For race #7, the Utah Cyclocross Series returns to the Wasatch County Fairgrounds, in Heber City, Utah … home of mud (either dried, lumpy and hard, or soupy, sticky, and deep) and grass and horse poop!

Jon is promising a longer course, and the weather we’ve had the past few days out to make for a more challenging course as well; possibly snow, possibly mud if the snow has melted.

Mount Heber should still be included, and hopefully more twisty turns leading into the finish area …

We had a scheduling conflict at Fort Buenaventura with some Annual shooting event. We have run races in the past with the Mountain Men shooting around us, but the Championships event is way larger and Matt and Jon felt it would not be safe.

So back to Weber County Fairgrounds it is, on November 22nd. The County even promised that the Portajohns would be picked up, cleaned, and ready to go, so we don’t have to traipse halfway across the fairgrounds.

We will be sure to announce this at the next 2 races as well.

Categories/Times:

1:30 PM (60 Minutes)

• Men A (Pro, Semi-pro, Expert, Cat 1, Cat 2,)
• Masters Men A 35+ (Fast Old Guys [as opposed to Fat Old Guys, like Flahute]. You know who you are, and so do we. You have been racing your bike for years!)

12:30 PM (45 Minutes)

• Women A
• Masters Men B 35+
• Single Speed (do we need to explain?)

11:45 AM (20 minutes) - ONLY $8.00!!!

• Women C (First Season Cross Racers)
• Junior Men 10-14 *
• Junior Women 10-14 *
• Junior 9 & under

* We found that Junior riders aged 15-18 would rather try and beat up on Mom and Dad!!!

10:45 AM (45 Minutes)

• Men B
• Master Men 45+ Open

9:30 AM (40 Minutes)

• Men C (First Timers, Entry Level Racers, Cat 5, Beginner)
• Master 55+ Open
• Women B (Beginner, Cat 4, Cat 5)

For race #4, the Utah Cyclocross Series returns to Fort Buenaventura, near downtown Ogden.

Rumor has it that we’ll be able to use the bridge and areas north of the parking lot (as those who have been racing the series for awhile may remember) … this will definitely help lengthen the laps there, and I’m sure that Matt will be doing everything he can to make it as technically challenging as he possibly can.

Additional word from the insurance company means that we can make this announcement:

There are no clothing restrictions whatsoever. None. Zip. Zero. Nada.

So in an effort to keep up with Portland, we don’t care what people race in. We encourage you to wear whatever you want to make your cyclocross racing experience more enjoyable.

Guys, if this means skirt and a tube top, then we’re all for it. Cross dressing for cyclocross!

Now, we’re not saying naked is OK, but since this is Utah, I don’t think we will have to worry about that … much. (Matt made me put in the disclaimer … grumble, grumble, whine, moan … but I guess we do need to protect innocent eyes).

Helmets are still required. Helmets are still required. Helmets are still required.

“B” on the map below is the entrance to the park. “A” is generally where the race will be.

Categories/Times:

1:30 PM (60 Minutes)

• Men A (Pro, Semi-pro, Expert, Cat 1, Cat 2,)
• Masters Men A 35+ (Fast Old Guys [as opposed to Fat Old Guys, like Flahute]. You know who you are, and so do we. You have been racing your bike for years!)

12:30 PM (45 Minutes)

• Women A
• Masters Men B 35+
• Single Speed (do we need to explain?)

11:45 AM (20 minutes) - ONLY $8.00!!!

• Women C (First Season Cross Racers)
• Junior Men 10-14 *
• Junior Women 10-14 *
• Junior 9 & under

* We found that Junior riders aged 15-18 would rather try and beat up on Mom and Dad!!!

10:45 AM (45 Minutes)

• Men B
• Master Men 45+ Open

9:30 AM (40 Minutes)

• Men C (First Timers, Entry Level Racers, Cat 5, Beginner)
• Master 55+ Open
• Women B (Beginner, Cat 4, Cat 5)

After the perfect cyclocross weather we had the past two weeks, today we simply had perfect weather. Sunny, clear, upper 60s (or low 70s), and yet another near-record turnout.

Everyone seemed to love the course, but it was definitely a roadie’s course … fast grass and hard pack most everywhere; even though the lap was fairly long distance-wise, because the conditions were so fast, scoring the first two races was a challenge yet again.

We either need longer or more technical courses (or both), just to string things out a bit more coming through the finishing stretch. The last thing that any of us wants to do is start pulling lapped riders, like they do at a lot of the big national races, or only place the top 10-20 riders and give everyone else the same placing of “finished”.

So how do they do it at larger races, you may ask? Well, aside from pulling lapped riders, they also have cameras that everyone is comfortable with (and which are more useful when there aren’t lapped riders still on course), and 5-6 officials on stage scoring; whereas we just have me, and whomever I can coerce into sitting with me when they’re not racing.

Next week is back to Ogden, to Fort Buenaventura, and rumor has it that we’ll be able to use the bridge and areas north of the parking lot (as those who have been racing the series for awhile may remember) … this will definitely help lengthen the laps there.

Growing pains, and a changing of the guard in officiating (meaning, me stepping up from assistant to chief, while Ellie is now semi-retired).

So if anyone in the 9:30 or 10:45 races is out there reading this, and getting frustrated by some of the errors in the results; please accept my apologies, and rest assured that we are doing everything we can to get them better under control, because we want accurate results as much as you guys do.

2008 UTAH CYCLOCROSS SERIES SCHEDULE (revised 9/6/2008)

• 04-Oct — Corner Canyon Equestrian Center, Draper
• 11-Oct — Wasatch County Fairgrounds, Heber City
• 18-Oct — Golden Spike Arena (Weber County Fairgrounds), Ogden
• 25-Oct — Fort Buenaventura, Ogden
• 01-Nov — Rocky Mountain Raceway, West Valley City
• 02-Nov — Wheeler Farm, Murray
• 08-Nov — Wasatch County Fairgrounds, Heber City
• 15-Nov — Wheeler Farm, Murray
• 22-Nov — Fort Buenaventura, Ogden (State Championships)
• 29-Nov — Wheeler Farm, Murray
• 06-Dec — TBD (Final Race, Double Points)
• 03-Jan — Last Call Cyclocross (non-series) and Awards Party. Race at Wheeler Farm. Party venue TBD.

Categories/Times:

1 PM (60 Minutes)

• A (Pro, Semi-pro, Expert, Cat 1, Cat 2,)
• Masters A 35+ (Fast Old Guys [as opposed to Fat Old Guys, like Flahute]. You know who you are, and so do we. You have been racing your bike for years!)

12 Noon (45 Minutes)

• Women A
• Masters B 35+
• Single Speed (do we need to explain?)

11:30 AM (20 minutes) - ONLY $8.00!!!

• Women C (First Season Cross Racers)
• Junior Men 10-14 *
• Junior Women 10-14 *
• Junior 9 & under

* We found that Junior riders aged 15-18 would rather try and beat up on Mom and Dad!!!

10:30 AM (45 Minutes)

• Men B
• Master Men 45+ B

9:30 AM (40 Minutes)

• C (First Timers, Entry Level Racers, Cat 5, Beginner)
• Master 55+
• Women B ( Beginner, Cat 4, Cat 5)

As you can see, we’re offering a couple new venues, rearranged categories a bit, and added one more (short) race for first-time women and kids. The series just keeps growing every year, and we have all of you to thank for it.

So let’s gear up and make this the best season yet!

So here’s the current schedule for the 2008 Utah Cyclocross Series.

According to JonnyG, however, it is subject to change. But at least now you can start planning … November is going to be a heavy month, with two double weekends. Three double weekends altogether.

26-Sep — Fort Buenaventura, Ogden (Non Series Race)

04-Oct — Fort Buenaventura, Ogden
11-Oct — Wasatch County Fairgrounds, Heber City
18-Oct — Rocky Mountain Raceway, West Valley City
19-Oct — Wheeler Farm, Murray

01-Nov — Wasatch County Fairgrounds, Heber City
02-Nov — Rocky Mountain Raceway, West Valley City
08-Nov — Wheeler Farm, Murray
22-Nov — Wasatch County Fairgrounds, Heber City
23-Nov — Fort Buenaventura, Ogden
29-Nov — Wheeler Farm, Murray

20-Dec — Fort Buenaventura, Ogden

03-Jan — Wheeler Farm, Murray (Non Series Race)

It’s almost time to break out the Belgium knee-warmers …

Update: someone just pointed out that some of these dates are Fridays. I can see 26-Sep being a Friday night twilight, tied in with the Harvest Moon criterium in Ogden the next day, but I’m double-checking to make sure. My guess (and that’s all it is at the moment), is that the two weekends in October with Friday dates just need to be shifted a day later.

Update 2: dates have been corrected. 9/26 is a twilight race in Ogden. All other races should be Saturday, Sunday or Saturday/Sunday.

Unfortunately, people are starting to call me on it … even Dr. Cross told me to “Harden the Fuck Up” on Thursday.

I really am going to have to suck it up and suit up next weekend; at the VERY least on Sunday at Wheeler Farm, but I might be shamed into racing on Saturday at Fort Buenaventura as well.

Because of the craziness of the first flite, mixing “C” men, “B” women, and young kids, if I’m going to get a race in, I’ll have to step up and race 35+ “B” men … so I’m being upgraded not-by-choice and certainly not for merit … because I’m needed on the finish line during the race I’d normally ride.

Joyful!

Looks like we know who will have the DFL position locked up! Assuming I don’t DNF, that is, and I’d rather DNS than DNF.

So, to which team should I give a bad name with my dismal performance? Cutthroat Racing (my local team) or CYBC/Richard Sachs (my personal “sponsor”)?

Most of the big guns were out of town this week, doing 24 Hours of Moab or just off on business, but Mama T did a fabulous job to take the first lap prime in the women’s “B” race before fading a bit later, and Kathy Sherwin showed up for her first UTCX race of the season, but after winning the first lap prime, she had a mechanical issue which dropped her back to 2nd place, and while she clawed some time back, she couldn’t catch back up to Krieg Cycling’s Kris Walker.

In the men’s “A” race, Ali Goulet pulled out a very large lead on the first lap, but young gun Mitchell Peterson pulled back seconds on him every lap, until finally passing him for good on the off-camber run-up on the last lap, aided in part when Ali slipped on the run-up. Jon Gallagher held on for a strong third-place finish. Art “the Condor” O’Connor was putting in a fine effort for 4th place, when a mid-race crash took him out of the race completely … hope the knee feels better than it looked.