First Team Race

At the first Seattle Cyclocross series race of the season we had a small but excellent showing. Four or five of us raced (Jason was rumored to have raced but I never had a visual confirmation), and the RV was perched in the upper lot with a birds eye view of the entire course.

Lara was the first to go, a first timer at cross in her first ever race, and she looked awesome! She kicked the nerves and plenty of butt out there too, and finished well within the top half of her entire field. Congrats, well done, Lara!

Jon raced next in the 4's and was also a top-halfer in only his second season of cyclocross... of bike racing! Check out this boys turnover on the run-up!

Even after a couple diggers, JJ finishes with a smile!

Heffe came out of a lengthy retirement and had a super solid result, but with a better start is confident in an even better result: top 10 for sure, maybe even top 5 -- we'll have to check the ticker when its out. And on mustache bars, so retro.

The Man in Black: He wears black for all those riders who never get a chance to Cyclocross.

Doug is racing with the Elites this season and was hopeful for a top 3 finish, but even with a great start he/me was unable to hold the pace: bike and body mechanicals led to a mid-race meltdown and he slipped to sixth on the day.

Doug pounds hard with leaders for 2-laps, then flails

The Veloce Velo.Com of Issaquah Racing Team had some fans in attendance too and we appreciate our out-spoken supporters: thanks Teej and Summer. But the Golden Pom-pom award for "cheerleaders of the day", without a doubt, and probably not for the last time, gets passed to Jon & Lara for being everywhere at once throughout the entire day. There was no section of the course safe from their cheering and jeering, and Lara put in some nice camera work.

Next "team" race in 2-weeks although Crosstoberfest is next weekend at St. Edwards Park.

First Team Ride

Joel and David were already there and waiting when Jon and Lara and I pulled up in the car and they were more than patient as we got our shit together right there in the parking lot. It looked like it might just be the 5 of us, but Diane and Bob rolled up just as we were setting off. So that was the crew for the first unofficially official Veloce Velo team ride!

And what a day! We rolled down the lake under perfect skies and then we headed up through Newcastle hills to May Valley, and eventually on to Issaquah and a stop at the shop. Fortunately Joel was along and gave us the heads-up on some nasty road construction, and he was also able to differentiate between May Valley and Maple Valley, something that I couldn't do even though I was "leading" the ride.

The shop stop was longer than expected because after re-loading up on coffees at the Red Apple Market next door we oogled over all the amazing goods at Veloce. We kept the guys extra busy first thing on a Saturday morning with our coffee-fueled enthusiasm until Joel managed to finally bring us back to our senses so that we could continue our ride back to the start. Good times, and many more to come!

Will there be a team ride this next weekend? Many of the CX gangsters are taking advantage of a series weekend off to go to the Methow MTB Fest, so if a ride is to happen someone needs to step up? Let me know and I'll post it on the site.

Team Rides and Gatherings

TEAM GET-2-GETHER postponed for 2-weeks!
The Sunday following the Seattle CX Race #2 will be a team potluck, place TBD. Plan on it!

We can get to know each other, talk bikes and racing, and drink some beer together like all good teams do. If anyone has an objection to traveling out to Ballard and thinks a better location would be more "central", feel free... we could move the shindig to your house!

Veloce Velo gets it first V at Star-Crossed!

TEAM RIDES IN THE WORKS--
SATURDAYS: The East-side squad is already meeting on Saturdays and the Seattleside-squad will try to make it as much as possible. I went over for a ride last week with the gang and am amazed at the shear volume of beautiful rural cycling roads without much traffic. Its great to free ourselves from city riding at least once a week anyhow.

TUESDAYS: Hoping to strike up a regular East-meets-West Mercer Island ride every Tuesday, meeting at, lets say 545pm at the Tully's on MI.

WEDNESDAYS: Multiple Cyclocross training options, but the Seattle crew is trying to put together their own practices so that we don't have to travel to Marymoor or S Seattle. Suggestions? Another good day for a team training ride, so let me know if you've got something hatched for the Calendar.

As always, check out the calendar below for the latest race and ride information. If you have a ride that you want to post on the calendar so you're not always riding alone, drop me an email and give me the details.

Cyclocross Starts NOW!

I ended up doing Copper Cross last Saturday and it was an awesome cross vibe, New Belgian beers and Fat Tire in cans for a buck, but the turnout was marginal and so Star-Crossed is the true kick-off for cyclocross in the NW this season. Be there!

The link to Star-Crossed is here for more details, but the jist is that its a late afternoon and evening affair this Saturday at the Marymoor velodrome in Redmond, and be prepared to hangout after your race to watch the big boys and girls race. This is a great spectator course, so come out, rain or shine, and whether you will race or not race. Lower categories begin racing at around 2-3pm but the elite gun won't go off until 8pm, so find your place early in the beer-garden. I'll be there early and will have the RV, so come find us!

On Sunday its the same cast of characters at the Rad GP down in Steilacoom, a great course and a regular on the Seattle CX series circuit.

Those who are racing and/or just going along, post a comment to this blog entry and make a note of what category so we can be there to cheer you on and give you support: need a wrench, spare bike or wheels?

The Seattle series starts the following weekend and I'll send out more information about that soon, but be ready to race and let's get together for some cross training and workouts soon.

--D.

Seattle Cyclocross and NW Cyclocross Race Calendar! http://www.seattlecyclocross.com/schedule.html

Race and Event Calendar