Midwest MTB Racing Report
A relatively quiet weekend on the cross country racing front as riders took advantadge to hit up the popular trail systems in the Midwest with reports from heavy traffic at Cuyuna and the CAMBA trails. WORS offered racing in Rhinelander as Casey Hildenbrandt provides a recap from the day, a couple items to note and the usual look ahead as we approach the first weekend of June, caps off this weeks report!
WORS #2 Crystal Lake Classic
Collegiate rider, Casey Hildenbrandt, sends in a report from Rhinlander and riders enjoyed a nice day of racing:
After making the lead group for a little bit last weekend at the WORS season opener, I knew what I could manage coming into this weekend at the fast, yet rough and technical Rhinelander course. A few of the top guys were not in attendance, but if anything that played to my advantage. On the leadout we were going pretty slow and people were looking around so I went to the front and sat second wheel for a little bit and then just sat in the lead group that formed after the first roller. The lead group consisted of Guerra, Braun, Gauthier, Stelljes, Piontek, McConnell, and myself with Peariso a few seconds off the back of us and a big gap behind him.
After a few sections of singletrack McConnell and myself were off the pace as Peariso joined back to us. We were sitting 6-8th place and working well together. They were both on full suspensions though, so the rigid 29er that I borrowed was a little rougher and I was working a little more in singletrack to find somewhat smoother lines. I managed to clip a pedal in a turn and went down, but those two were nice enough to encourage me and yell at me to catch back on! Thanks to them for that, even though it’s a race it’s awesome to have your competitors encourage you and keep you positive. During the third of four laps, I couldn’t manage the pace of those two anymore and was in major need of a back adjustment. The long start/finish straight gave me a chance to rest my back heading into the final lap so I did just that.
I was super psyched halfway through the lap when I realized that I was sitting 8th in a WORS Pro/Elite field and I got a second wind. I started drilling the singletrack as I was during the first lap. But suddenly as I was cruising a section the chain fell off on the inside of the chain guide for the 1x10 and got jammed. It was about 30 seconds before the next two guys passed, then another minute until the next two guys. I struggled getting the chain unjammed, but eventually got it and was back at it. Cramps started as soon as I got back on the bike after trying to fix that mechanical for two minutes, but I knew there was only a few miles to go so mentally I held it together to the finish.
Tough race, but lots of fun and that’s what it’s all about. Somewhat disappointed, but overall it was a great experience being up front with the guys I’ve looked up to since I started racing a few years ago. 12th in my firt elite race I’ve finished, but plenty of room for improvement. Thanks to Ben Koenig for borrowing me his bike so I could get out and race! See y’all around at some races this year! Get out and pedal!
(Photo: WORS)
Candyland for mountain bikers
Duluth's mission to become one of the top destinations for mountain bikers in the country is highlighted in an article by Curt Brown with some interesting comments, as usual, at the end of the article.
No Time for Lyme
The wood ticks have exploded in recent weeks which means deer ticks and the possibility of Lyme. If you have followed the mountain bike reports the last few years back, you might of seen I contracted the nasty Lyme disease from a deer tick the spring of 2009. The disease hit me pretty hard and finally feel I am in the clear. I opted out of a iv antibiotic and instead took advice of the infectious disease specialist to push myself and build up the immune system naturally. Initially, I researched quite a bit about Lyme and all the information got a bit overwhelming at times. However, my good friend Kyia passed along an article in Dirt Rag magazine, Ticks Suck, that covers the bases nicely, discussing how to prevent getting bit and what to do if you suspect something isn't right. A nice piece with a little bit of humor for this nasty disease. Seems like every week I hear of more people that have been hit and a few really struggling because it wasn't diagnosed early.
Looking Ahead
CAMBA Festival of Trails
The Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) trail system was busy this weekend past with riders hitting up trails in premo condition, in advance of a busy weekend coming! Over the past few years (CAMBA) has added over 70 miles of new single track mountain bike trails to the 300 miles of mapped CAMBA trails in Sawyer and Bayfield Counties near the towns of Cable, Hayward and Seeley, Wis. The Festival of the Trails will host a number of the events on these new recreational trails to introduce mountain bikers of all levels to these fun and scenic trails. Highlighting the weekend will be a Crank Sisters even which will feature skill clinics focusing on skill and technique and not fitness. More information and detailed schedule.
Sandilands Manitoba Canada
If you live in northern Minnesota or the Grand Forks area, the Sandilands mountain bike race in southern Manitoba is a event to check out! Having raced here a few times, it was definitely worth the trip which wasn't any farther if not shorter than some races for me to attend. Sections of singletrack were source of building singletrack here at Maplelag and truly a deep woods feel in the middle of nowhere at Sandilands.
Red Eye Rendezvous
WORS makes it three weekends in a row, hitting up the popular Nine Mile Forest trail system and the Red Eye Rendezvous. The event is consistently one of the top drawing races in the series. Staged at one of the Midwest’s premier cross-country skiing areas, Nine Mile Forest, it takes full advantage of this area’s abundant single track and wide open rolling ski trails and adds a bit of double track to provide mountain bikers with a two wheeled thrill ride
MNMBS-Bluff Riders Charge
Race #2 in the Minnesota Series heads south to Mankato for the Bluff Riders Charge at Mt Kato. The course starts with a nice warm-up climb to the top of the ski area. Once on top, all racers make a large traverse along the front of the ski area. The course has a good balance of climbs, descents and technical sections with switchbacks. The approximate vertical gain per lap is 500 feet.
Keep the wheels moving!
 | About the author... Jay Richards maintains a very active lifestyle. He somehow finds time between managing a full-time resort (Maplelag) and bringing up a family of four boys with his wife Jonell, to compete in both mountain bike and a few cross-country ski races. Jay rides for Maplelag Resort, manages the Maplelag/Paramount mountain bike team and enters his 23rd year of racing and promoting mountain bike races. |