OMBC Caesars Creek-That Guy on the CX Bike

August 20, 2007 on 6:22 pm | In Mountain Bike Racing |

Results: http://www.results.ombc.net/2007-results/OMBC-2007-XC9.htm

Jeffery Jakucyk Photos: http://jjakucyk.exposuremanager.com/g/caesar_creek_state_park_-_bio-wheels_racing_81907

When I first saw that guy on the CX bike (far right in pic-white helmet) I made a snarfy comment. BioWheels teammate Mitch Graham and I passed him going the other way on our warm up roll down Harveysburg Road. I said to Mitch, something to the effect of, “it crossed my mind, but I had better judgment (than to race a cyclocross bike at Caesars).” I think Mitch shared my feelings, but he bit his tongue reserving verbal judgment. He, like I, have been getting crushed by that dude in the jean shorts for years. When it comes to mountain bike racing, don’t believe your eyes. Beware of guys on CX bikes, in jean shorts and old Styrofoam helmets with purple lycra covers.

It was a nice CX bike. It looked like naked scandium with nice disc brakes and some fatty 2.1 tires mounted on sweet wheels. I actually shared a word with him before the start and inquired about his gi-normous tires. He was wearing a Fulcrum Coaching team jersey, but I still didn’t recognize him. At the time, I was high tailing it back to the Bio Wheels tent to fix my chain which I twisted in my abbreviated warm up. Worried about my chain, I guess I never looked up to put a face with the bike. It wasn’t Dan Tille. We rolled together along with Bandwidth’s Brian Nieport, who was racing his second ever expert mountain bike race. It’s still a novelty to see Brian on a mountain bike.

I performed link replacement surgery on my chain with two minutes to spare before the roll-out. I lost track of that guy on the CX bike. According to Bio Wheels teammate, Chad Irey, that guy on the CX bike got into the single track within the top 5 experts and proceeded to yard-sale-it on the first awkward up-and-down-turn-around. When he ate it, I hear it turned into a chaotic hike-a-bike which split the first few riders off the front of the expert field. Luckily Chad was in front of the mayhem and made the split. Unfortunately that guy on the CX bike got dispatched to the rear.

I raced Expert Vet, which started a minute behind the expert field. I think I hit the single track in 5th with Skinner, Bruce P., and Bio Wheels Charlie Miller and Phil Noble in front. The pace wasn’t so bad, I was right behind Phil. Then we passed Miller laying in the trees. He rolled his tire completely off his wheel on the 3rd turn. All of a sudden I was in the money, 4th place. Then, Phil totally ate it too. I zipped by as he cursed the pain away. I was in 3rd. I would’ve rather had Skinner and Brian wreck than my two teammates, so it was a bitter sweet 3rd and I was chasing Brian and Skinner. Then reality set in. They got out of view, and after 15 minutes, both Miller and Phil charged back around me to the front. Ahhh. 5th was okay with me.

When I came up on that guy on the CX bike it was near the beginning of the 2nd lap. Bio Wheels Dave Stewart was behind me. I tried to ease up a bit for him to catch on with a teammate, but he was obviously struggling with mechanical issues behind me. So I pressed on and we ended up picking up Bio Wheel’s Steven Gers on that nasty descent which presented 10 ways down, but only one where’d you’d arrive alive at the bottom. At the top, I spied a Fulcrum jersey just a turn ahead of us. It took a while, but I finally caught him, of all places on the road. But, when we ducked into the single track he was gapping me, totally opposite of the rules of cycling physics.

I pulled out my “Laws of Cycling” handbook that I had tucked under my helmet. Sure enough the handbook says, during a MTB race, guys on CX bikes will gap you on the flats, but you’ll catch up in the single track. This was bizarre. Every time the trail was flat, I could sneak up on his rear wheel. Every time it got bumpy twisty and gnarly he gapped me. I thought for sure that his arms would get tired of the unsuspended beating for 30 miles. I thought fatigue would take over that guy on the CX bike and I would be able to get around him for good.

I don’t know if that guy on the CX bike had big Popeye arms or what, but I couldn’t catch him for the life of me. We rolled into the 3rd lap. He was still within sight. I could hear his chain pinging off his chain stays a few corners ahead. We hit the road. Again, I closed the gap. He obviously knew me and said something to the effect of, “are you ready for cross Joe?” I think he was testing me, because I couldn’t spit out a word. Into the single track we went. He was gone in the first 150 yards. Damn.

On the home stretch, I passed Bio Wheels Matt Fox. He got the tough guy award of the day for finishing his entire last lap sans pedal.

I never saw that guy on the CX bike at the finish. I wanted to pat him on the back for a good race and to give him some props for his bike handling skills. All I know is that he was in a Fulcrum Coaching jersey, raced expert, and finished with a time about a minute in front of me, right around 3 hours flat.

If you see him, tell him good job. (Since this post “That Guy on The CX Bike” has been identified as Dave Emig. Way to ride Dave. You’re fearless!)