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2012 NYS Cyclocross Championships Announced!
Running the barriers at Satratoga Spa:Cyclocross
The 2012 NYS Cyclocross Championships will be contested at the Spa Cross Cyclocross in Saratoga Springs, New York, on October 21, 2012.
The challenging course is located on the eastern section of the Saratoga Race Course property, behind the Oklahoma training track. A grassy hillside provides elevation changes, including descents with off-camber turns and a run-up enforced by wooden steps. The hill also provides a panoramic view of the course for spectators. The course also makes use of existing sand roads and dirt piles as natural obstacles. The Start/Finish area includes a paved road that allows for a start grid and starting and finishing stretches.
Medals will be awarded for all NYS Championship Cyclocross categories, with cash prizes for elite races and swag for all other categories. A non-sanctioned race will be scheduled for children younger than ten (10), and a dedicated children’s course will be open for use throughout the day.
A race expo will feature food vendors as well as items of interest to the cycling community.
Like this:
CX Season Recap
We might be smack dab in the middle of cyclocross season, but my 2011 season is finished. Bethlehem Cup, the last race of the NYCROSS.com Cyclocross Series, was most likely my last race of the season. This year I race the full NYCROSS.com series, the first time I race the whole series. This year was also probably the most challenging year too. With the challenges of areas still recovering form Hurricane Irene and an early season freak snow storm cancelling one race, as always, NYCROSS.com and all the race promoters did a great job putting on the series.
This was my third year racing ‘cross and my third year racing the NYCROSS.com series. Each year I have seen, not only growth in the sport, but significant growth in the NYCROSS.com series. This goes to show that we have a quality cyclocross series right here in our backyard. Each week I race with a great bunch of guys, and each year that group gets bigger.
Some of the races this year were also part of the ECCC Cyclocross Series for the college ranks. This, I’m sure, played a large part in the growth in the series and certainly added to the competitiveness of the races. It was great to see 60 racers in a Cat 4 race that might have only had 30 in the past.
Each week and each year I learn more and I like to think that I become more proficient in CX. And while many of my friends are still out there racing well into the winter months, I’ll be working hard preparing for an early spring start of the mountain bike season, and as always, looking forward to another great NYCROSS.com series in 2012.
Wicked Creepy ‘Cross Cancelled: Snowstorm
Race number 6 of the NYCROSS.com Cyclocross Series, the Clean Bottle Wicked Creepy ‘Cross, was cancelled due a freak snowstorm. Yeah, I know, cyclocross and snow sort of go hand in hand. The storm was actually very heavy snow, and caused a lot of damage in some areas. While I was looking forward to racing in the snow, I know that cancelling the race was the better decision.
The 7th and final race of the NYCROSS.com Series, Bethlehem Cup, is November 13, 2011. The Bethlehem Cup will be held at Elm Avenue Park in Delmar, NY with Cat 4 racing starting at 9:15.
Saratoga Spa:Cyclocross
Saratoga Spa:Cyclocross, the 5th race of the NYCROSS.com Cyclocross Series, was held on Sunday October, 23. The race was held on the grounds of the historic and legendary Saratoga Race Course. This is the second year this race was held at the Saratoga Race Course. The cyclocross course was designed and set up in and around the stables area, away from the race track itself. You can just imagine the horses that might have been on the ground that we were racing on.
Once again, this was a good race course. It was fun to ride, a lot of tight turns, and a sand pit that was about 50 yards long. Of course, I’m not in the mix with the top half of the field, but I was still set on riding the the course cleanly each lap…and I did. I especially wanted to ride the sand. With a fairly large crowd at the sand pit, I didn’t want to have to shoulder my bike and run it.
Although I finished -2 laps (the lead guys were very fast), as always I rode hard, rode well and had a lot of fun doing it. Next week bring us to Bennington, VT for race #6 in the series, the Clean Bottle Wicked Creepy ‘Cross.
Uncle Sam Cyclocross Gran Prix
This past weekend, October 15 – 16, was NYCROSS.com’s Uncle Sam Cyclocross Gran Prix held at Prospect Park in Troy, NY. This is one of my favorite ‘cross races. First, it’s only 20 minutes from home. Second, it’s two days of racing. Third, each day is always a well designed and fun race course. Utilizing the whole park, each day’s course had many of the same features, but each day was different enough to not get boring. Each day had a run-up that you could actually shoulder your bike and run. Each day had a fast entry into the barriers. And each day had tight, twisting turns, and fast stretches both on and off pavement.
The best new feature of the courses was on day 2, Sunday. Day 2 incorporated a set of stairs that transitioned from a stretch of pavement back to the grass. It was a fast entry into the dismount and then an immediate 90 degree turn to the 5 stair run. Back on the bike and to the tight, twisty sections of the race course.
This was my third year racing this weekend long event, and each year the event gets bigger. More entries into the races and more racers in their first cyclocross season. It’s good to see this kind of growth in grassroots cyclocross racing.
Next up for me is the Saratoga Spa:Cyclocross in Saratoga Springs, NY. The Spa:Cyclocross race is Sunday October 23 and will be held, for the second year, on the ground of the legendary Saratoga Race Course.
CX @ Brewery Ommegang: NYCROSS.com race #2
Round two of the NYCROSS.com Cyclocross Series was held on Sunday October 2 at Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY. If you actually need a reason to visit a brewery or Cooperstown, a cyclocross race is as good a reason as any. This is my third season racing cyclocross, and my third year at the Ommegang race. It’s not a difficult race course in Cooperstown, but the tremendous amount of rain we have had over the last month or so, made a challenging course. Isn’t part of the cyclocross thing all about the mud? Sure it is. But this day started by putting my Jeep in four wheel drive to get into the field to park. The whole race course was rideable but slick. I do fare much better if things are dryer, but these conditions are fun to race in. The masters field was ~30 racers. I raced (rode) my 45 minutes and finished -2 laps. The top guys are just crazy fast in any conditions.
Next up in the series is the Uncle Sam Cyclocross Gran Prix in Troy. Two days of racing, October 15-16. This is always a good race…and it’s close, just a short 20 minute drive for me.
