Cyclocross Racing - Virginia Cyclocross Racers - Local Event

BLACKSBURG, Va., November 12, 2008 -- The Virginia Tech Cycling Team, in partnership with Rogues Racing, is taking on cyclocross racing as they present Tech Cross, the two-day Virginia Cyclocross Series.

Tech Cross will be held at the Virginia Tech Recreational Sports Fields. Saturday night races will begin at dusk and include grilling out and a live band. Racing starts at 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15 and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16. The cycling race is open to participants, spectators, and supporters.

That's right night time cyclocross under the lights and a live band :)

Hope some of you can make it.

Maybe :)
Weather looks pretty bad. I guess that is what we have been waiting for!

I'll be there for both days. Really stoked about the night race and also stoked about the possibility of true cyclocross weather.

can you share a little info on the course?

i am thinking about coming down for the weekend but have no idea if i should just bring singlespeed bikes or if i'll need a geared bike...

thanks

do you ever really need a geared bike ;)

do you ever really need a geared bike ;)

yeah... at charlottesville last weekend. that course was so SS unfriendly it shat on my car while i was trying to race. i kept dropping my chain in the first race and the second race i did was a trainwreck as well. :shudder:

Part of this course serves as our training course and is very SS friendly. I use gears and can only think of one place where they are necessary and that is on the paved/gravel sections at the very start of the race. You might miss the hole shot on a SS but right after that things will slow up a lot. There are two sets of barriers one to force a run up and one to slow down a really long straight fast section. There are log piles :) Yes log piles! There is one really really tricky off camber technical turn and some really long off camber runs that will be very interesting in this weather. I think the course is about 1.5 miles so there will be about 6 minute laps.

Oh yeah here is a link to the flyer: http://www.rms-events.com/Flyers/TechCross.pdf

awesome. thanks for that info. now i just have to figure out if i want to be in the car for 4-5 hours:)

awesome. thanks for that info. now i just have to figure out if i want to be in the car for 4-5 hours:)

Of course you do :) You can do it in 4 from DC.

Of course you do :) You can do it in 4 from DC.

considering I know you've dragged yourself up here plenty to race in MABRAland, you're probably right.

:)

Is the course going to be the same both days?

Mostly. Of course it may look completely different under the lights on Sat Night.

We oughta run it backwards on sunday...(pending any safety issues)

There are a few issues with running it backwards. I can't remember what we decided to do but we all generally agree that racing under the lights will be very different then in the day. Of course both my races will be day time.

Backwards seemed to work pretty well. I think it took me a couple of hours to fully warm up again after being blasted with wind for two days. I really enjoyed the course. That wind made it a lot harder than it otherwise would have been; I cannot believe that Leas-Macrae guy was putting in 6 minute laps!

I liked the second day backwards course better my self. It made the two races very different. Here are some pics:

The Log Pile

Some people liked to jump them:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3061/3035569905_01be68169f.jpg?v=0

In some cases the runners over the logs were faster then those who rode over:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/3036399780_8bb16b2bc8.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/3036397164_17bc24c212.jpg?v=0

barriers and forced run up

I liked the placement of this barrier as it forced the run up. The day before we placed the barrier right at a point where it would be tough to decide which is better to run or ride:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/3036359898_20a0428db0.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/3035525877_1dbdcd0b3e.jpg?v=0

The weather was nasty

On both days the wind was really intense and on day two it was quite cold. Here is a VT rider in a full tuck probably doing 8MPH in a head wind section:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/3034206833_80ff8cb6e6.jpg?v=0

There were some short steep climbing sections that forced some riders to dismount

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/3034259133_47ef3c02fa.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/3034261777_c7ecb64aa7.jpg?v=0

More...

Night Racing was really cool

Lining up Under the Lights:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/3034358815_e4fe35a899.jpg?v=0

Racing at night:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/3034357427_0bda305273.jpg?v=0

A Tripower rider under the lights:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3241/3035183368_1bb169b672.jpg?v=0

The climb under the lights

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3020/3035224784_2a94ec1952.jpg?v=0

VT Kelly Benifits rider Ben King

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/3035180058_9fcb3557cc.jpg?v=0

Nice Pics JFM,

Here is a link to the video I shot on Sunday.

http://vimeo.com/2272807

Check out the rest of my Vimeo vids for more local CX action.

More in depth coverage of my friend Tim and I's racing experiences can be found on our blog here.

www.christianlambs.blogspot.com

That's awesome ceej. I was standing right in between the log piles when you shot those. Very cool video.

I've been holding off posting interview responses from this race (cxhairs.wordpress.com) because it would be soooo much better if guys like JFMCKENNA and CEEJ would send back my questionnaire ... guilt trip ... guilt trip ...

If you didn't get the e-mail from cyclocross at verizon dot net, let me know.

^^ O was that you? :)

I will do it, I didn't delete the email or anything, promise I'll get on it :D

Eeek, I'll do my homework soon I promise.

Where's mine? 2 x Podium for Collegiate B ;)
Actually, mine would probably be dull...

^^Nice work! Couldn't get e-mail addresses for everyone so I went with what I had. I will PM you the questionnaire. Or shoot me an e-mail at cyclocross at verizon dot net and I will e-mail it to you.

Here's what you guys thought ... Tech Cross update at http://cxhairs.wordpress.com/

Great idea for a web site Schiek.