home of A.J. Foyt (his ranch) and six-time World Champion Calf Roper, Fred Whitfield.

Come Sunday, it will also be home to a ton of cyclists shredding an old golf course. We reached out to long-time TXCX promoter, Frank Karbarz of TwoWheel Racing, for his take on the new Cross Houston course.

How would you describe the course?
CX on a golf course! The land was developed as a links golf course then abandoned. Now they want cyclists to use the land. You can still tell where tee boxes and bunkers were made.

Wow, that’s great. CX races on golf courses are usually super smooth. Anything special about the start/finish?
You’ll have a fairly long runout to the pond before reaching any technical terrain. The start line will be visible from Magnolia Road, but spectators and riders will only be able to enter the course through the cart tunnel underneath Magnolia Road. Continue Reading…

Race Preview – GCCA CX – Dec 3, 2011

November 29, 2011 in Race Previews with 3 Comments

Six races remain in the TX Cup!
For many of you, that might only be five (if you don’t race both Skill and Age-based TX State championships). But you should race all six, because CX is almost gone. And that sucks. Soon you’ll be relegated to crappy road other bike racing events that are not cross.

Blecth.

Coming up this Saturday is another race in a beautiful park in a lovely urban setting, this time in H-town. Eleanor Tinsley Park has been used time and again by the GCCA team for CX races. We checked in with promoter Ryan Russell and asked the usual questions about the first event of this weekend’s double double:

How would you describe the course?
The course is a combination of fast dirt jogging trails, grass, sand and various climbs and descents along the bayou. It is situated on a long, thin park at Eleanor Tinsley Park. Continue Reading…

Race Preview – Think Finance Cowtown Cross – Nov 19, 2011

November 16, 2011 in Race Previews with 2 Comments

Two fer Wednesday – here’s the inside scoop on the Saturday special this week: Think Finance Cowtown Cross. Art Exum, promoter extraordinaire, gives his take on the course:

How would you describe the course?
The course is mostly nice plush turf that’s not as hard and rough as most of north Texas. This makes for one of the fastest and grippiest courses you’ll find. There is one fairly straight stretch of road along the start/finish to comply with UCI course regulations (I try and stick as closely to these as possible), and a little packed dirt/gravel beside the duck pond. There is that additional element of the occasional errant squirrel or duck to avoid. There have been incidents in the past of park animal/bike racer conflicts, and it usually didn’t end well for the animal.

Anything special about the start/finish?
Straight, smooth pavement in case of a sprint finish.

How about technical sections?
Nothing too severe: a little deep gravel preceding a dismount, a sandy spot, a few 180′s but they’re super-wide. Continue Reading…

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