CCCX #2, Fort Ord East Garrison, Seaside, CA

February 26, 2006

Number     Name                Class                  Time    Place  Field

 434     Michael Cantelobre  Expert Single Speed   1:39:07    8      9

 876     Jeff Hane           Sport Men 35-44       1:15:00    8     40

 518     Matt Leonard        Sport Men 34 & under  1:15:59    7     22

 449     Rich Henthorn       Sport Men 45-54       1:19:51    6     19

 860     Franck Mangin       Sport Men 35-44       1:19:55   22     40

 636     Allan Sherlock      Sport Single Speed    1:19:56    3      7

 419     Bob Lofland         Sport Men 45-54       1:33:44   17     19

Race Report by Matt Leonard

Well, I woke up Friday, sick, thinking, damn, this better not ruin my race Sunday. I went for a spin at Santa Teresa after work and it was great. No arm warmers, no jackets, it just felt like a regular spring day. Well, I think during that 1.25 hours or so, I drank the entire 100 oz of my camelback and sweated it all out. My legs felt fine, but I just didn't have a lot of energy. I was hoping this wouldn't be an indicator for my race on Sunday, but I was wrong. I woke up Sunday feeling better than Friday and Saturday, but still not 100%. I drank almost an entire 1.5 liter of water on the drive down, raced to the porta potty to get rid of it, then registered. I rode around for about 20 minutes or so for a lazy warm up, then lined up with the the rest of the group. It was nice to see a bigger turn out as compared to 2 weeks ago. The TWW crew included Allan, Jeff, Rich, Bob, myself and Michel and Franck with their families. My group was slightly larger this time around, 23 this time instead of 19. The whistle went off and I decided to pace myself a little better this time knowing I had about a 3/4 of a mile or so until we hit the right hand in the dirt and headed back down hill. I popped in the singletrack around 7th and within 5 minutes or so, I was in 4th with one guy right behind me. The 5 of us kept together for the first lap, with the guy behind me getting ancy and making his way up to the front. I stayed with the group until about half way through the second lap. I don't know if having a cold made a big difference in my decision making, but I decided I needed to back off and let the 4 guys in front of me go ahead. The 35-44 group had started to catch us at the end of the first lap, so after I let the 4 guys ahead of me take off, I would just suck the wheels of the 35-44 as they went by, trying to keep up. I think in one of those trains of the 35-44 group, one or two guys in my class snuck by me. Oh well, I just maintained a pace where I knew I wouldn't blow up at the end. Right at the end of the 3rd lap, 3 guys in my class passed me before the finish line. I immediately passed them on the first climb following the start/finish line. With a mile or so with a gradual incline, I left them for awhile. But right at the top of the pavement they all went by me again. So I just kept them in my sights, with my intention of passing them all before the finish. They seemed to be doing well together, but I knew they weren't that great. So I stayed 200 yards behind them and let them make their mistakes while I recovered. Soon enough I decided to catch up with them before the sandy hill, hoping to pass them there. But a few hundred yards before hand, Jeff pulled up behind me, so I had someone to help me out. So I was on the tail of the 3 guys as we went up the hill. The first guy made it out cleanly, but the second guy screwed the rest of us when he spun out. Jeff and I made it around the two that got hung up and soon enough, with less than a mile to go, I was sucking the wheel of the 7th place guy. I didn't think I had it in me for a sprint, but I figured what the hell. Right before the last little downhill, on a right hand turn, I hit the gas and flew by him while he went a little wide on the trail and I cut the corner through the grass. Jeff followed me and held the guy off as I focused on not making any mistakes before getting to the u-turn before the last sprint to the finish. Around the u-turn and I stood up and hammered as hard as I could to a 7th place finish with Jeff right behind me. All in all, I am content with my finish. Final results haven't been posted yet, but I wonder if I hadn't had a cold, would I have been able to keep up with the lead pack? Who knows. I will have to answer that question on the 19th. I will post official results when they are posted, hopefully tonight.

Matt
7th of 23
Sport Men 34 and under

Race Report by Rich Henthorn

For those that haven't raced here, and for those that need a reminder, this area of Fort Ord is full of singletrack on mostly gently rolling hills, with a technical factor approaching zero. The guys put together a course that doubles-back on itself and includes a paved road. The pace is usually very high, which makes this venue roadie-heaven. This time there was a lot more paved road than I recall them ever using, that made the roadie factor even greater. Still, it a good test of fitness for those early season racers.

This year I graduated to the Grandpa class, age 45-54, but the speeds seem just as high as past years. Fast Old Farts.

As Matt stated before, the course starts with almost a mile of paved road at a gentle grade before it dumps out on a trail. I'm in the front group of about 8 at that point determined to stay with the leaders as long as possible. When we come up on the 35-44s, most of us get past without much fanfare, then jump to make it back to the leaders. This goes on for the entire 1st lap. Pretty fun, and so far I'm hanging in pretty well.

When we get back on the road, I can see the guys from in my group steadily pull away, but I'm doing OK and pass some more 35-44s and pull up near the guys in my group, so I have spots 4-7 within sight. I think if I can stay within sight of these guys for another lap, I'll try to take them on lap 3 since I seem to be faster than them on road. The pace is still pretty high on lap 2, and I can see that I gain ground on them during the long, steady climbs. I pull near the small group in front of just before the road. When I hit pavement I set a higher but steady pace and pass two guys in my group, steady on the gas, and take a look just before the dirt - OK, I've got a pretty good gap.

Towards the end of lap 3 I gain sight of another Grandpa well up ahead. Same strategy - try to reel him in on the road - is a success, as I get within contact with only one 35+ guy in between. Again, I notice I gain ground on the steady climbs, he's pretty strong on the flats and downhills. I get right up on him with about 8 minutes to go, and he seems kinda weak as he's definitely holding me up. So I make my move on a loose, sandy, uphill and get ahead of him pretty easily. I get to the top with a few seconds on him, but I'm gassed. He gets back on during the flat twists and turns. I try to lose him on the last steady singletrack climb, but he's drafting me pretty well.

Then, right before the last descent to the finish, he stomps on it and gets by. Dang! Last shot for me is right after the hairpin turn before the finish, but I've run out of power and he nips me by just a few seconds. I just missed the podium, but finished 6th out of about 15, so I'm fairly competitive in this group.

Glad to see some familiar faces out there. The sport classes just missed the windy weather. Good times. I'll be back there for Fox Cup #1 in 3 weeks gunning for a podium finish. Hope to see a big TWW turn-out.

-Rich

(photo courtesy of Marquette Berlin)

Race Report by Michel Cantelobre

32:16

That was the ratio 'du jour'. During the race I was wondering if something like 52:11 would have been more appropriate. As mentioned a lot of paved and very little hills. Keith (the org.) told me that next one would be more 'hills' and 'turns'.

What is important for me is the feeling at the end of the race and Sunday I was feeling good , happy, (and wet).

- The Start:
So the start is paved a little bit more than a kilometer, so i decided to stay in the middle of the pack to be drafted. I end up to be in 4th position and the pace for OK. The cadence started to increse at the point where i had hard time not to bounced of my saddle but was able to keep the pace, then I had the experience of a Special effect 'The Matrix' type where everything is happening at slow motion.

The Head group starting to race changing line from left to right and one of them started to sprint and .. accelerate before going into the dirt .. the acceleration part was 'fatal'.. I never saw them again..

- The remaining part of the race was pretty good, I pass few riders, and maintain the girls at a reasonable distance.

The last lap started with a pretty heavy rain (real shower) and i was really pleased with the MutanoRaptor 2.4 , they are very versatile tire, low rolling resistance of he paved, a very good grip of the hard pack and during the last lap under the rain , I was very confident with their grip.

This time (again) I was not able to stay in touch with the group in front of me , they still 2~3 minutes away but I'm happy with my result..

See you at the CCCX#3 for more hills and turns.

Michel

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