Cyclocross - Armstrong has a go at cross.

Though I admire his achievements, I'm not much of an Armstrong fan. However, I do appreciate the little boost he's given cyclocross.


Lance Armstrong wins first ever cyclocross race

December 21, 2002, Austin, Texas, Lance Armstrong races in the Texas Bicycle Racing Association's Walnut Creek Cyclocross Challenge presented by REI Austin Cycling Team. Lance had some good local state competition from the reigning state champion and Texas Cup champion, Will Black, as well as the reigning state Mountain Bike series winner, Jason Sager. The two local heroes sent off attacks early on when Will Black finally got a 20 second gap ahead of the Lance Armstrong group. Lance widdled away the gap over the last half of the 60-minute race to win with a clear enough margin in the last lap. Prior to the race someone asked Lance what he had thought of the course and he replied, "I don't know, I never have raced cross before." Lance is no stranger to riding and racing off the road with a recent win in the Dirty Duathalon in his hometown of Austin and has competed in several Mountain Bike races. The whole crowd had a real treat to see the four-time Tour de France champion proving his prowess on the bike in a new (to him) format of racing. The race promoter, James Sides, mentioned that it was a real honor to have Lance at the event and hopes that this will help boost support for the sport of cyclocross both locally and nationally.

The top 5 results follow:

1. Lance Armstrong-USPS
2. Will Black-Lone Star
3. Brian Ellis-GCCA
4. Rob Kane-Team Diabetic
5. Scott Henry-Trek/VW

Very cool! :D

That's awesome!!!

WAY cool - thanX for the pic and the story!!! :)

That picture makes me want to move to Austin. Well, live there in the winter anyway.

I finally have something in common with Lance when it comes to racing, I too did my First Cross Race last Year. The BIG Difference is, I didn't win my first Race.:(

Nice Article, Maybe Cross will get a liitle more advertising next year. :)

I've never seen an OCLV CX bike before wither. I hope they put it into production!

That definitely is no OCLV. Might be the XO1 aluminum, but the seatstays almost look more curvy possibly. I think it's aluminum though, look at where the headtube and other tubes join.

probably a re-painted and re-labeled bike. i can't quite tell if the tt is sloping. saturn raced on repainted empellas last year [i don't knoe about this year...].

I am 100% positive that Trek wuld build a cross bike for Lance in whatever configuration with whatever specs that he desired. I also doubt that it is a stock XO1. Probably rode the franeset the rest is most likely his specs.

Good pics of Lance and the rig:
http://www.lancearmstrong.com/lance/online2.nsf/html/dec02cross

Originally posted by Precision Pedal
Good pics of Lance and the rig:
http://www.lancearmstrong.com/lance/online2.nsf/html/dec02cross

ThanX for the link - great pix!! I just can't image competing in any race, knowing that LA is one of the competitors. Talk about the ultimate in intimidation:

Originally posted by Precision Pedal
I am 100% positive that Trek wuld build a cross bike for Lance in whatever configuration with whatever specs that he desired. I also doubt that it is a stock XO1. Probably rode the franeset the rest is most likely his specs.
i don't think trek is set up to do one-offs like this, particularly in aluminum, unless it's a prototype for a new line of 'cross rigs [which is possible]. trek just isn't a custom shop.

it's hard to say, but the rear triangle looks a lot like a ridley. it definitely isn't an x01 and ikt doesn't have the curve of an empella. i'm thinking re-badged ridley.

I'm thinking you would have to hammer off the start just so you could tell stories about the time you passed Lance Armsrtong. "Armstrong was looking strong, but I knew I could take him..." a story like that is timeless! Of course you would leave out the part of blowing up, getting lapped, and ultimately DNFing.

Originally posted by zlj75
I'm thinking you would have to hammer off the start just so you could tell stories about the time you passed Lance Armsrtong. "Armstrong was looking strong, but I knew I could take him..." a story like that is timeless! Of course you would leave out the part of blowing up, getting lapped, and ultimately DNFing.

LOL, that would be my plan!!! However, I don't know if I could even get around him @ the start! I'd certainly give it a shot though. :D

Nope not a Ridley! At least not one of the models their web site shows. If you were to look at the rear end of the rig Lance is on, you would see that the rear brake cable route is not anything like what is on Ridley's web site.
Also and as a matter of fact that rear cable route is the same as the XO1 HMM go figure.

I dunno what it is, but you are right, it's clearly not an OCLV. In the first picture the BB cluster looks so smooth, I was fooled, but you can see the welds at the other joins.

That is sooooo cool for those guys to get to compete against Lance. This site is driving me crazy to ride my bike. I hate snow!