Jackson Park

The first event of the Chicago Cross Cup seems to have left everyone happy and hungry for more. The race didn't quite fit the epic image I have of cyclocross: treacherous courses, clammy weather and rugged riders doing their best to survive. Instead, we had sun, heat and grass--which I guess is not the end of the world. I had a pretty good time as spectator, and I'm pretty sure I speak for everyone when I send this message to XXX Racing: THANK YOU for putting on this event, one more time.

Provisional results are now posted on the race's website.

Kevin Clark (M-3, Half Acre) DNFed due to a little, er..., contact-point issue: " I could've castrated myself if I'd kept racing..." The good news is "I will be fully prepared by the beginning of next month... both me and my equipment. Word."

Naz Hamid (M-4, Half Acre): "I take Jeff’s bike out from under him but he’s upright. I get up and what we’re presented with is comical almost. My STI lever has one of his spokes sandwiched between the brake lever and shifter lever. My handlebar is somehow in between his rear wheel and his seat stay. We spend a minute or two trying to untangle, me, sorry, and Jeff saying, “We can do this.” And we do. All it takes is us moving the wheel in reverse, exactly the opposite way it happened. And we’re out. Jeff is off and I’m trying to go but the bike doesn’t move. I lose another minute. My front wheel isn’t moving. What?! My right canti arm is pushed in and the pad has moved past the rim and into the wheel, under the braking surface. I tug as hard as I can while flexing the wheel to the outside left and manage to get the canti arm free."

Erik Didriksen (M-4, XXX) had some problems with his chain, which made him lose position, but that doesn't seem to discourage him: "Before I raced, I wasn't sure if I'd like cyclocross. I found that answer in Jackson Park. :)"

Tamara Fraser (W-4, XXX)/Brenda placed really well for a first timer! She thinks she had a little trouble with the mounts and dismounts. I did see her struggle at the fast barrier and nod her head in frustration, but "Can't wait for the next cross race! In the meantime, lots of practice getting on and off the bike."

Jeff Holland (M-3, XXX) had a very long day, as he was one of the handful of XXX folks who participated in the set-up/tear-down work for the event. He didn't seem very happy with one of his fellow racers: "Not just a bike weave in front of you move, but a full-on, change-of-line, take you out move. Nice, that cost me at least 5 spots 10m into the race. Karma would come back to haunt that guy, as he was taken out of the lead by a mechanical." And yet: "I was pretty happy with my placing given that was my first 3's race and only my third cross race ever."

Avi Neurhor (Masters 30, XXX) got a kick out of beating a lot of guys with his $100 singlespeed. Indeed, he finished 17th in a 35+ field.

Team Tati added some (orange) color to the race, with their orange bikes, orange helmets, and orange argyle socks. Carly Schuster and Sophia Lee placed 6th and 7th, respectively, in the women's 4. Brian Hague, the triathlete/spear-fisherman, won this his first CX race ever--which, by the way, was also the first time he was riding a CX bike. Patrick Myers had major mechanicals, meaning "cranks and seatposts falling off;" otherwise he would have been in the top ten for sure. Tim "Il Pirata" Belton placed 2nd in the Men's 50+. Directeur Sportif J comments: "There was orange argyle. Several Tatitos rode the course on their road bikes. Half of our racers rode borrowed bikes, and at least three had never even sat on a cross bike ten minutes before their start time."

Beverly Bike/Vee Pak: "All in all the day went very well for us. While the DQ for Tony really sucked, it was nice to see him ride an aggressive race and even throw in a bike change. As for myself, I hesitated a bit in passing people at times and had to remind myself not to sit in, sometimes out loud. Elvis and Jim rode strong races and except for a mechanical from Jim finished well. We still need a bit more fine tuning to bump up our finishing positions, but overall I think everyone was satisfied." Apparently Tony was disqualified "because he accepted a hand up of water." I saw worse things at that race.

I think that's all. I you have comments/reviews/links, please chip in in the comments.