Thursday, September 29, 2011

January cross race moved to the 15th

Quick note: The January "New Year Barrier" race in Little Rock has been moved to the 15th (from the 8th).  This is reflected on the Arkansas Super-Prestige listing to your right.

Mark your calendars!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

USGP Sun Prairie, Day One

The wife and I acquitted ourselves respectably in our morning races.  No crashes, no flats, no mechanicals.  In the afternoon, the real show began.  Start of the women's elite race:
Katerina Nash was class of the field.  She got a gap, extended it, and then teammate Georgia Gould attacked the rest but never was in danger of bridging.
 Bart Wellens warming up before the men's race:
Jeremy Powers got the holeshot and bunnyhopped the barriers.  He looked awfully strong.
Someone getting a better shot of the barriers than me:
It ended up a three-way battle between Wellens, Powers, and Ryan Trebon.  Wellens' teammate Rob Peeters did a lot of work countering Powers' attacks and then dropped to the second group.  In the last lap, Powers faded, and Trebon just managed to hold off Wellens for the win.  Fantastic race, and a great victory for Trebon.
[HERE is a video clip of me taking the above photo.]

Due to a gnarly cold, a bout of Montezuma's revenge, a looming storm over the Midwest, and other factors, we decided to forgo Sunday's races and start driving south instead.  We missed a mudfest Wellens victory.  Alas.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Cross Camp North

Mr and Mrs Arkansascyclocross.com are taking a little R&R&R in the U.S.A.'s northlands.  The third R is for riding.
The Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) maintains a huge trail system in northwest Wisconsin that is a cyclocrosser's dream.  Miles and miles and miles of paved, gravel, and dirt roads connecting a wide variety of trails, from wide open cross-country ski paths including the world famous Birkebeiner trail, to buffed-out singletrack that rides like one long pump track.  The area is especially beautiful at this time of year, as the trees are just starting to turn color.
Yesterday (Thursday) we spent some quality time on the superfun Makwa trail.

Don't worry, we'll be back in plenty of time for the October 16 ASP season-opener.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Battle for the Bells: Arkansas Super-Prestige

This fall and winter brings the inaugural season of the Arkansas Super-Prestige cyclocross points series.  The ASP connects Fayetteville to Little Rock to Jonesboro to Memphis, and runs from mid-October through early 2012.
Photo: Rob Karman
How do you know where and when to race?  Easy, just bookmark this web site and look down the right-hand column.  You'll also find official series rules, results, point tallies, photographs, and videos, updated on an ongoing basis.

Want to ask questions, gossip, or talk smack?  Go to the Arkansas Super-Prestige wall on Facebook.

You can find a link to the series rules off to the right, but here are the basics:

Racing classes
Open
Women
Masters (40+)
Juniors (18-)
Fours (USAC cyclocross cat 4)

Prizes
Engraved Moen cheering bells (click on above photo for close-up) three deep in each class.

Points schedule
1st to 9th places earn 20, 17, 14, 11, 9, 7, 5, 3, and 2 points, respectively.  10th place and lower earn 1 point.  DNF or DNS earns 0 points.  The Open class earns double points.

Drop races
Each individual gets two drop races.  In other words, year-end points total is based on nine best races.

Team competition
A perpetual team trophy will be awarded.  Bragging rights for the shop.

There's a little over a month before the series opener in Fayetteville.  A week later, we have an exciting weekend of racing and general bike-itude planned in Little Rock.


Fall is coming.  Be prepared!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Monday night Skills n Drills in Little Rock

Sponsored by CARVE.  Cross bike, commuter, mtb, or road bike, run what ya brung.  Every Monday night at 6pm in Allsopp Park in Little Rock.

[Don't worry, we don't always ride this slow.]

skills n drills week1 from Bully Otter Sports on Vimeo.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Course preview: Reservoir Park



http://mapshare.delorme.com/Consumer/V.aspx?p=3hbn1km7

Some sections are marked with plastic tape.  If you go out to ride it, please be respectful of the other park patrons, and leave it alone after a rain.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Transition 2

I just received some Cyclofile DVDs that I had ordered on close-out. Good stuff.