I zip tied the number plate on for the first time this year today. The race was 1st Triple Crown in Boneli Park in Southern California. It's about 20 miles from where the race is in Fontana in 2 weeks times. The course was about 15 minutes per lap with some fast dirt/road sections with short 30 second climbs and some rocky single track downhills. It was a nice course to start the season off with as there was a bit of drafting and not too much climbing.
With cyclocross ending about 3 months ago, I took a month off and started training in mid January. I finished up my endurance base about 2 weeks ago so I knew this race was going to hurt. It would be nice to start a mtb season knowing I was going to be going full speed but with cross it's just not in the cards for me. Needless to say I'm usually pretty close just missing a little top end which was the case today.
I rode in a group with Plaxton, Sid, Kabush, Shultz and Bishop(for part of the race). Midway through lap 4 of 6 Plaxton attacked and we didn't see him for the rest of the day. Kabush chased hard for about a lap and I came off on the longest climb which was about 1 minute but was able to catch back on a short time after. Going into the last lap both Sid and Kabush had to visit the tech zone for flat tires. Kabush was the first to flat with about 4 minutes to the tech zone and Sid's tire started going low just before it so he was able to roll in with Shultz and I with Kabush about 5 seconds back.
It didn't take Sid long to catch Shultz and I after his change with Kabush close behind. We hit the last climb together with about 300-400 meters to go to the finish. I tried a weak attack but ended up getting forth out of our group of four and fifth on the day since Plaxton was long gone. It was a fun race with group racing and a lot of lead changes. The course was fast and I never had to shift out of the big ring although my big ring was only a 39 today. We had a lot of jumps and attacks so we all got a bit of speed in the legs which is badly needed this time of year.
So I have talking about how great Peraud has beeing doing at Paris Nice but I didn't even put together the fact that Peter Sagan who won 2 stages for Liquigas and is sitting in 7th overall won junior MTB Worlds in Val di Sol and was 4th behind the Dart and 2 others in Canberaa U-23 Worlds this year. I'd say Paris Nice is a good race for mtbers and those guys are equally good road racers.
Tomorrow I'll be doing my first Super D and I'm looking forward to it. Your Triple Crown result is based on your CX result and either your STXC or SuperD, which ever is better. I'm hoping I have some more umff in those races tomorrow then I had today. Then, Meg, Winston, Lene, Sondre and I are off to Laguna Beach for 2 weeks of training in play ground of the rich and famous(Lopes and Hans).
I wonder if the snow is going to be melting in Durango in 2 weeks when I get home......





