I don't know what it is about Cross Vegas but it hurts more then most races I do all year. I thought it was the dry air and hard ground but this year there was moisture in the air and a few slick turns which is about as good as it will ever get for Vegas. It is probably the fact that each year the CX talent in the US gets deeper and better and more international stars show up. It could also be the fact that it's my first CX training/race of the year but what ever it is it sure is painful.
I've tried everything to get ready for Vegas in the 3-10 days I usually have after the MTB World Champs before the CX race. I've rested, motorpaced, intervaled, long rides, short rides and CX simulations in the park. I haven't figured it out yet. I think that the quality of CX riders in the US has risen so much over the last 5 years that I need to have some serious time 4-8 wks of specific training to get in shape to compete with those guys. That said, it's awesome so many US riders are stepping it up. It wasn't long ago that the Euros would come over and easily win any race here by 2-3 minutes. Now they don't always win and they certainly earn it if they do.
I couldn't believe the rain at Cross Vegas this year. The day before the race streets were flooding and the ground got a good soaking. There is so much sand in the desert that it didn't have much effect on the course. There were a few slick corners and I think I saw 3 crashes happen right in front of me but other then that the course was very similar to the past. They added 1 stair section so that made for 2 sand/stair run ups and 1 set of barriers at the bottom of a small hill. The moisture made everything ride-able and I think I only got off the bike maybe 2 times the whole race b/c of traffic.
I tacked on the back of the lead group at the end of the first lap. With guys crashing and blowing up we were a group of 10 by midway through the race. I knew it was going to be a long night when I thought it was the bell lap but I saw 4 to go on the laps cards. I popped out of the front group shortly after that but was able to hold off the chase group with Mcdonald and Kabush to roll in for 10th. The race seems to go the same way each year. Trebon is always the strongest, a group or guy gets off, he is the only one that will work and brings them back on the last lap and gets out sprinted. He needs a teammate or a better game plan.
I usually get back to my hotel room by about 6 am after the race since we don't get home until almost 1am, then dinner and go out on the town, next thing you know the sun is coming up. This year I was in bed by 2am which was awesome. Meg and I flew home for 24 hours and now we're heading to Star Crossed out in Seattle. With such little time at home all year, it's worth it to fly back just for the day if it's possible. Winston appreciated it.
So I have 2 CX races this weekend in Seattle, home for 1 full day then off to St Louis for the Gateway Cup on Wednesday night, then USGP #1 in WI on Saturday and back home for WIllow and Myle's wedding on Sunday. It's going to be a busy week and I don't think my golf game is going to get any better for a while, hopefully my CX skills will though.
I wonder how the Dart and Susi's "Holiday Racing" is going.....
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