Polska cx

The weather has been super for cx in WI. We have had enough rain to keep the courses greasy but on race day it has been in the low 50's and mostly dry. This past Saturday was more of the same.

If you race bikes, there are certain races that when you get done you think to yourself "I can't wait for that again next year". Polska cx was one of those for me. The course is sweet and definitely mountain biker friendly.

It was the regional race so in the call-ups I got a front row spot because I have a few points in the series and there are only like 15 of us anyway. I still didn't clip in fast and get a fast start, but I was better than I have been and I was in about 7th at the first turn. And this time I wasn't letting go of the front guys, except for Will who is on a different plain of riding than I am.The little bit of running I have been doing paid off and I made some ground up on the Polska Puker. I was sitting in 3rd for a lap or 2 when I noticed that I was tracking better than Ronsta, so when I had a chance I went around him. I believe it was on the Puker again.I held 3 and 4 off for about 2 laps when a Baraboo rider politely passed me on the fast straightaway after all the hills. I looked back and Ronsta was about 30 feet back. However, he closed the gap and showed me how it is done. He flew past me, geared an inch less than me, and kept 100 meters on me for the rest of the race. I liked riding with him because he seems like a guy kind of like me who just loved the fact we were out there riding bikes real fast.While the running was good, my barrier work was toilet. I found myself scrubbing speed coming into them and my remounts were smooth like sandpaper. A good sign for me was the fact that the PROS didn't catch me on a course that blew apart the field. Also, props to Matt, who catted up from a 4 to start the season, to a 2 this week and held his own on his high-pressure ss machine, coming in 11th with the big boys. And of course Brandon with a win in the 4's, but he can tell you his story here.

The weather and the courses are bringing back fond memories of high school cross country in WI. But I haven't finished a cx race and dry heaved yet. I must not be pushing myself enough. Well, state is next week, I'll see what I can do.

As always more photos.