Hi all -
I went to the Vallejo Velocity cyclcocross race on Sunday and had a super fun time. I had intended to race in the 9:00 a.m. Men's C category -- that's the novice/entry-level/I-am-out-of-shape category, but I overslept and thus had to upgrade myself to B 55+.
I am writing to recommend the Bay Area Super Prestige cyclocross series! It is super fun and accessible -- in CX, it's really you vs. the course, so most people basically go at their own pace. The next one close to us is on Nov 1 at Mare Island.
Race report: As I mentioned, I intended to ride in the C race because this is my first CX event of the season and I haven't really done any preparation. I did wash my bike at the end of last season, though (sometimes I forget to do that). However, with all my puttering around the morning of the race, I didn't make it to the 9am start. The friendly organizers let me ride in the B 55+ instead.
The B race was pretty big! I think there were about 60 riders spread across 5 categories: Open B, 35+, 45+, 55+, and Singlespeed. There were 15 people in the 55+ race, including PCC's own Rob Richman!
The course was in a city park in Vallejo and had A LOT of elevation gain (cyclocross is typically relatively flat-ish, with a few short steep, sometimes unrideable climbs). I have an off-the-rack CX bike and was way under-geared (or perhaps under-legged): 40T chainring with 11-30T 11-spd cassette.
The course surface combined grassy lawn (which seemed to stick to the tires like glue), dirt paths, and some asphalt. Oh, and staircases, three of them, each one taller than the last! And one muddy ditch to cross. There was one barrier one an uphill section of lawn (I saw some people bunnyhop it, but I dismounted and jumped over on foot, like a normal human). Each lap was about 9 minutes (for me), I think, and most of our group did 5 laps (CX races are timed and the distance is determined by how fast the winner goes).
In the uphill start, Rob took off like a shot! I was kinda almost able to stay with the front group to the top of the long opening climb, and after that I never saw him again! Rob wound up finishing in 2nd place, only 30 seconds from the winner!
I finished 7th out of 14 finishers (one starter did not finish), which was surprising!
In cyclocross, I never have any idea of how I'm doing relative to other riders, because sometimes I pass someone, other people pass me, I'm getting lapped by people in other categories or there are people warming up onthe course. Who can tell what's happening? It's just about the fun of riding a ill-suited bike on improbable terrain.
I would be fun to see some PCC jerseys at the Mare Island race!
Jon Hunt
