Sunday was the first race in the Bay Area Super Prestige Cyclocross Series in McLaren Park in South San Francisco. The BASP series is put on by Pilarcitos Sports, and is the most competitive of the NorCal CX race series. The series is 5 races and McLaren Park is probably the most demanding course. It definitely has the most climbing and also features the longest run-up of the series. What goes up must come down though, and in between the climbs and run-up are some very bumpy, single track technical descents, one with some loose switchbacks, and some bumpy grass riding (McLaren Park is gopher heaven!!).
Last year I think I improved 1 place in each of the Pilarcitos races, ending with a 3rd and a 2nd in the last 2 races. I was hoping to continue that progression this year and I knew the climbing at McLaren would be to my advantage. Since Karl raced 2 hours before me, I got to registration 3 1/2 hours before my race and scored race number 1! I hoped it would be a good omen! The top 10 riders from last years' series got call-ups, so I got a nice front row start alongside all the usual NorCal elite women suspects. Notably absent however was Karry Barnholt. I saw her at the finish later - turns out she got stuck in traffic and missed the race start! She was coming from the north and between a football game and the Bridge to Bridge run, the city was apparently in gridlock. Kerry ended up racing later with the men B's. Also on the start line was former road and CX pro Carmen d'Alusio, out of retirement at least temporarily, fresh off a 700 mile ride from CA to Las Vegas for Interbike with the Specialized team!
Kathleen Hannon (last years' series overall winner) got the hole shot and for the first lap, we hit the run-up only about 200m off the start line. I got 2nd off the line but Stella Carey passed me on the grass. I actually passed her back on the run-up and did not get passed by anyone else, so I hit the single track in 2nd behind Kathleen. Last year, between the run-up and a really bad remount, I was dead last at this point! I stayed right on Kathleen's wheel on the descents and passed her as soon as we hit the climb, which starts on a paved bike path. I attacked the climb and at the top of the pavement, there is a switchback onto more climbing on a trail and I could see I had a decent gap on the rest of the field.
After the climb, there is a little, sweeping off camber descent with sand about a foot deep. There were basically 2 lines through it: a high one and a lower one. I successfully negotiated the lower line in my warm-up laps, so I don't know what possessed me to start out on the high line in the race. I then tried to drift down to the low line, but that meant crossing the very loose middle section and I lost my front wheel and went down sideways at low speed. I untangled myself from my bike and tried to stand up, but stumbled and fell again in the sand. By the time I finally got up and going, Sarah Meihle had caught up to me. It was single track though, so she could not really get by me. After that, it was another short pavement section, another bumpy descent, a sandy chicane section, another descent into a set of double barriers and then a u-turn back to the start finish. By the end of the lap, Stella and Kathleen had also caught up to Sarah and I.
Now we did some zig-zagging through a grassy field (with some muddy sections courtesy of the morning sprinklers). I rode this section once, very easy when I first got to the course and it seemed pretty straight forward and I didn't really want to collect more mud on my bike and tires from that and the run-up, so I spent my limited course warm-up time practicing the technical descents. In the BASP races, you can't be on the course during other races, so you only get about 1 lap each hour in the short time between races. When you hit a maze of course tape at race speed, it is harder than one might think to get the depth perception to see which tape is actually closest. I was still leading the field and by the time I realized that the white tape in front of me was really in RIGHT in front of me, it was too late to turn and I went straight into the tape! I was able to brake in time, so I didn't get too tangled, but Kathleen also went straight into the tape next to me. I am not sure which was more stupid - me going into the tape or her following me! Stella was in 3rd and barely eeked out the turn and took over the lead. John Elgart said someone did the same thing in his race and Stella said afterwards that she probably would have done it too if she had been in front. Anyway, I was able to get on Stella's wheel before Kathleen or anyone else went by. I was fine with following her up the run-up and down the technical descents - I figured we would both probably go faster with her in front! As soon as we hit the climb, I attacked again and got another good gap by the top. Now I made a vow to myself to not to make any more stupid mistakes!
Kathleen seemed to have a lot of friends on the course, so I could tell she was not far behind since I kept hearing her name soon after I went by groups of spectators. I still had a gap at the end of the lap and increased it the next time up the climb. By the end of the 3rd lap, I was not hearing Kathleen's name anymore and could see open space behind me whenever I glanced back. I kept telling myself to not make mistakes on the technical parts and keep the pressure on the climb. Bruce Hildenbrand was announcing, so I could hear him announcing the chasers through the start finish and on the grassy field after it. Carmen caught up to Stella and Sarah and Kathleen fell back a bit, making it a chase group of 3.
CX races are timed, so you never know exactly how many laps you will do. It seemed like forever before I finally saw a lap card and it said 3 to go, which seemed like more than it should based on the time, and Bruce said 2 to go as I went by. Hmmm. When in doubt you have to go by the lap cards though. I had probably 20-30 seconds on the chasers by this time. I was now also passing lapped riders from the women B and masters categories that started just behind us. It gave me some extra incentive to pass as many of them as I could on the climb so I didn't get stuck behind them on the single track descents. Next time around, I see 1 to go and hear the bell, so Bruce was right. As I approach the run up, I laugh to myself as I hear him announce what a strong runner I am and how I come from a strong running background! Hah! Where do they get this stuff??
I successfully negotiated the final lap and took my first win at a Pilarcitos race. Carmen came in 2nd about 20-25 sec. behind me. She had attacked Stella and Sarah on the final climb and gapped them. Stella took 3rd maybe 10 sec. behind Carmen. Sarah was 4th and Katheen held on for 5th. This means I will wear the series leader jersey in the next race at Coyote Point and I still need to work on my first lap!
Karen
The story:
http://ncncacxnews.blogspot.com/2009/10/cross-is-king-in-northern-california.html
The run-up at the start (I am at the front where you can't see me :) )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPRQT0N-9gI&feature=PlayList&p=B6A54F09919AE0D4&index=0
The final barriers on the last lap (The stumble is when my left foot got stuck in my pedal and I almost twisted my ankle on the dismount! The riders between Carmen and I are lapped)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piwC2aR6oAo&feature=PlayList&p=B6A54F09919AE0D4&index=8
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