Wisconsin State Championships

After not racing for a few weekends and getting some hard training in I was hungry for some racing! I was racing the 15-18 juniors and the cat 3s so we had to get there pretty early. The course was really fun and technical as well as physically challenging. I won the 15-18 which was under 25 minutes long and then rested until it was time to get warmed up for the cat 3s at 3:30.The course went from frozen to muddy through out the day and then back to freezing as the sun went down during the 3s. We lined up and took off, I would have pulled the hole shot but halfway down the starting straight my front derailer shifted my chain off to the out side for no apparent reason. I was 10th into the first corner and unfortunately my good friend and hardest competition, Andy Schmidt was first into the corner and took off. I made a few aggressive passes and once we got to the huge hill 1/4th of the way through the lap, I charged up it and into second place. Unfortunately I didn't have the legs to charge all the way up to Andy, so I rode the whole six lap race solo, about 20 seconds ahead of a group of four chasing hard. I had to work super hard to stay ahead and was a bit disappointed that I lost the chance to battle it out for first due to dumb mishap and bad legs. It was still good fun and now a lot more training until nationals!

Jingle Cross 2014

Friday
It was about 25 degrees while I was warming but as the sun went down it dropped down below 10 degrees. I lined up 4th row because we didn't register fast enough and after the category 2s went off we followed. 10 seconds into the race there was a unavoidable crash and I piled on top of it. I untangled my bike after losing about a minute and started chasing. I fought super hard and my whole body was numb from the cold and I basically went on autopilot. I kept moving up the whole race and got all the way up to 6th!

Saturday
Luckily today we were staged by finishing order from the day before so I started first row. I pulled the holeshot and led until the off camber section up top when I had to get off and run by cat 2s we had caught, second place managed to stay on the bike and get a gap. I chased him for two lap and then rode away from him and soloed the last two laps. I was super glad to get the win after such a struggle the night before. I then returned to my hotel room and spun my legs before lying in bed with my legs up for another 4 hours until we went to the pool.

Sunday
After getting 5 inches of snow Saturday night the course was was super slick and sloppy. I was super excited to race in the mess! I warmed up and got my call up, I was second into the first corner and jumped on firsts wheel. I went by Cormac Dunn and led until an off camber section at the end of the lap when somehow my rear break had become unhooked and I had to stop and fix it. I lost about 30 seconds but I laid down some power and managed to catch who I thought the leader was at the beginning of the second lap. We rode together for two laps until I gradually rode away from him. I rode the last two laps by my self but lost a lot of time on the final lap because I couldn't clip in due to the frozen mud in my pedals. I was pumped to get the win but as it turned out one more guy had slipped by me when I was fixing my brake that I didn't know about. I had gone hard until I caught who I thought was leading and then recovered but if i had known there was another guy I would have kept pushing! I super stoked to get the overall cat 3 jersey despite my issues and get some great results at the best race in the US and my favorite race! Huge thanks to my team and team mates as well my dad and Emerys Cycling! Now time for a lot of hard trainer work outs and a few races until nationals.

saturday podium

trying to get the "snowicemud" out of my cleats

day 3 podium

Louisville Derby City Cup

Day 1

After staying in hotel an hour away we drove in to the race Saturday morning around 12. I hung out for a bit, prerode, and then messed around until it was time to warm up. Because we had not preregistered in time I was starting 6th row but I made due. I hadn't eaten enough as it turned out so my tank was pretty empty so I ended up 30th out of over 120 riders.

Day 2

Sunday we fixed my start order and I was  for action. I had a good start and was about 10th into the first corner the front group pulled away and I settled in around 12th my legs were a little tired from the day before so I eventually slipped back to 15th overall, and 2nd in the cat 3s. I was happy to have redeemed my self a bit!

Cinicinnati 3 day Cyclocross Festival

We arrived with plenty of time before my race on Friday and it was going to be muddy. I prerode the course and it was a slippery, sliding mess and was awesome! I finished warming up and went to the start line. I started 3rd row, we took off and everyone was very aggressive but I held my line and was top 20 into the first corner. I began moving up but unfortunately I had picked the wrong gloves and my hands were getting colder and colder as they turned into muddy blocks of ice. I slid out towards the end of the first lap and lost a few places but slowly got them back. I moved up slowly though out the whole grueling race and got as high as 13th. But sadly in the middle of the last lap I slid out in a corner and broke my derailer hanger. I ran a quarter lap to the pit but found my dad had left with my bike to look for me, so unfortunately my race was over.

Saturday I woke up and was fine but something I ate for breakfast didn't agree with me and I got food poisoning. I rested up and got ready for the next day.

Sunday I was out for redemption after a few bad races and to test my self against some the fastest boys in my age group in the country. I prerode the course, which was fantastic, warmed up and went to the start. I started 3rd row next to my friend Andy Schmidt. They blew the whistle and we took off, a big crash happened right next to me and almost took me but I squeaked by. I got stuck behind some traffic in a off camber section where more people had crashed and I lost some time. my age group leader got away and Andy and Scott Funston were about thirty seconds up. I  rode with Edward Fritzinger but after 3 days of racing he was low on gas so I pushed on. Cassidy Bailey caught up to me and I stuck on his wheel for a bit but he dropped me and caught up to Andy and Scott. I slowly regained ground and by the end of the 4th lap I made contact with the group of 3 when Scott rolled a tubular right before the pit. I rode with Andy and Cassidy until the barriers but I had gone to hard to catch up to them and couldn't hold it. I rode the lap with Scott but towards the end of the last lap some debris flew up into my wheel and I last a few seconds as I pulled it out and Scott got away. It was a super hard race against some super hard competition and I cant wait for more!

Sun Prairie Cup CX and Carpentersville

Sun Prairie CX Cup

My first pro1/2/3 race! Unfortunately my legs were dead, but I warmed up and went to the start. They blew the whistle and we took off, some people slid out in he first corner and I got stuck behind them for a few seconds but got right back on track. I continued to move up to 9th after a while but David Blodgett caught back up to me. I rode his wheel for two laps and attacked on the last lap. I pulled away and managed to hold him off. I was pretty happy with 9th in my first pro1/2/3 race!

Carpentersville

The next day we carpooled with my coach Joe Maloney and arrived in time for my sisters race. I warmed up, prerode the course, and went to the start. This was my first Chicago Cross Cup Pro1/2/3 race and there was over 60 riders! I started third row, they blew the whistle and we shot off. I got bumped around a bit at the start but held my ground, I slowly began to move up. It was a 60 minute race but my legs opened up and I kept moving up. I would catch a group of riders and slingshot around them as soon as I could. By the end of the 4th lap I settled in a group of three other riders fighting for 7th. I sat in for two lap and some guys were starting to fade. So after the flat open power sections after the start I attacked going into the technical off camber sections. After the section in the corn field towards the end of the lap there was only one guy left and he came around me on the pavement section. I jumped on his wheel and tried to recover for the sprint. The finish was a long and flat and I tried to sprint around him but the finish was so long and I was pretty spent from two days of racing and I just couldn't get around him. I was super stoked to get 8th in such a competitive field, my coach and team mate Joe took the win so that was awesome as well! Next week we hit the road to St. Louis  

Grafton Pumpkin Cross and Further Cross

Grafton Pumpkin Cross
My dad and sister drove to New York for the UCI race so my mom and I were left to fend for ourselves. We got there early and I prerode the course. I warmed up and went to the start line. We took off and I would have have been third into the first corner but I pulled out of my pedal which I made sure to fix before Sunday's race! I moved up and got on first's wheel. I passed him at the beginning of the second lap and pulled ahead. A guy caught me and we rode together until the middle of the second to last lap where I attacked at the top of the big hill. I soloed the last lap and half and made sure not to make any mistakes.

Further Cross

This race was only 20 min from my house so I had plenty time to relax in the morning. I arrived early and took a few laps and warmed up. We lined up and took off, I was first into the first corner and I led the first lap. A guy surged around me at the start and I hopped on his wheel, he hammered for a lap and half with just me and Jason on his wheel. Jason attacked super hard part way through the 3rd lap and it took me until the beginning of the fourth lap to get back on his wheel. I sat on his wheel for two laps and at the beginning of the last lap, I sprinted around Jason at the start straight and attacked. I did the last lap full sprint and almost made myself puke. My last lap was 20 seconds faster then my first lap, I ended up finishing with a 10 second gap on second. It was super satisfying to get the win on such a tough course! Next week I will be doing the 1/2/3's in Sun Prairie and Chicago!

Cross-Shooshko and Hopkins Park

The first real cyclocross weather! Forty degrees and raining was not preferable but it was awesome once it got muddy. We took off and I was second into the first corner I pulled into first and my team mate Harrison got on my wheel and we took off. He put down some serious power on the flats but eventually I pulled away from him in the technical sections. I rode the last few laps solo and had to work hard to not make mistakes in the slippery corners and hold onto the lead. It was a great race and then it was off to Hopkins park the next day.

My whole family piled in the van and we trekked down to the Chicago series race. I prerode the course, warmed up and went to the start line, I got my call up and lined up in the front row. We took off and I was third into the first corner, I stayed third wheel until after a pavement section on the back of the course where I passed into first on a off camber section. I opened up small gap and held it until the beginning of the third lap when one guy caught me. I drafted him down the back pavement section but got away from him in the off camber section. I rode the last two and a half laps solo and focused on not making mistakes. It was a great course and super fun. I think for the next Chicago race I will do the 1/2/3 's instead of the normal 3's and see how I match up!

Twilight Cross and Caldwell Woods

East Troy Twilight Cross

The course was super technical and fun and there were only two very short power sections on the entire course. The only way to go fast was to hit every corner perfectly and nail the technical spots. We started and I was second wheel into the first corner. I passed into first later in the first lap. I started to push the pace and soon it was just me, my friend Simon Jones and two other guys. Simon started to drift back a little and one of the other guys attacked but promptly crashed hard. Then it was just me and the other guy for the last five laps, I made up time on him in the corners and barriers. I ended up doing the last two laps full sprint and finished with a 10 second gap. It was super satisfying to get the win after such a hard battle! My dad and I then drove the short trip to Lake Geneva to stay at the Schmidt's for the night.

Caldwell Woods

We woke up, ate and then jumped on the road. I was on the waiting list for the Cat 3s so I started warming up for that race in hopes I would get in. I got in but I was going to get a last row call up in field of 100 riders. According to the rules I should have been first row. So we talked to them and ended up getting me in the front row. We took off and I was 10th into the first corner,  I passed into fifth on the run up and hunted down the lead group of 4 midway through the first lap. I caught on and me and Andy Schimdt took off down the starting straight on our own. We rode the second lap together with a group of four chasing hard, but Andy said he had dead legs so at the beginning of the third lap he told me to go an that he would block. I rode the last two and a half laps solo and finished with a 30 second gap. I was thrilled to get two wins in one weekend! I had a great time and the courses were fantastic! There is a lot more to come!

Trek CXC Cup

Trek CXC Cup! Our local UCI race!

Day 1

I raced at 2:15 and my sister raced at 3:30, I slept in late and was over at the race before one. I did a few pre laps and warmed on the trainer. I headed over to the start line and got my call up for the third row out out over 100 starters. They blew the whistle and we took off, I didn't have a great start and was about 20th going into the first corner. There was too much traffic to move up and over the barriers I accidentally kicked open my rear break as I remounted. I had to stop and fix it and I lost about 10 places. I got back on and begin to work around people with a full head of steam. I moved up 10 places by the end of the second lap. People who started ahead of me were fading but because I had such a slow start I only picked up the pace. I moved up the whole race and by the beginning of the last lap I was in 10th, I chased hard and caught my team mate Al Krueger after he had a hard crash before the barriers as well another rider and ended up 8th. It was a great first Cat 2/3 race and I was thrilled to get 8th out of over 100 racers.

Day 2
It was time for round 2 and I was really hungry to break the top 5! I slept in again and headed over, I hopped on the course and checked out the new changes and then finished my warm up. I headed over to the start and got my call up, this time I got to start front row which was a huge help. They blew the whistle and we took off, this time I was 5th into the first corner. Over the first lap I went back to ninth but as the race went on I moved up to 7th. Me and 6th place fought it out wheel to wheel for the last two laps but I just didn't quite have it so he won the sprint. I ended up 7th out of over 100 starters so I was pretty pleased. It was a fantastic way to really kick off cross season and there will be many more races to come!

Front row start thanks too my team president Dave Eckle

Me last year vs this year!

Lake Geneva Cross

Saturday evening I drove down to Lake Geneva and stayed with my friend Andy Schmidt. We got to hang out for a few hours before going to bed, in the morning we had plenty of time and washed our bikes before heading over to the race which was only five minutes from their house. We hung out for a few hours, rode some practice laps and watched the races until it was our turn. We warmed up and went to the start line, they did call up by points ranking so I started in the front row. They blew the whistle and we took off, Andy took the lead right from the start. I was third going into the first turn and soon passed second. I chased Andy hard the whole race but could never make contact. We finished a minute ahead of second place and even farther ahead of the rest of the field. It was a super fun weekend and soon it might be time for me and Andy to start racing the 1/2/3s!

Sheboygan Cyclocross Classic and WORS #10 Tread Fest

We managed to get my new Trek Boone built the night before and it was tuned and race ready for the first Wisconsin Cyclocross Series race. My sister won the pro 1/2/3 and then it was my turn at 3:30 for the Cat 3s. We lined up and took off, I was second into the first corner and I stuck on that wheel until the run up where I pulled ahead. I lead the rest of the race and made up time on second the for the next 6 laps. My new Boone worked like a charm and smoothed out all the bumps. It accelerates like a motorcycle and corners like its on rails! I won my first Cat 3 race on my first ride on it! I also won 50 bucks and a twinky so I was pretty stoked.

 The next day was tread fest WORS #10 and my debut as a Cat 1 for mountain. We went down early so I could watch my friends Andy and Sam race. My legs were a little tired but not to bad. I warmed up and went to the start chute. They called up the pros and then me and the other Cat 1 boys rolled up behind them. We took off and stormed up the start hill, I was in about 35 elite men out of the elite men going into the single track after all the climbing. It was a 20 mile 3 lap race for me, I kept the pace and slowly picked more people off the whole race. The course was awesome, technical and super fun. My legs were surprisingly good after they opened up but no where near full strength, I rode a clean race and left it all out on the course, I ended up 2nd out of the juniors and 1st in my age group. It was a great first Cat 1 race and unfortunately I will only be doing one more this year. Next up is Lake Geneva CX and then Trek CXC Cup!