Bici Coop Racing

The Anniston night race is probably my favorite bike race. Not just cross but all of it. The best atmosphere, the biggest crowds, and the fastest fields. Maybe not the best music but that’s all subjective. (Bob Seger- Night Moves for real?) The course was really fast. There was a lot of pack style racing because of all of the wind out there in the flats. A couple of steep climbs and the traditional sand pit were the spots where a lot of the gaps happened.

Bici had a solid crew out there. Zach and Lee rode the Singlespeed while Nathan, Taylor, and Daniel raced the 4’s. Our lone Junior William had a solid ride for 4th in the Junior Boys race. Super stoked to see him come out every week. Kate and Anna repped for us in the Women’s races. Kate was having a great race until she crashed on one of the off camber turns and had some mechanical issues. Anna held down 2nd place in the Women’s 4 race for her first podium of the season. Get em Anna!

We had 6 guys line up for the Men’s 3 race. Sam and Boris were able to hang on for 2nd and 3rd behind one of the Georgia guys meaning Sam brought home the Alabama State Championship. Brap! David, Alan, and Jonathan finished 9th, 10th, and 11th. Ross came in a little bit later feeling the effects of traveling every week for work. 

The after party at Mellow Mushroom was a great time with Back 40 Brewing giving out some pints and everyone telling war stories from their race. Great job to Wig, Curtis and the rest of the Anniston crew. Can’t wait to do it next year. 

After hearing talk of the USGP in Louisville from fellow Bamacrossers I made the decision to sign up and give it a go. I had to decide on either Cat 3 or single speed and I saw that the single speed field was very small on average compared to cat 3. So single speed it was and I was to be riding in class, Zach Davis let me borrow his demo bike from the shop, a 14 pound Trek Cronus CX Pro set up single speed. This took a little getting used to because the Cronus set up weights about 6 pounds less than my normal single speed set up. Now all that was left was to go.

Friday morning I woke up and rolled out. I got there around 2:30 or 3 and checked into the bed and breakfast where Theresa and I stayed for the weekend. It was in Old Louisville, a really awesome historic neighborhood. I settled in and checked some messages only to see that I had to book it to get to the park to get a pre-ride in. It ended at 4 and I got there at 4:10, but lots of people were still on the course so I got out there and rolled around. The course had everything; sand pits, barriers, steep run ups, a fly over, long bumpy flats and a section that reminded me of a skate park with all of its rollers and fun sweeping turns. As the sun went down I realized it was only about 5 and I didn’t have anything to do until 9:20 when I had to pick up Theresa from the airport. So I called Mike Garner, he told me that he and his family were going to eat at the sports bar where the number pick up was so I joined them. There were a lot of familiar faces there, saw the BBC crew and some faces I’ve only seen in pictures until now. Finally, it was time to pick Theresa. Soon after we hit the hay. 

Saturday 5:30AM… BEEP BEEP BEEP! Cyclocross time! I wasn’t sure how crazy parking would be so we got up there extra early. As the sun started to come out I joined 100s of other people to get warmed up on the course. Before I knew it I found myself lining up with 31 other single racers ready to go. I felt comfortable with the size of the field. They check to make sure no one was on a fixed gear and then we were off. It was a long straight paved start. I don’t normally go hard in starts, but this was USGP so I spun the single speed to an almost funny high cadence. By the time we got about half way around the track I found myself sitting in about 7th or 8th. By about the 2nd or 3rd lap I was in 5th and stayed there the rest of the race. I couldn’t see 4th in front of me or 6th behind me so I just kept a pace and finished with 5th. Very happy.  After my race I saw the start of the 2/3s start. The field was well over 100 people and I was glad I didn’t get mixed up with that. For the rest of the day I drank beer hung out with some Bamacross folks, a deviled egg and with some of Theresa’s friends who she just happened to run into. They race cross in Nashville and are really cool folks. Later the pros went on. They made every part of the course seem like it was nothing. It was really cool to see all those guys racing in person.  As we were leaving that day I noticed they were changing the course… yikes. A few more beers and some pasta later it was time for bed.

Day two, I really wanted to keep sleeping, but I had to get up. Got to the park later, but still had time to pre-ride. The course was very different, much more turns and curves so I was happy. I warmed up a little longer this time, road down the road a ways and came back to the start.  And we were off. It was really a lot of the same, except today the guy who got 6th the day before was on a mission to get top 5. He went hard off the start and by the 3rd lap I started catching him in the technical section. I finally passed him. Then with one to go he suddenly passed me on the flats, I think he may have had a harder gearing than me because he was moving faster but didn’t seem to be working as hard. Coming out of the sand pit in a 180 degree turn he went inside then wide and I went wide then to the inside and made my move. I never looked back until I was across the finish line. He had given it all he had because I ended up putting a few seconds on him by the finish. 5th place again. Pumped. The rest of the day was nice. Just hung out and watched the pros. It was really cool to yell at someone like Tim Johnson and them look over at you and give you a nod for cheering them on. The funniest part of the pro race was when Jeremy Powers celebrated way too early on the finish and almost got sprinted past by Todd Wells. I bet they won’t show that on behind the barriers… 

Anyway, over all the weekend was amazing. I hope next time more Bamacross folks can make it up there. It’s totally worth it.

Yesterday was the 4th race of the Bamacross season and the third time we raced in Brookside. Brent did a great job setting up the course so that it was almost a completely different course than previous editions. TONS of running, a lot of twists and turns and a little more running. The way the course was laid out if one you tried to recover you were going to get gapped. If it was a flat or fast section you better had been full gas. In the first race of the day we had Lee and Zach rolling the single speeds. And Brooke rode as our lone lady taking her first win of the season. Great job Brooke. 

Brooke on her way to her first win. Photo : Carol Roark York

Taylor, Daniel, Jonathan, Thomas and Travis repped us in the Men’s 4 race. Thomas had a great start coming through the barriers in the first lap in second position before fading back. Jonathan didn’t have his best start but was stoked to finish after a string of mechanicals and flats knocked him out previous races. Travis decided to take a different approach today and just ride his race and stay upright. It paid off with him coming from the back of the field in the start to finish 9th. Taylor and Daniel both had their best days to date, riding together for most of the race with Taylor finishing 5th and Daniel 6th. 

Jonathan making the pass out of the sand. Photo : Carol Roark York

Travis chasing. Photo : Carol Roark York

Daniel after the sand. Photo : Carol Roark York

Taylor hitting the hardest of the run ups. Photo : Carol Roark York

The Men’s 3 race was up next. Sam decided to skip the singlespeed race early to see how he could roll with fresh legs for the hour long 3 race. He CRUSHED it. He attacked in the first lap and stayed away the whole time. Behind Sam, Boris was battling Brad Hood (Mellow Mushroom) for much of the race with Jonathan Robbins just behind. Alan was sitting 5th much of the race but was eventually gapped by Hardwick Gregg and Ed Merritt. Ross was having a great race before a blowout just past the pit ended his race. Boris eventually dropped Brad but was caught by Jonathan in the last lap. Bici finished 1, 2, 3. 

Sam didn’t look back. Photo : Carol Roark York

Jonathan on his way to his 2nd place finish. Photo : Carol Roark York

Boris rounded out the podium. Photo : Carol Roark York

Next week is an off week for Bamacross but Bici will be repped in the USGP of Louisville, Georgia Cross in Marietta, and the Chainbuster 9 hour race. Look for updates here. 

Cheers!