The Subaru Cup was once again my return to WI, though this year it’s comes a couple months earlier. Some of the details changed, but much of the Cup went off just like last year with the top three spots unchanged. The XC started off hard enough that a smaller, early separation was made. Jesse and Marko went up all the hills at the same speed, regardless of its pitch. This meant it was either a doable effort, a hard effort, or an inside out effort as I followed them around. And after a couple of inside out efforts on the course’s steepest climbs their gap was established. So for four laps it was TT mode and I stuck with the doable and hard efforts, but no more inside out efforts. Without much ‘racing’ going on at least I was able to enjoy the course and it’s jungle like feeling (it’s been awhile since I’ve ridden nice dirt under thick tree canopy). It was all enough to finish third. Apparently Jesse and Marko really like those inside out efforts and I’ll have better acquire my taste.
Day two of the Cup started off in full style and I was left to vie for the overall in the absence of the Lalondes. The Super D was off the hook with the lemans start (video to be posted in a day or two) as Paul darted to the top first. It’s been since my CC days in high school that I’ve run so quickly. Chasing Paul down the hill was all the motivation I needed to ride super fast and when all the heats were tallied up, we finished in the top two spots.
The STXC course was great in that there was always something going on and it was plenty fast for the most part. The steep grassy climb was the critical feature and Brian and Tristan gapped me on the second or third trip around. I held them at 12 seconds for most of the race, but wasn’t making any ground back. Chris and I did some good battling for 3rd, exchanging attacks every lap. His final burst up that grassy pitch was enough to ride away. 4th for STXC and plenty exhausted from the weekend I was happy to have wrapped the overall. Breaking even after driving 2000 miles and paying my entry fee is pretty cool, especially when gas is $4 a gallon.
Next up will be the Reforestation Ramble. See you there. -TJ