Louisville Takes on The WORLDS!!

I swear...

We've had just about a little of everything thrown as us this week... minus the swarm of locust... with that said, we're packing our bags and heading out tomorrow before that happens!!  But... before we head out... let me catch you up!!!

The Elite aka Pro World Championship races were supposed to take place this weekend, with the Juniors and U23 men racing on Saturday, and the Elite Women and Elite Men racing on Sunday.

But have you every heard the saying... "God willing and the creek don't rise????"   Well... "the creek"... namely the Ohio River... was rising at an alarming rate, due to all the FREAKING rain we got earlier this week.  And guess what????

Ahhhh Yup!!!!   The River was due to crest it's banks at 1:00am Sunday morning and flood the entire race course.... HOLY SHIT!!!!   No amount of sand bagging, trenching... or bull dozing by the Army Corp of Engineers was going to stop tons and tons of water from not only flowing onto the course... but totally submerging it under water...

Ummm.... is drowing covered in the rider's waiver???  Let's pencil it in!!!

 

 

 

So, with the river rising at an alarming rate... a quick decision was made to cram, 2 days of racing into one day... Saturday.

 

Now as you can imagine, everyone schedule to race on Sunday.... namely the Elite men and women, had their underwear in a huge bunch... because everything was moved up 24 hours.  But looking at the bright side... It's better than racing with water wings and a snorkel.

 

I have to hand it to the race organizers... what a first class event.  Despite all the issues they were facing.

 

The riders had a challenging course to race on

 

 

  

 

 

 

The crowd entertained each other in between races...

 

 

 

 

 

They drew in excess of 10,000 spectators... from all over the World

 

  

 

 

And at the end of the day... 2 men and 2 women went home as World Champions... and we got to see it all LIVE... in the USA.

 

Not a bad way to end the day.

 

We wrapped up our week in Louisville as spectators, watching both the best cross racers in the world, as well as the next generation of cross racers.  They were all an inspiration to watch... they make it all look so easy, when we know how brutally hard it is. 

 

We are heading home in the morning... it's bitter sweet. I am glad the season it over, we are all tired of racing but on the other hand, sorry to see it end.

 

I am so proud of my teammates!  Flea... I am proud of you!  You did awesome!!!!  

  

Til Later,

 

Peanut Out... 

 

 

THE IMPACT OF THE SIDELINE

Tom Stevens (My Coach) and I, have a number of discussions about race tactics and strategies, and awhile ago we discussed the fact that races are often won or lost...  by what Tom would qualify as "a race of inches", which, simply put... is a combination of tiny mistakes, or tactical errors ... or on the other end of the spectrum, great lines, efficient use of energy, surging at exactly the right moments that can either win or lose the race for you.

Today for the first time in my cycling career... my race  was such a crazy roller coaster ride of bad luck, a tough crash, getting caught and passed in the bell lap and then with the crowds help... with their encouragement and cheering...  I was able to win the Rainbow Jersey.  Today, the sidelines were the one inch I needed to win the race,  it was enough to bring me to my knees...

I will never forget today's race for as long as I live.

For everything that was going wrong at the beginning of the bell lap... everyone on the course continued to believe in me. 

Despite the fact the gap was growing, and it appeared that the wheels may be coming off my plane.

The shouts of support from the sidelines and the pit are what helped lift me back up, and helped me close that gap.  Your shouts of encouragement are what caused me to not only bridge the gap but go by and keep on going.

If you think your cheers don't matter... I'm telling you they MATTER!  Your cheers helped me win a World title today.  I owe every person standing out there today, a big thank you.. whether you were cheering for me or not.  It doesn't matter.  Because it mattered to someone.  

It makes a huge difference. 

If not for all of you...  I would not be going home with a World Title today.   You guys rock!!!

Thanks so much. 

http://www.cxmagazine.com/sarvary-takes-womens-55-world-championship-title


Kathy Sarvary

Mother Nature Needs an Attitude Check!

In the sport of Cyclocross... we're prepared to race in all conditions and all types of weather. 

But come on people... 

Um... if you need help...   This is what a dry course on the 70 degree day looks like.

 

 

AND... This is the same course shot... 48 hours later, oh yeah... with 2 bazillion gallons of rain dumped on top. 

I believe I may have mentioned the weather was a little fickle in KY...  if so, I do have to pass on some credit to the Southern weather dudes.   With the wild swings in weather, they've still been spot on so far! 

Being from New England, this is a very impressive thing.  Since our weather dudes seem to just toss a dart at a weather chart, give you a 7 day forecast... seem to get the forecast wrong 75% of the time and blame it on the jet stream...

So, with that said far, here's what the weather has tossed our way...

After a 4:00am tornado warnings, with so much rain dropping from the sky that the course drainage gullies simply couldn't handle the volume of water...

 

 

This is what the course looked like at 9:30 this morning... the course crew was scrambling to get water moved from point A to point B... racing was delayed for 2 hours.  The course was a muddy mess.

A dive in overnight temps to 15 degrees and the possibility of snow is a possibility.  All of this... in 4 days, I think Mother Nature needs an attitude check.

Not that we can do anything about it, but WOW!

Today was the final day of seeding races, tomorrow starts the races for the World Titles.  Races will start in the mud... with the temperatures heading south, we're not sure if it will stay in the mud or turn to ice or some combination.  But I can tell you one thing.  It won't be dry!

    
                                                             God I'm glad that's over

                                             
                                                      Are you joking... I wanna do it again!!

 

It was slow going in the mud

                                                                 Chivalry isn't dead


Good Luck to all the guys and gals racing tomorrow... Tom, Big Pit, Just Jerry, Tim Shea will be racing tomorrow ... the Flea and I will be Pit Crewing for Tom and Big Pit...  Let's hope we don't screw it up!!!

 

 

I am going to try to recruit this little guy as a member of our Pit Crew, if I can just get him to focus.


Peanut out!

Seeding Races, Mud and.... Batten Down the Hatches!

Today offered a little of everything,

The morning started out in true Monster Truck rally fashion, with mud so deep every vehicle attempting to get into the venue immediately got stuck...   This resulted in a goat rodeo of huge proportions, causing a bunch of Southern guys... with ropes, cables and chains attached to a huge ass tractor screaming to the rescue.

Enter stage right... The Blue Steel van, which  by the way... doesn't drive worth a shit in mud.

One of the Southern guys leans up against the drivers door and tells me... "Jes hit the gas and don't let up... UUU won't geet stuk if UUU don't stop!".  So that's exactly what I did... I floored it!  The van took off, about 200 lbs of mud went spinning back... hosing down the porta pots.  The van went rocketing across the mud field with all the Southern guys yelling... "That's how you get er done!"

The venue folks weren't amused... and decided to bring in mulch to avoid any further Monster Truck Rally action... What a bunch of babies!!

So... as I'm sure you figured out, if the parking area was covered in mud, the course must have been in similar shape... right?  CORRECT!!!

This is my shoe after the run up...




Remember how I broke down the different mud types for you a few weeks ago???   Well, the course was covered in a thick peanut butter mud...   Now as a reminder, this is the toughest mud of all.  Very difficult to ride in, because it is relentless in the resistance it presents when riding... never giving your legs a break.  It slowly gathers on your bike and adds weight and it sticks to EEEEVVVERYTHING!

After getting the vehicles dropped into the deepest mud hole we could find. 

Blue Steel Mud Compound (hard to see all the mud in this picture)


We unloaded our stuff and headed out onto the course to check it out.  The guys doing formal course review for their seeding race... The Flea and I doing a 2 lap check out as part of our work out.

In spending enough time with folks, you learn what their race faces look like... so I figured I would share them with you...

  

Flea's Race Face....  What you laughing at!!?

 

 

 

Tom's Race face.... I swear, every time I tried to take a picture of him... he was bending over!

 

Big Pit's race face... talking

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Pit Still Talking....

 

 

 

 

 

And you got it... Big Pit is STILL TALKING!!!!

 

 

 

 

Peanut's game face (NOT!)... and Tom... STILL bending over!  Geez, what is with that guy??

 

 

 

 

 

Timmy Shea... always a smile from Timmy!

 

 

The guys survived their seeding races.  Tom said it was the hardest 15 minute race he's ever done.  I think that summed it up for just about everyone today.

 

Flea and I dodged a major bullet in the pit... we didn't have to hand up any bikes to the guys today.  That will change on Thursday! 

 

Remember... the weather here is pretty fickle.

 

Starting around midnight, we are expecting torrential rains, high winds and a dramatic drop in temps... go figure.

 

More seeding races tomorrow, with Eric Carlson on the line at 8:30  and then Thursday begins the racing for all the marbles.  Until tomorrow...

 

 

 

Don't take life too seriously!

 

 

Peanut out! 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisville Course... First Look

So...

We're finally here!   After 6 months of racing...  and 21 races it all boils down to 1 more race (not including seeding races for the guys)... for all of us and then it's over. 

But... with the end of the season dangling like a carrot in front of us, we can't afford to think about that yet.

We have to concentrate on the  elephant in the room that is staring us all in the face this week...  something that is arguably the most important race of the season... THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!!

The Flea is in denial... don't worry... this is normal for her... She will come around.



 

We were able to jump onto the course and check it out before they closed it to all riders...

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the start... about 100 meters of crushed rock before it transitions to grass

 

 

 

 

 

The course at the time we pre-road it was dry and fast... but we don't expect it to stay that way. 

 

 

 

 

 

This hill was barely ride able when it was dry... if wet, or icy... it will be a run

 

 

 

 

 

 

    This grassy section on top of the big hill... if it turns to mud... will be a huge slog!                     

 

 

So, what's the bottom line???

 

We learned last year that the weather in this city is pretty fickle and it has a huge impact on the course... As the weather changes, so does the course....

 

61^°

27^°

AM T-Storms / Wind

Chance of rain:

90%

 

Thu Jan 31

36^°

22^°

Partly Cloudy / Wind

Chance of precip:

10%

Fri Feb 1

32^°

26^°

Sunny

Chance of precip:

10%

Sat Feb 2

38^°

31^°

Few Snow Showers

Chance of snow:

30%

Sun Feb 3

45^°

30^°

Sunny

Chance of rain:

0%

 

 

 

Not to mention... riders will be tearing up the course...

 

So,

 

Tomorrow

 

Big Pit and Tom race in their Seeding Races

 

For the larger fields, they have 3 lap races, that in turn determine how the racers will line up for their championship race.  That is called a seeding race. 

 

The Flea and I will be working in the pit as their Pit Crew... I think I will need to go find my own blanket to hide under!!

 

Until tomorrow...

 

Peanut out. 

 

 

Day 1 on the road... Racing to Louisville KY

So....



I don't want to start off the week by complaining. 


But I gotta say... If you plan on following Big Pit on a trip... here's what your are going to see

.i

 
Yup... That's right.  If you squint really hard, you will see a tiny dot way out there.... that's Big Pit and Flea... rocketing down the highway, at the speed of sound!!! 

Now Tom and I are weren't exactly dogging it...  the van can do 75mph before the vibration gets out of hand....

So...

I don't want to knock my van.  It gets the job done.  But come on... It's... a 2002 Ford, with over 100k miles on it.  The doors howl when you open them, the motor coughs when you stomp on the gas, the turning radius is for crap... not to mention... it failed to start 3 times when we were in Madison 3 weeks ago... 




 


In short:   It's kinda like driving a empty box of animal crackers with 4 wheels.











So... When Mr Pig Pit Mario Andretti and the Flea decide it's time to burn a bit of carbon off the ole spark plugs... well... let me tell you!!!!  The Peanut is stomping on the gas pedal in the old  Blue Steel Van  swearing a blue streak... hoping like hell the van doesn't kick the bucket and roll over and die before we make it to Louisville!  

I could have swore we were going to start racing when we got to Louisville... not race all the way there!


But than again... we are racers... it's in our blood. I wish like hell the van could go faster!!  Guess I just need a new van.

Peanut out.

LAST DAY IN MADISON... A VIEW FROM THE PITS

Sunday... the last day of the National Championships are reserved for the 2 biggest billed races of the venue... the ELITE aka PRO Women and Men's races.

Today is Sunday... today the Pros race...

Last night, I got a last minute request from a Stacey Barbossa, who was racing in the women's pro field... asking if I could pit crew for her... just in case she needed a bike.  Last night we expected frozen ruts and a pit like would only be needed if a equipment failure took place... so, I said "sure"...

This morning... guess what????

Yup... the course was changing!  The mud was slowly melting... it was sticking to the bikes and it was going to be mayhem in the pits.  I couldn't handle it alone.  Professional pit crews were being manned in the pits and the Peanut needed help... so I recruited Tom... to help me, just in case. 

Thank God he was there.

As we're watching riders checking out the course before the pro women's race, we saw a few riders on the course with mud coating their drive trains.  "Hey... how far have you gone",  I shout out...  the response... 1/2 a lap...

Holy Crap!!!  Game plan change, Stacey is going to need to take bike exchanges... every lap...  we better tell her!!!

  This is what peanut butter mud looks like after half a lap when it starts to freeze... things don't work so well...  huh... wonder why??

 

 

So, our game plan was quickly altered....

 

Stacey had 2 bikes... one in the pit and one she was riding on.

 

Rule #1.  Keep one bike ready for her to ride at all times.  Even if that one bike is the one she's riding...

 

Rule #2.  Keep Stacey informed if her pit bike wasn't ready for pick-up.  Why??  If a rider enters a pit and doesn't actually get a bike exchange... they incur a 10 second penalty... not to mention, it's very upsetting to the rider when the pit crew doesn't have their act together. 

 

Rule #3.  Don't let other Pit Crews get in your way... in turn, don't be a moron and get in the way of other Pit Crews.  So the basic rule of good manners applies... don't be a bunch of dumb asses in the pit... but, always assert yourself to ensure you take care of your rider.

 

 

With a field of a 100 plus racers on a muddy course... the race in the pits for the power washers, is as frantic as the race out on the course.  Tensions are running high, racers are dashing into the pit looking for bikes, pit crews are scrambling... trying to get frozen mud that's caked on the bikes, broken off, before they are taken to the power washers.

 

The end of lap 1... all the power washer freeze and we have no water.  WTF????!!!!!  

 

Racers are coming towards the pit... we don't want to cause them to panic by telling them we don't have water... we somehow have to fake it...   

 

So... we take the bikes from the racers as if nothings going on... and chip the mud off the bikes, spray WD40 on the drive train and when they come back in... we give them back the bike... for another lap.  It's better than nothing!

 

Lap 2 the power washers come back to life and we're back in business.... the pit crews are still chipping iced mud off the bikes but it's not feeling nearly as frantic.  At least the bikes won't weigh 1000 lbs when they are given back to the riders.  It's hard enough out there for them as it is...  

 

Several riders didn't have Pit Crews and they had to abandon the race due to the conditions...

 

Mechanicals took their tolls as well.

 

The racers were awesome.... it was cold as hell and they raced the the warriors they are.

 

I am so proud to be a part of this sport.

 

Stacey Barbossa was so appreciative of our Pit Crewing... it was humbling.  She was the one racing not us... we were happy to help. 

 

It was fun providing her the support.  She's a great athlete and racer, finishing 26th out of the best American racers in the US.  Great job Stacey... I would pit crew for her again in a second.

 

Pit Crew Survival Kit... Wisely advised by my new friend and teammate Michele

 

 

 

 

Frozen mud, before it began to thaw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very motivated fans with very little clothing... wow!

 

 

 

 

 

Pit Crew's waiting for the Women's Pro field to start

 

 

 

  

 

Chipping Mud Off the Bikes in the pit

 

 

  Kate Compton flying through the pit.. it's great having the ring side seat!

 

Jonathan Page on his way to the win

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the pits... It was so cold...  The spray from the power washers were freezing all over our cloths

 

 

Without a pit crew... you had to abandon the race.  You wheels just didn't roll

 

 

 

 Final look at the field before wrapping up and heading out...

 

 

So, tomorrow we start our 2 day trip back home.  The first part of our 2 part  mission is almost complete...

 

 

It's been a blast, entertaining and so far... no one has lost an eye.  So... in my book, a total success.

 

Until later,

 

Peanut out