Velonews Photos

Two shots from the latest Velonews Photo Contest:

Ace at Fitchburg:














Tal and Coley rocking the Killer B's at Gloucester this weekend:

Carbon Fiber Training Wheels

Carbon Fiber Training Wheels:
That is what I needed on Saturday. I am thinking it might be a good niche market for Reynolds. I couldn’t keep it upright on Saturday. They might have helped?!?

Saturday was EPIC. It was the craziest shit I have ever been apart of in my short and not so illustrious career. It was pounding snow, everyone who is anyone in Cross was there, and people were throwing it down. The Gloucester GP is hands down my favorite cross weekend of the year. Killer venue, killer crowds and typically a rocket fast track. Add 3” of wet snow, temps in the 30s and the bike handling skillz of a 5 year old and you have disaster. . . or my performance. I couldn’t keep my bike upright threw 3 consecutive turns at a time. When I wasn’t dumping it, someone else was dumping it in front of me. After lap 2 I went into survival mode. 30 dudes dropped out. I survived, got lapped, but survived. My worst performance yet, but I didn’t bail.

Richard Fries was rocking the mic this weekend. Best quote from Saturday: “Kraus is in the bushes, Kraus is in the bushes, Kraus is in the bushes, Mayday Mayday”. That is the shit dreams are made of.

Pre-riding on Sunday with a former pro (to remain unnamed so people don’t bust on me for dropping names) he said: “different courses for different horses”. A mudder, I am not. Sunday’s track was fast with a few bogie spots. If I were to layout a perfect course for me, this would have been pretty close. I had a good line up, good first lap and then proceeded to explode on the second lap. In retrospect, I felt good. I had good sensations and really had pretty good horsepower. The bad news is that I was short a few horses compared to the rest of the boys. Not too disappointed, but again I got spanked. Paying my dues I guess. It was freaking fast. That is all I can say. Trebon lapped me early, 40 minutes in. Ouch.

I had pro pitmen this weekend. JB on Saturday, Coley/Tal on Sunday. Someday I will be in the prize money and you will get you split. For now, the beer is on me. It was hot to get clean well/tuned bikes. Props.

Harborside had a party on Saturday after the slopfest. It was hot. Chile, past, beer, tunes and all the boys/gals. Sweet. That is the shit that makes cross the best sport on this planet.

No Justice

Is there no justice in this world?
Global warming, the "war on terror", republicans in power and now this:

cyclingnews.com
No more beer tents in Cyclo-cross The UCI has banned cyclo-cross races from passing through beer tents, one of the hallowed traditions in many Belgian events. The decision was made on the grounds that it was unsafe, on the basis of remarks made by Richard Groenendaal last year about the difference in inside/outside temperatures and the danger of being hit by beer glasses. However, Groenendaal said that his comments were not intended to be taken that way.

I am guessing ole' Richard may get some heckling this weekend eh? i never liked that whiney biatch anyway.

Moving On

The latest Velonews was in my mailbox when I arrived home yesterday. Props to Velonews. The issue is chock full of Cross coverage. There is a cool photo that Chris Milliman took of Lyne Bessette. I was checking out the photo (not Lyne, for the record) and in the background is the lovely and ever smooth Martha railing it through the muddy s-turns. Pretty cool. Check it out.

Freaking cold yesterday. I rode for an hour out to Bretton Woods to check out the snow. It was definitely ski-able and there were definitely tracks but it was nothing like what TH sent me fro Killington (sorry Martha, I know they are the evil empire, but look at the photo!). See the photo. That don’t look like no cross workout to me Tom.



JB is skiing too. One more storm and we have lost him for the season. I remember when we used to spend winters at K-town. Halloween was always the first weekend back in the day. Look like it might hold true this year. I can resist.

I am hoping for cold and wet conditions this weekend in Gloucester. That course usually doesn’t get too muddy, but could get slick. Can’t wait.

Dear Sir

Dear Sir (I use the term lightly):
If you feel it necessary to post lame comments on my blog, at least have the courtesy (some might call it balls) to identify yourself. I am sure you are some big pro with crazy palmares and you have nothing to do during the day but train and post BS comments on people’s blogs. I saw you busted on Brian too. Lame.

Enough Said. Moving on.

You Might be a Redneck

If you live so far north that it dumps snow before Halloween . . . You might be a redneck.

Freaking crazy snow last night and still dumping. That's right sports fans, the first dump has happened. We got 6" at the house and I am sure way more at the hill (for you nonskiiers/koolkids "the hill" refers to the ski area). I resisted slapping on my skins and skinning up the hill this morning for the first tracks of the season. While one tele run might not kill the legs, it certainly wouldn't help them. I resisted and it should be duly noted. Step one: accomplished. No S-K-I-I-N-G talk. It is like the plague.

Gloucester GP this weekend. No Duh. I saw it referred to as the "New England World Championships". It is by far my favorite race. I am stoked to toe the line with many of the best dudes in the country. I will be swimming way over my head, but going to give 'er everything. Hopefully the tank will have some fuel after a solid week of rest.

I heard a bizarre statistic this morning: In 2004 there were 35 Million perscriptions written for sleeping pills in America. It appears that there has been a sharp increase in the use of sleeping pills in America over the last 5 years. Hmmm . . .maybe if a few americans exercised a bit more (or at all) they might sleep better?!?!? Just an opinion. Mine that is. Ciao.

MAYDAY MAYDAY

This weekend . . .ouch.
I had nothing. 35 minutes (the race was 60 minutes!) of racing, 6 mintes in "middle", that's it. That pretty much sums up the situation. I am cooked. Rest week.
I am not pushing the panic button yet, but I would be lying if I didn't say I was concerned. Big weekend coming . . .Gloucester GP. I can't wait. Hopefully the legs and the morale will rebound pronto.

Thanks for stopping by. Photos from this weekend including Ward's debut, my new adopted son Tom and the ever popular Martha will be posted tomorrow.

Weekend Preview

Cold = Turbo Boost.

This was the first cold (28°F) morning of the year. It was also the first cold morning I drove my car. I got it in July. I thought is was fast then. This morning, with the brisk weather the turbo was sick. Also, I let JB drive the car this weekend. It was a 10 minute demo. I wanted his opinion as he is a pro (as far as I cam concerned) with high performance all wheel drive rides. He came back smiling . . .almost too much . . . and sat in it with the engine running to “cool the turbo after exercise” for a good 5 minutes. Hmmm . . .I should have been suspicious. Later I noticed a fair amount of sand and dirt caked on the rims. Enough said.

Weekend = WannaBe A’s Race

So I am looking at the start list for Catamount. I recognize most on the list. It should be a cool race. No real heavy hitters and a bunch of B+/A- boys showing up for some old Skool grassroots racin’. Hopefully I will bring the A game. It could be more like a Wednesday night smackdown since half the field are either my buddies or training partners. I even think Wardo



(yah that is him on the tractor trailer)

is going to make his cross debut. It could be scary. If he can keep from hitting the barriers at 30 mph, he should win. JB, Tom G, the Bikemen will all be in attendance. I am looking forward to it.

DOPING

Don't get me started.

However, saw a great quote this afternoon from former U.S. and Canadian Nordic Ski Coach, Marty Hall on velonews.com (yeah it has been a mellow day at the office):

"Mr. Hall has had many years of up close and personal experience on the World Cup Nordic circuit and is a staunch anti-doping crusader. He saw first hand the transformation of the sport of Nordic skiing in the 80's and 90's when he quipped in a Canadian article, "if at first you don't succeed, cheat. Repeat until caught. Then lie."

How many times have we heard a caught doper say : "this was the first time I doped."

Bull.

Engine Room Trouble

Bridge to Engine room . . .more power.
Last night's workout didn't go so well. I had nothing in the legs. I got thru the first effort, but I had nothing. The next 2 efforts I went thru the motions but it was a waste. The last one I bailed. It is that time in the cycle I guess. I saw Ace said she had nothing in last night’s workout too. Same program: The world according to Tom. I guess I won’t push the panic button yet. I am going to rest. That is what “they” tell me. Resting doesn’t seem like it will make me fast, but I will give it a chance.

Brian stopped by and said yo. He has a pretty nice site. Check it out. He rides for the classic NE cross squad with some heavy hitters. Spinelli . . all you have to say is Domo, Saeco and Navigators. He is legit. Noah . . . been on a different level this year. He’s legit too.

I am staying local this weekend. Racing at Catamount on Saturday and no racing on Sunday. Part of me wishes I was making the trek to the MAC UCI races, but I think I will be better served resting and getting ready of the Gloucester GP. I freaking love the Gloucester weekend . . .always have. I have had some good days there in the past too. Hopefully I can uncork one against the BEST dudes in America.

That’s all for now. I added a links section. Keep checking back for new hooks.

Barriers and Beer

Enrico Franzoi-forgot your bike dude!

You think anyone told him about the beer rule?

You hit the barriers, you buy beer Enrico.

Gut Check Time

Every year it hits . . .the weather gets cold, rainy and dark. Cross season gets into full swing and then I crack. I have vowed that this year will be different. . .gut check time.

So Monday is a recovery day: I went to work, went to the bar for 2 pints of ale and then went home and chopped wood for 45 minutes. You think Sven Nys would subscribe to that type of recovery? And yes, I said chopping wood: Paul Bunyan style.

The weather is starting to crack me. Today: 42 degrees and raining. Rain on and off all day. Tonight: rain. Training is growing more and more difficult. I need to rally and get motivated.

I have my weekly call with “the coach” tonight aka the “World According to Tom”. I already know what he is going to say: suck it up for one more week and you get a rest week.

This weekend’s racing is totally up in the air. I am not making the trek to the Mid-Atlantic UCI races this weekend. Catamount or Connecticut . . .that is the decision. Not sure.

Weekend of Mud

So it is Monday and that means race report time. As is true of most Monday mornings, I am cracked. Actually, beat up is a better description. This past weekend was the first stop in the NECCS (New England Championship Cyclocross Series) in New Gloucester, ME. This course is typically very difficult and the deluge of rain we got this weekend made it borderline miserable. I am bruised, battered and have some very sore tendons.


Highlights:
The start was not exactly UCI regulation . . . there were about 15 guys on the front line on the grass. No complaints from me since I was able to get a second row start (no points, no call-up) and was on Mark McCormack’s wheel. If you have to be in the second row, it doesn’t get any better. My start was okay, but not great. I was probably slotted in 20th or so thru lap 1.

Lap 2 was my down fall. I came unglued on the running sections. Not sure what happened, but I couldn’t run. I was literally going backwards at times and came thru the end of Lap 2 only to hear my wife scream “31”. It was a tough reality: 31st place, less than 40 starters, almost the caboose only 15 minutes into the 60 minute event. When she screamed 31, she said it with plenty of “read between the lines” attitude. As if to say “get your head out of your ass boy”. It was a good wake-up call. I started to convince myself to charge forward and not just settle in and mope.

Lap 3 , I found my rhythm. I was taking faster lines, running better and tagged onto a group of 3 or 4 guys. I took a bike change on Lap 3. (That was pro.) It was a smooth exchange and it seemed to breath new life into my legs. And I began to march forward.

Long story short, I ended up 24th and was pulled with 1 lap to go. I caught two groups and was able to go thru both groups for a semi-respectable result. I nipped Mike Magur (B-Men series champ from last season) at the line. He had pretty much sat up, but I wasn’t sure if we were going for the last paying spot so I gave it a go. Turns out we both got paid. He was racing well and will be a good gauge for me in the coming weeks.

So in general my melt down came earlier this week thank weeks past, but was shorter in duration. Good sign for the weeks to come. I am constantly revising my goals as the UCI/Elite ranks were a total unknown at the beginning of the season. Currently, the main focus needs to be finishing the race on the lead lap. Only 15 guys finished on the lead lap. If I can get closer to the lead lap, my results will just get better.

Sunday: Wicked Maine race . . .couldn’t get warm or warmed up. Started, rode 2 laps, then went to the car. I should have never gotten on the bike that day. Listen to your body: Lesson learned.

For Pros in Training (P.I.T)

So Pro . . .

Referring to distances in k's. Example: The break had 8 minutes on the bunch but we pulled it back in just 3k.

Referring to temperature in C's. Examle: When ever it is below 20C I always wear leg warmers.

Calling a cyclocross course a "track".

Rain pants for track inspection.

White Bar Tape.

Having your own website:
http://www.kerrylitka.com
http://www.jpows.com
http://www.thejonathanpage.com
http://therealjoeythompson.com
http://acerace.blogspot.com/
http://www.toddwells.net
http://aguynamedlogan.typepad.com/aguynamedlogan/

to name a few.

Canton Cup - The Good, Bad and Ugly

I missed Saturday’s race . . .beer tent and all. Pretty disappointed. I spent the day in the mist/rain setting up the Canton Cup course. We had an army of dudes which made the setup way better than years past. Great new sections and the classic canton features made for a killer course: Enough said.

The race . . .the good, the bad and the ugly.

The Good: My start. If there is one thing I do well in a cross race, it is usually my start. Ryan (1K2Go) got the holeshot, Noah (Richard Sachs) took over and Myerson (Nerac.com) followed. I was able to grab Adam’s wheel. Money. In retrospect, I remember wondering if I should pass Adam and push the pace about ½ way thru the first lap. I didn’t. Looking at the photos, I appear to be on the rivet. Adam appears to be out for a coffee shop training ride. (See photos for further humor on the “push the pace” notion. That is me on the right, just about the hit the first hurdle) Probably the right decision. Follow Adam as long as possible.

Note: I stole this photo from Paul Weiss. His a killer race photographer. Check out his website and buy a photo so he doesn't get pissed I stole this image. http://www.paulweiss.bz

The Bad: I followed Adam, a couple of Fiordifutta boys, Noah, etc. for two laps or so. There was separation, but I was there. Easily in the top 10. I was in a small group with Chopper (my teammate), Tom G and a bikeman dude. We were chasing, not making ground, but not loosing ground. A few dudes came up from behind over the next few laps and then I came unraveled. I crashed hard at the base of the run up. It was a yard sale. I was on all fours, face down in the mud in front of a big crowd of spectators. So Pro. That was the beginning of the end. The group I was with rode away from me.

Next lap, I dumped it again . . .in the mud . . .while cornering. Lost 4 more spots.

Next Lap, I dumped it again . . .in the mud . . .while cornering . . .lost more spots.

I limped in. Well off the pace.

The Ugly: After the race, I was cold, wet and bitter. I jawed with Chopper, my wife and some random dude that thought he was going to be a peacemaker. Ahh . . .just a good day racin’. Can’t wait for the first Verge UCI race in Maine this weekend. It has been raining for the last 3 days and the forcast calls for more Rain.

Rain, a Tom Stevens design track and UCI heavy hitters: Brutal day ahead.

Interbike - 15 Seconds of Fame

So my man Ward sent me this photo from interbike. I realize the photo is a bit dark, but direct your attention to the poster size shot of some bike racers at the Target Training Booth. As you will see there is Justin Spinelli (former Saeco, Domo, Navigators rider) John Hansen (Nerac.com) and your truly killing it in a break.
From left to right it is John, Justin, me and another Target dude. If you click on the photo, you get a better look.

So I guess that doesn't exactly make me famous, but it is pretty cool. Someday I will be legit.

Islands - Bermuda and Long

It is all about the islands.

I haven’t updated for some time now, and much has happened. My trip to the Bermuda Grand Prix was killer . . .in many ways. I got smoked everyday by pros with hangovers. In many ways it was infuriating, in many ways it was humbling and in many ways it was motivating. The racing was short and intense with nice weather most days. We did get 40 mph winds and 2-3” of rain during the circuit race . . .but that’s bike racin’. It seems like so long ago at this point, I don’t have much else to say. I guess I would say if you ever get a chance to go to the Bermuda GP, you should go. If you ever get a chance to go to Bermuda to sit on the beach and sip rum drinks with little umbrellas, you should go. The island is amazing.

One more word to the wise regarding Bermuda:
If you are a 135 lbs. Uruguayan bike racer, beware of the little pink drinks that cute girls hand you anytime after 12:00 am. Just ask Jerry.

Next island on the race itinerary: Long Island.
We left Friday after work bound for New London, CT to catch a 9:00 am ferry on Saturday for the first day of the Whitmore Cup. I heard great things about this UCI weekend: lots of money, small fields and the lure of getting UCI points early in the season. Martha, Daisy and I took 7+ hours of travel to get to this race, but it was worth it.

Day 1
I had a third row start position, the gun went off and I was a little lethargic out of the gates. The course had a long pavement/grass drag to the first hard turn and a vicious uphill (the first “obstacle”). The field was about 40 guys and I came onto that hill in 30th or so. Not exactly ideal!

Two things to note here about the start: First, this was my first Elite UCI race with a stacked field (McCormack, Anthony, Wells, White, Hamblen, Kraus (!!!), Shriver, etc). Second, when I was racing “Amateurs” if I had a bad start, I would simply wait for a fast section on the course, hit the gas and usually find myself in the lead group. Note to self: We not in Kansas anymore.

So the hill was ridable. I rode it every time during course inspection/warm-up. However, when approaching it 30 deep, I was running. By the time I dismounted, the front 10 or so guys were already over the top and gone. From then on, I went backwards. I never felt like I could get going and basically sucked for about 45 minutes. While the race was scheduled for 60 minutes, I was pulled with 2 laps to go as McCormack blazed by me. I do mean blaze. I was looking for a fire extinguisher.

I ended up 27th . . far from the points . . .far from the money . . .and searching for my pride.

Day 2
I was determined to get it together. Day 1 was disappointing, but I saw glimpses of hope. My bike handling was good, my barriers/dismounts were good, etc. What I didn’t have was the killer instinct, the “snap” required to be a good crosser. I haven’t been “in the zone” for a while now. When road racing in August, I didn’t have it. I probably had convinced myself that it was “training for cross” so I didn’t need that fierce attacking mentality. Guess what . . .wrong. The first cross race came and went and I still didn’t attack the race. Day 2 . . .different approach. The starter gave us the nod, I got into my pedals immediately and charged. I again had a 3rd row start due to no UCI points, but moved up pretty well in the first 200 meters of pavement. There was some serious pushing and shoving, most likely due to the $4k prize list but I came thru unscathed. I managed to be ahead of the boys that decided to hit the barriers and came to the first sweeping grass/sand corner in 20th or so. As we approached the second 120 degree corner just before the off camber uphill, I dove to the inside moved up 5 slots and was able to ride the hill. This was HUGE. Good for the adrenalin, good for the moral, good for positioning and in general I was showing my cross mentality of old. The front was still significantly faster than is comfortable for me, but this start allowed me to be ahead of many of the guys that dusted my yesterday and settle in.

Lap 2 was tough. I jockeyed for position, hit the gas when I could and tried to compose myself from the first lap effort. I settled into a group that was 15th to 20th place. Lap 3 saw me loose contact with that group, but I kept plugging. I ended up doing battle with a few dudes, and even found myself attacking my little group in areas that suited my strengths. In the end, I was 22nd. The results show me as 24th, but they are wrong. I beat the two dudes show in front of me, but I was trying to catch the 5:00 ferry for my 7+ hour jaunt home and the extra $10 I would have made in prize money, wasn’t worth missing the ferry. I was 2 slots away from my Top 20 goal and 7 slots away from UCI points, but I had good sensations. Plus, I got paid. Reason enough to try and run with the big dogs. At a UCI C1 race, they pay 30 deep. There were 40 or so starters so I was pleased.

Final thought on the weekend: KRAUS.
Matt had some sick results this weekend with two Top 10s against a stacked field. Insane results in my book. I never saw him on either day. He was on a different plane.

What next?
NAV Canton Cup on Sunday and maybe Jamestown RR on Monday. Thanks for reading.