|
Race Report by Dave Longinotti
Northstar, UnR, XC Race, 15 July 2000 I don't know why it made sense to drive 400+ miles to do an underattended XC race, but seemed like a good idea at the time. I wanted to see the course the for the 24 hours of Tahoe, but the trouble is that the possibilities at Northstar are almost infinite, the course we raced Won't be the 24 hour course. I* had heard reports of the Karpiel Downhill being really gnarly and I was afraid that the XC course would incorporate the same trails. For those of you in Road Race land, this event makes Velo Promo look like High Key and High Prize Money! Strangely, a Pro Rider from a Major Domestic Team attended. (Suzie Pride, Saturn). We lined up on a rocky road, and they decided to split the sport fields into 30- and all the classes above 30+. Two other guys introduced themselves as the only other Sport 45+ riders; they were obviously local Yuks. "Bill mentioned he been do local weekly "road rides" but had gotten dropped because of some minor disturbance or other, the other guy was "Pete". > The start happened and my WOT teammate was up the road leading the field. I figured I was about 9 the 10th in the 30 plus sport field. Bill and Pete I never saw again. The initial climb was 1.5 or 2 miles of road with a lot of rock and loose silt. I had bought a deep tread Continental XC tire for the rear (noticed on Friday that they was a hug area of bare cord (rubber had be ripped off) on my old knobby. The front guys jumped hard and I was struggling. I noticed that my Wheels of Thunder Roadie Teamate was leading the group. I also noticed that Bill and Pete were nowhere in sight. I could see maybe 7 or 8 riders ahead of me before they disappeared. Near the top of the climb I passe a pretty "hefty guy", maybe 200 lbs. on a full bonger. Near the top there were a few minor descent where he passed me and I got to try and follow him down the major descent. I had him in sight for while, but then he was gone. There was few miles of single track reminiscent of Boggs except that that I was only a mile or tow. On the first lap I hit this rock garden. There were course workers with cowbells; I cleaned it, (for the only time of three laps). At the beginning second lap a rider in a tee shirt and wearing tenney's in Toeclips started to challenge me on the climb. I held him off until a short section very smooth road near the top where he attacked and gained about 50 yards.. From the gray in his whiskers I got a bad sensation that this was the leader of the 45+ Beginners race who had started 2 minutes after we did (probably).. OH MAN I HATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS!(Up to this point, this year, me lap times have ALWAYS been fast enough to win the Beginner Race!)_. On the beginner of the descent I tried to push the pace by pedalling where I normally wouldn't, but this clown was FLAT MOTORING!!! Actually his average lap time was 38.55 minutes(2 laps) and mine was 39.14, so I must have had a slower first lap(probably true since I missed a turn from a road to some 1 track and had to skid to and turn around, probably lost 10 or 15 seconds.. On the single track section I moved over for this 35+ rider who actually said "you were fine", just after that I did a minor endo.(the bike not me, I did that "SHOVE THE HANDLEBAR THRU YOUR LEGS AND STEP ONTO THE GROUND TRICK", so I lost a few more seconds to 'Mr MAKO".. But I was very motivated to see If I could pass the guy and hold it on lap 3.. Sure enough, I dusted him on the climb and gained over a minute, and by NOT endoing again and NOT going the WRONG WAY.. I managed to hold onto that minute all the way to the end.. I finished(1:57:14) about 4 minutes ahead of 'Bill" the faster of the two 45+ riders, but only about 8th fastest of the 35+ times.. My Roadie Teammate Dale Wiebe finished 5th in the 35+ about 10 minutes fast4er that I.. The 35+ winners time was 1:30 (can you spell SANDBAGGER).. I wonder how Keith (Bighead) White would have done? Anyhow Fun Race, No Prizes except for Pro's who got a few bucks for winning.. 2 hours after the race results were posted, there was NO AWARD CEREMONEY.. Oh well..
So how did the Karpiel thing go guys???S
|