Indian Lakes Chicago CX and TBD Cross in Madison

My two favorite mechanics!

After traveling for two weekends straight it was great to only drive two hours. We arrived in Chicagoland around 11 and helped Emma get ready to race. She had an awesome race and won the Women Pro/1/2/3 race! I pre-rode, warmed up, and headed to the start. When they blew the whistle I was quick off the line and almost pulled the hole shot from the second row. How ever, I wasn't quite warmed up enough so I dropped back a few spots. A minute later a rider some how went over the bars in an off camber section causing me to crash on top of him. I grabbed my bike and started to catch back up to the leaders. I caught up to the big pack through the start straight but soon things broke apart again. I ended up having to pull myself back up to the front chase group multiple times and had to burn lots of matches that I wanted to save. With Dan Teaters off the front I was settled in a group of four with David Reyes, Brandon Feehery, and Michael Dutzack. I fell off the back part way through the second to last lap and just couldn't close the gap. The rest of the group fought it out for the last two podium spots while I spun in for 5th place. I was hoping for a better result but after a big week of training and it being a course that wasn't well suited for me combined with huge head winds I am happy with my result! After my race we headed out to eat for some pizza before Emma headed back to Indianapolis.

Sunday I woke up at ten, had a big pancake breakfast and relaxed at home for awhile before my race. When it was time to go we hopped in the already loaded car from the day before and drove the eight minutes over to the course -- most local cx race ever! (Usually we ride over!) The course had 200 feet of elevation per lap with lots of off camber sections and technical features. What made it even more difficult was that a lot of the course was on longish, dead prairie grass that was super slick. Because of that, I ended up running more aggressive PDX tires despite it being bone dry. After my warm up I headed to the start. When Rich the official blew the whistle I was quick off the line again and third into the first corner. David Blodget lead the first lap and I sat on his wheel until the ride/run up after a single barrier. I hopped the barrier and rode the steep hill, putting a good gap between us. I stretched my lead to about 35 seconds over the next nine laps. I didn't make a single mistake and rode the barrier and hill every lap, being the only one to do it all day! Bunny hopping barriers is something I have been working on for quite awhile and although I am not yet comfortable hopping double barriers in a race I could certainly do a single.

 

I was super stoked to take my very first Wisconsin cyclocross series Pro/1/2/3 win. I have been racing this series since I was 9 years old and it was great to take the win in front of all the people I have been seeing at the races, and racing against for eight seasons of cyclocross! I also knocked off another season goal! Friday I head to CX L.A.(Los Angeles) for the final round of 17-18 UCI racing before Nationals!

Thanks Honey Stinger!!!

Huge thanks to Trek Cyclocross Collective for their awesome support this season as well as my coach, Joseph Maloney for helping me achieve my goals. Also big big thanks to Honey Stinger for supporting Trek CXC and sending me this amazing package this week, full of some the best and tastiest ride food on the market!