I came back to Wisconsin so that I could do a lot of great racing while avoiding the summertime in the desert. On short notice I decided that I was best of to travel with Brian Matter to Michigan for some UCI cyclocross racing. I’ve never done UCI cross racing and I’ve just done a dozen or so state races in my life so it was certainly a test of skill, fitness, and motivation. I came through all right and had fun with the experience. Without any UCI points I got to start in the back and work my way up.

This worked out alright though by the time the second lap was done, the lead group was long gone and I was riding solo. I kept it hard and steady to finish a repsectable 13th place. Not too shabby for a first-ever attempt. Not only did Bruce LeBlanc snap some good pictures of the action, he saved my race on Saturday. I flatted just minutes before our start on Saturday and he was there to quickly help me get a tube in my rear wheel. With his help I was in race mode and set to go.

Day two I had a better call up, but the motivation wasn’t 100% out there. For whatever reason I just wasn’t into the suffering and my riding suffered as a result. I would hang on a wheel and then get gapped off. This happened numerous times and I went on to finish a distant 20th. It was a bummer to never really click into ‘race mode’, but at least I gave it a shot out there. The season has been plenty long and action packed and this was honestly the first time that I wasn’t totally into it… A break is soon due.

But first, I’ll be doing the Mad Cross UCI races here in Madison. Some big names will be in attendance and the number of superfans is sure to dwarf those spectating in Michigan. Everyone seems to be really excited for the weekend and I think that energy will carry me through a couple of one hour races. Given’r two more times for an hour a day won’t be too much to ask and I’m looking forward to a couple more UCI’s now that I know what to expect.

If you’re anywhere’s close to Madison I suggest you make the trip to watch the UCI Cyclocross this weekend. It ought to be a great show – fitting for my Midwest finale before I head back to Tucson. See you there,  -TJ

I've done the Chequamegon twelve consecutive years and Saturday was my first trip to the podium. Back in the Short and Fat days I once placed 4th, but never a top three so it was a great experience to get up there alongside two highly accomplished pros.  This race is a homecoming of sorts since the starting line is just 25 miles from my hometown. Being around family and so many friends makes this event unlike any other. While I go to most bike races, with Chequamegon it's almost as if the race comes to me.I knew that I was prepared for a great finish as a lot of good energy went into the preparations. It's not just the training or preceding races that had me set, but a great amount of mental energy that went into the planning and execution of this race. Most will agree that it's a race where avoiding mishaps is equally important as pedaling hard. The road lead out, the fast corners, the sharp rocks, the puddles, the wheel to wheel action, the gritty drivetrains, and the rain are all reasons for concern. Good planning goes a long ways and little bit of luck helps out too. The competition was as tough as ever with a lot of fast dudes at the starting line. I played it safe on the leadout and was right where I needed to be once we got to Rosie’s. Before OO I kept collected and towards the front, but never really got on the pace too much since all of the real action happens much later in the race. Jeff rode off the front of the group through the narrower trails after Martel's Pothole, countering off of Bender's move. I was towards the rear of our 10 or so man group when Jeff rode off. No one wanted to work together in chasing, even when the gap had grown to 45 seconds. I wanted a chance at winning and that wasn't going to happen by sitting in and looking around so I put in a couple hard digs only to be quickly chased. Most seemed content only to follow and not to contribute so I continued with most of the pace making. Chris and Mike were the exceptions, Chris put in some help early while Mike later pulled the entire stretch down Telemark Rd. Page did zero to help the chase, but he did have a nice hard attack saved up to bridge to Jeff once we hit the final Birkie trail section. These were good tactics on his part since he did the least amount of work possible to still get the win. I couldn't match his pace when he went for it, but kept on to fight for third with hopes that we might catch Jeff. This didn't happen, but I was able to shed the rest for the final podium spot. Some nice pictures of my chase train can be found here.

It was some close racing and good battling out there. Jeff was brave to attack and it made for some exciting racing. I'm very pleased with third and I don’t know that I would have been better off any other way.  I had the biggest cheering section at the finish and it was a nice view from the podium. Thanks to everyone who was there and also to all of those who helped get me there. It has been an incredible season and having yet another 'break through' day for Chequamegon was an incredible experience.

Up next will be some UCI Cyclocross racing, something I've never done before. I'll head back to Tucson soon as I'm about due for a break from all the racing, but before that happens some of these bigger cross events ought to be fun. This weekend will be a trip to Michigan and then the following will be UCI races here in Madison. We'll see how they go...  TJ

A solid day on the bike. Close enough to know that a W is possible one of these times… Grandma Judy wins the award for best/most timely photographer with the following pictures. A report is sure to follow later. Thanks to all who make this race excellent.

pre race

to the line

good company.

After the Maplelag Stage Race I did my own ‘stage four’ on Monday with a reconnaissance tour of the Chequamegon 40 course. Ron joined in on the action in order to maintain what has become somewhat of a annual tradition. I don’t necessarily go to scout out the tricky sections, rather it’s more about regaining a connection with the race course. It’s nice to have some along time with trail before living out the racing action. It’s easy for the mind to switch into race mode while visualizing the race playing out.  Doing the preride helps to meld a lot of preparations along with a great deal of mental energy. I ought to have a good combination going for Saturday…

a view from the cabin at WORS

While pedaling on a downhill I smashed my left pedal into a big rock about ten minutes into the race. The impact had me and the bike sailing through the air and off to the right of the trail with my left leg detached from the bike. I rode it out alright and ended up a couple feet off course and into the woods. It was a good scare and thankfully it wasn’t any worse.  The leaders were riding off while I remounted and started the chase. Not more than 10 seconds later I realized that I was dragging a sizable stick from the derailleur which needed to be removed. Another stop cost me several more places. Now I was really back in action and chasing hard, but not crazy-hard. It didn’t take too much to get back to fifth after Chris-P flatted. From here I could not see anyone in front, nor any one behind me. Knowing that a battle was surely shaping up at the front end of the race I wasn’t super motivated to chase. Don called the race early and I called it a good training effort. I missed out on the head to head battling, but I suppose if the off days still yield a top five overall, things are going well enough. Most of the race I was daydreaming about the Chequamegon anyways… With some quick math it looks as if I’ve locked up a top 3 Elite finish for the ’08 series. It’s been fun returning to the series that first got me hooked on this knobby-tired game.

See you at Main Street, -TJ

Labor Day weekend at Maplelag was once again an excellent time. My dad joined in for the trip so he got to enjoy the occasion as well. The racing was fast, the food was excellent and the sense of community continues to go unmatched.  Maplelag is the best place to go to catch up with friends, both on and off the bikes.

The TT started things off Saturday morning and Brendan once again edged me out, this year by just a tenth of second. Doug blitzed the course topped both of us by nine seconds seconds. This set the tone as it was sure to be a fast weekend with close racing. Saturday evening we raced the STXC on a fast and technical course. Jay’s course has a bunch of high-speed corners, a steep climb and a couple other sections that keep you on your game – there’s no mindless hammering as you have to keep sharp out there.  I kept near the front and rode with Doug and Brendan for the most part. We kept it just hard enough to keep the chasers just off of us. Doug had the biggest last lap jump and beat me to the line though things were closely matched out there. Going into Sunday’s XC I would have to go for the win and hope to have Doug finish thirty some seconds (he earned the biggest time bonuses) behind me so that I could get the overall.
The arm wrestling competition between Paul and Mr Anderson was Saturday night’s biggest entertainment. Apparently they’d competed before and were both looking for a good rematch. Paul won with the right arm while Chris was victorious with the left. A crowd of 20+ enjoyed the back and forth battle. With one win a piece,  they’ll both be doing some serious training for next time.

Sunday came around quickly, but waiting until the 1:15 start time took it’s time. I was well prepared and ready to race. With plenty of hard back to back days recently, I was set to go. Doug set the pace and I followed closely behind until a slight bobble had me stopping to get the chain back on the rings. After losing three spots or so I kept it cool and steady, gaining ground towards the front of the race. By the time I caught Eric and Brendan, Doug had popped and Sam was off the front by himself. I kept the pace steady and chased solo for a full lap and a half before finally catcing Sam. With just two thirds of the final lap left I was feeling tired, but good about my odds. I was able to extend the lead by just enough before the finish so it wasn’t too nervous at the line.  It was a blast to have won the XC after dealing with the tough course, the heat, and the competition out there. Wrapping up the overall win was rewarding as well.
A big thanks to Jay and Jonell along with their staff at Maplelag. It was a great weekend with some fast racing and plenty of relaxation – all part of a good Chequamegon preperation…

-TJ

After racing Saturday in Seeley I was actually feeling good by the time evening came around. Maybe it’s true that it doesn’t hurt so much when you win… My dad and I made the road trip to Sova’s place in River Falls that evening, traveling just as we did in the early race years. Chad landed a teaching position and starts this fall so he just settled into his new pad.  After some tasty burritos it was late night of Olympic MTB coverage and catching up on some good story telling. The past three we haven’t seen much of each other as life’s taken us in different directions, but that time lost hasn’t seemed to change too much. It was good to breathe some cycling back into his life and maybe we’ll see more of him in 2009 on the race scene. Back in the day we pounded some serious miles day in and day out…

Race day came early and I awoke feeling fresh and ready to go so I decided to kit up and get in an easy spin and course preview. An hour later I was back ‘home’ and new exactly what we were in for. Breakfast was on my plate when I walked in the door and the tone was well set for the day.  Chad did the Sport race and set a blistering first lap place only to get a flat.  At least he got it fixed and finished up his laps. He was out there long enough to be spotted by the photogs.

Our 1:30 start came with the realization that it was a highly stacked field of WI and MN finest. From the front line it was fast and furious up the climb and I made sure to keep the gas on while cresting so I could put the chase on Jesse. The problem was that I was in chase mode rather than fast singletrack mode. This meant that I wasn’t gaining and only wasting energy. Mikey came around for a bit on the second lap and showed me how to do it. After this I was able to finally take flight on my own. One and a half laps later the gap was apparently down to twenty something seconds though I never saw first hand evidence. At the start of the final lap I was getting sort of tired and there was a lot of lap traffic so I decided to cool the jets and simply ride out the lap. That I did to finish a decent 2nd place on the day. Not quite what I had in mind, but close to it. Had I of ridden the singletrack better on the first two laps maybe I would have been in a better situation.  I’m happy with the result and it was a blast to ride the singletrack out there. It was very fast and flowing once I got the hang of it. If they’d throw in another of those climbs each lap it would be even better. A big thanks to Dad for the bottle feeds and to everyone else for the course side encouragement. These WORS races are nearly on par with the World Cup I did in Quebec with super fans all over the woods. Awesome! We’re even getting press on Velonews these days…

Next up is the Laddies Loppet Stage Race at Maplelag Resort this weekend. If your Labor Day weekend plans are still undecided, I’d encourage you to make the trip. The lodging, the food, the racing, and the experience are all top notch. Jay and the Richards family along with their crew really know how to do it up right.  Last year I had some good luck so maybe this time I’ll be fortunate and have more of the same.

See you there, -TJ

Mountain bike racing is a lot of fun and fortunately there is no shortage of great races held here in Wisconsin during the late summer and fall. It’s a tricky balance to do a lot of racing yet still keep fresh and ready to be 100% when it’s needed most. For me, like many others we try to time that for Chequamegon. Skipping the PreFat would have given me a relaxing day and some more sleep, but I’m a sucker for singletrack and the PreFat has some of the best. About ten or fifteen minutes into the race we looped back across old ‘OO’ and I got to be the first to let it rip.

Jesrin responded and we had a two person race from then on. Jesrin has nearly mastered these singletracks, riding and racing them for most all of his lifetime, so I was more than content to chase him through the tight stuff. On the open sections or climbs I’d up the pace and keep it pretty hard.  We did more of the same on the second loop and near the end I put in a good dig up a steep climb. This created the gap and by keeping the pace high for the final three or four miles I was able to solo to the finish for the win. I felt good and rode strong so its fun when doing that can yield a victory.  Race director Tom Gaier once again put on an excellent event. A big thanks to him and all of the volunteers who were there to help out. Going back to a Northwoods classic event like this is always a great way to catch up with a lot of great people and I wouldn’t have missed the opportunity. If day one of racing goes well, why shouldn’t day two? Later Saturday afternoon my dad and I traveled down to River Falls for Sunday’s Border Battle. Chad cooked and put us up for the night. Catching up was long overdue. There’ll be more to come from Sunday’s action…. While you’re waiting check out these bikes and these shades.

A lingering long term goal was achieved yesterday. I didn’t want two second place finishes in the same number of days so it was full tilt when it needed to be.

Thanks to Super-Fly and Rusty for the pictures. I led Brian around for most all of the race mostly because his kit was too distracting whenever I’d see it in front of or along side of me… Good times and fast racing once again at Sunburst. In ten years of WORS racing I finally reached the very top box for the first time. I’ll certainly be back for more good battles such as this one. Brian had some bike issues that worsened as the race went on so that took some heat out of what might have been a closer finish otherwise. I felt good and the Ore to Shore proved to be a nice ‘opener’ for the legs.

The final 12 miles of Saturday will haunt me for 364 days. I can still see Simonson looking back at me over his shoulder. A gap of 10-20 seconds stayed all the way to the finish. I dug hard, but could not bring the biggest diesel back… Second place at the Ore to Shore in my second ever attempt is a solid result, but I can’t help but think of how easily it could have been different. I made a critical mistake at the bottom of one of fast and twisty dirt trails. I took the left line while Simonson, in front of me, stayed right. At the last moment I saw the water crossing preceded by an approximate three foot drop. I braked hard, rolled off the ledge and saved what could have been a much worse incident. While I was doing this Mike Anderson and Marko who were just behind me rolled past, likely just 3 seconds behind Simonson. I shifted out of huge gear from a near standstill and accelerated myself back up the hill and soon got on the rear of Anderson and Marko. A moment of respite while they kept on Simonson was the plan. Back to four riders, no harm done with the incident was my mindset.

Thirty seconds later, half recovered from my effort to get back on I realized that these two guys were not staying on Simonson very well and in fact the gap had grown from three seconds to perhaps five to ten seconds.  This was enough for me to jump around and initiate the chase back. While I did this Simonson realized that this was his time to pin it. There was never an attack, he just rolled off while I was trying to take a quick breather. Anderson followed me and Marko popped off. Anderson put in a couple of quick pulls while I rallied hard in chase of the leader. Anderson popped not long later and it was everything I could do to keep chasing. I was hoping for a single uphill, but late in the this race it’s all flats and descents. I never got discouraged and I kept at it. Pouring what I had into the pedals. I could see him ever straight section of trail and he knew that I was close behind. This went on for twelve miles! Once we were on the final pavement sections I realized that his chances of making a mistake were slim to none and I was content to roll across the line in second. We matched each other that entire time; it was all about timing and holding on… One mistake on my part and Mike capitalized. He’s tough and he rode smart – we’ll deserving of the win. I’ll surely be back for more next time…

Spending a couple nights in Marquette was a nice getaway though there wasn’t much down time. The rain and wet conditions on Saturday meant some extra work getting things dialed for Sunday’s WORS race. It was fun to catch up with a lot of friends there. After doing this bike racing thing for awhile now I realize that it’s the people and friendships that make it all so appealing. Don’t get me wrong, I love the suffering, but having friends to suffer and share the experiences with makes it all that much better. Thanks to everyone who’s helped along the way. A big thanks to this guy for setting me up with the fast rolling big wheels.

Check back for the WORS report to come next.  -TJ