Boss Cross #1 & #2

After last weeks mechanical, the cross season really started for me this weekend. The course was at English Landing Park in Parkville. For the race on Saturday, I was able to get a good starting position on the front row. The field was 31 deep. I had a pretty good start and settled in about mid pack do to some sand pits, which I suck at crossing (note to self: LEARN HOW TO RIDE THROUGH THE SAND!!). Seemed like most of the field was riding the sand and every time I approached the sand pit with someone that could ride it, I would end up chasing. The leaders had a decent gap and five of us settled in to race for the “middle of the pack”. After a couple of laps, two of the guys were off the back. I kept the other 2 guys with me and we traded punches for the reminder of the race. On the last lap, me and the SKC(?) guy gapped the other guy and hammered our way down the gravel section leading up to the barriers. I went hard and let him know I had some juice left. He took the corner too fast and went down hard. I asked if he was OK as I went by and he said yes. I was able to keep the other guys gapped and ended up finishing 11th on the day. Not bad for me, especially after taking a couple of years off.

Day 2 brought on a little more sunshine and a reverse of Saturday’s course. I noticed on my practice lap that the course seemed to flow a little better for me today, so I was hoping for a good finish. I got to the starting line late, so I had to line up at the very back. Today’s field was either 38 or 41 deep, so that was not a good thing. I spent the first lap clawing my way from the back of the pack to the middle (do you see a pattern here?). I rode up the group containing Jeremy Haynes and sat in to recover from my effort. As soon as I recovered, I went back to work and opened up a small gap on Jeremy’s group. I eased back a bit to wait for Jeremy, as I knew he would work with me to reel some more racers in. It looked like he was toast (hard to promote a race and race – I know), so I hit the gas and caught up to the next small group. I attacked the guys in this group and they counter-attacked, so I knew this was probably as far as I would get. I lost time every lap, because of that damn sand (note to self: LEARN HOW TO RIDE THROUGH THE SAND!!). On the last lap, there were 3 of us, then 2. We approached the final trip through the sand pit neck and neck, I dismounted and he rode through. That was the race. He opened enough of a gap on me through the sand, that I just didn’t have the gas to close it (note to self: LEARN HOW TO RIDE THROUGH THE SAND!!). I ended up 18th, which in my mind would have been 10th, had I started near the front.

Chris Cross, Race #2 of the Destad series, is next weekend and it is a great venue (no sand).