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Lapham Peak Cyclocross Race
Cyclocross comes to Delafield Lapham Peak is home to some double track mountain bike trails but today these trails were over run by skinny tired bikes (and a few mountain bikes too). The course was fast and dry even with the occasional rain shower. The fist three-fourths of the race included double track climbs, one fast downhill, bumpy flats and a tricky 90-degree corner. The barriers all came at the end of the lap and lap-through area. The first barriers had a flat entrance with three barriers. The second set, in the lap-through area, had six barriers just after a corner and followed by a climb. Fun stuff!! I have to say that those of us on mountain bikes were able to enjoy a slight advantage on the one bumpy downhill. However, it was basically a pretty fast wide open course with nothing too tricky with the exception of a couple of tight corners which saw a few spills throughout the day. Tightly fought race for the A/B Women The C Women did not have to worry about the photo finish. The overall winner, Julie Fiocca (Higher Gear) charged off the front from the start and opened up a gap. In second place Kelley Campbell (Capitol Velo Club) was unstoppable with her finely honed skills over the barriers. In a hotly contested battle for fourth and fifth place, Gretchen Beverstein (Capitol Velo Club) held off a hard-charging Renee Callaway (Mad FORCs). Gretchen stormed up the climbs and powered through the flats but Renee bombed the downhills and put her Thursday night Cross practice skills to the test. In the end there just weren't enough downhills for Renee to make up for Gretchen's powerful climbing. We should see a much bigger women's field at the next race sponsored by the Capitol Velo Club so bring your cow bells as we want to hear some cheering! There were men's races as well! Thanks to CZ Velo for putting on such an awesome race! And a story from Race Director Chris from CZ Velo - WCA Cyclocross Series Starts with a Bang! The 2003 WCA Cyclocross Series kicked off this weekend with a great start at Lapham Peak State Park in Delafield, WI. About 100 racers braved questionable weather conditions to attend the race hosted by the CZ Velo Cycling Team. “It would be great weather in Belgium!” said Paula Godkin, Chief Official on the day. Another twist on the day was a new course layout, which took riders in a reverse direction on Lapham Peak trails. The course featured two barrier sections, one being a SuperCup-esque “six-pack” which had some riders scratching their heads. “To me, barriers and running is what cyclocross is all about,” said Gene Tolli, Master’s 30+ State Champion. “Running is the great equalizer between road, where you’re riding all the time, and mountain biking, where running is optional.” The day began with the Men’s C, Juniors, and Women’s C races. The Men’s C race featured a five dollar “first-timer” entry fee, that brought many racers who had never before tried cyclocross. “We just wanted to bring more people into ‘cross,” stated Mark Hughes of the CZ Velo team. “We thought it would help bring people into the series overall,” he continued simply. Punctuated by the first rain shower of the day, the first race boasted the largest field of the day with over 30 riders. Overall, a great day of ‘Belgian’ ‘cross racing was had by all. The CZ Velo Cycling Team would like to thank all of the participants for coming, Lapham Peak for the course, and event sponsors: Aurora Sports Medicine Institute and Level Valley Creamery. |
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