Race Report Bonelli State Finals 9/12 Race Reports(Merged)

Give us the 4-1-1 on your race: results, favorite moments, how badly you cramped/crashed, etc.

Although it was a bit warm, I had a good day and finished 1st in my cat2 age group and received the 2010 title of "fastest of the intermediate mediocre"... otherwise known as those of us who call our full time job "Dad of small children". :wave: Non-the-less, I had fun. Witnessed a couple gnarly diggers, (I hope everyone who became turf-darts adorned in Bonelli's finest weed and dust came out a-ok), and I thought the start, (my start group had about 25), was filled with an appropriate amount of 1st lap fun and mayhem all mixed into above-threshold anaerobic bliss. I felt badly for my younger brother who was on Sid's wheel for the first two laps of the pro men's race until he twisted his chain such that he had to run up all the steep climbs. A lap and a half later I switched out his bent chain with my chain and got him rolling again. Unfortunately he lost too much time and finished 8th after having at least 3rd in the bag. At least he finished. There were a lot of pro mens DNF's today.

So all in all- I paid $50, (plus $10 for parking), bucks hoping to have fun... and I did. What say you?

 

My friend finished 3rd in expert and he has small kids?

 

Anybody that raced today please post your nimber. I might have a pic of you. I was working the,on the hill climb, single track in the trees and shade.

 

2nd P Cat2 SS. It was rough. I was a little disappointed in the vendor turnout and thought more people would be there, but with that CBR race and the 50 mile marathon the day before I guess it wasn't bad. That being said, it was the largest single speed turn out I've seen in a while. I usually don't race SS because of the low turnout but a lot off people showed up in the Cat2 class while the pro(1 guy) and 1's(3 guys) was a disappointing. #15

 

Managed to bring home the jersey in Cat 3 Clydes. 4 of us toed the line, 3 finished, 1 mechanical DNF and a great time for me on course. I was hanging out with the same guy I've been going back and forth with all season, then on the 2nd lap at the top of the second climb his rear wheel locked up and he was out. I spent the last 1.5 laps picking off guys that started way before I did and had fun doing it. It was a great way to finish off a great season. Thanks to everyone who made this possible! My # was 101 BTW.

 

289. thx

 

I was bib #60 Thanks!

 

great day out. managed a 2nd place cat 2. wanted a jersey but hey, what can you do... fun fast course. the climbs were short but brutal. cant wait for th etriple crown next month

 

#87 - thanks

I don't usually race SS but did today. There were 16 of us that started. I love the bigger fields. More likely there will be someone to really race against. Had a pretty good 1st lap, sort of bonked on lap 2, then recovered a little bit and felt okay, but just didn't have the SS legs from there on. Finished 7th and was pretty happy with that. I for one really like that course.

 

raced my heart out on lap 1, finished first in my class on that lap. Proceeded to pay for it on lap 2 and felt like quitting right there and then. I felt like puking, and had the strangest urge to go to sleep. There was a couple times I think I closed my eyes and just wanted to stop. I got passed by a couple guys in my class on this lap while I granny ringed stuff and barely kept the pedals moving. Got passed by one more guy on lap 3, and finished an ok 4th.

I thought I drank enough before, during, and after, but I came home severely dehydrated and hot. Good news: when i weighed myself after my shower when i got home, even after eating lunch, I weighed in at my lowest since high school, it had to be all water weight.

On another positive note, there were a dozen photographers out there, a couple of them are on here and snapped photos of most if not all racers.

 

Absolute blast out there today. Had so much fun seeing and racing with great people and friends. Good job to everyone who raced, and thanks to everyone out cheering on the racers throughout.

Heat always makes racing fun

Thanks to the photographers, too! #125 and #126.

Big props to Justin for making the Podium in his return to racing!!

 

#8

Excellent race! (isn;t ever race excellent!) I did OK in Cat 2. Someone in my cat slipped out on the first climb right after the start and took down a number of folks including myself so I had to walk it a little. Ohterwise everything went well. Hot but not too too hot. Great support by the fans.

Best moment after my race I watched the pros and cat 1s from the forested switchbacks above the staging area field, near the end of the loop, taking pics of the racers. Sid rides into the first left hand turn and pops a wheelie in front of us (one of his friends was taking pics too). He then flies down the rocky singletrack near the end of that section.

 

#207 ..... placed 2nd cat 3 clydes 34-.... I was not prepared for the heat..... felt like crying on my second lap, last climb of the first section..... great job Kerry Waldman on your 1st place... and it's a shame Noel Tabor broke his freewheel he had first in the bag.....

 

I was #41 if there are any pictures, thanks for being out there!!

Overall impression was a great and fun race, but smaller turnout than expected.

Drove up early from SouthOC in the fog, didn't break until just before Bonelli. Lent some moral support to a friend who decided to race the day before (he podiumed in his class!) then waited for Cat 2 race time.

Started off in poor position and got stuck on the first climb (I was in vlad's class). It got better from there though and I picked through a few riders. It had warmed up quick and felt hot and dusty. I was back and forth with a few riders, just the way I like it. Towards the end of the 3rd lap I started feeling some cramps (unusual for me) and had to gear down for the climbs. Thankfully Justin was there in the trees to motivate (how cool is it to say 'hey man! )I was in fairly good position starting the 4th lap but got passed by someone in my class on the first climb. I put on some juice and got ahead of him for the short ST section. That is when I had a catastrophic Stan's failure. I popped my rear tire on a rock and the stan's wouldn't seal the puncture even with two 'big air's (whatever I hit actually tore my rim strip too, damn! ) I threw in the towel as my tire wouldn't hold air and I had planned on walking if this happened.

So my first DNF but not too bummed as I was really using this race for Hurkey Creek training, and I got that in for sure.

Watched the Cat1/Pro's after that, man did it start getting hot!! Let's hear your story!!

 

Nice to be back racing and see so many friendly faces. I raced my own race and wound up on the podium somehow. I think the heat worked in my favor with so many people going super hard at the start. I guess my gimp status has been revoked...

Congrats to everyone that raced! We all battle our demons out there.

I was also super stoked to see Yosh at the race. Stay on the gas my friend, never let up on yourself and you will always keep improving.

 

#93

Thanks,

C.K.

ckasey@ cohort usa. com

 

#240 and 241.
I did the Cat 1 SS and got 2nd. The guy who won is the guy to beat so I knew I would have my work cut out for him. The only problems I had on the course was the first fire road climb. There is really only line up and almost every lap there would be some guy sitting in his granny gear spinning up the hill. My gearing was slightly to tall to go that slow up that steep of a hill. Also had the same problem on the single track climb where the guys with gears would be spinning in their granny gear. Probably was not the best idea to ride fully rigid. Those downhills were brutal. The highlight of my race would be that I passed the two pro SS guys by lap 3. My Friend also raced. It simply amazes me that she raced Cat 2 SS with the guys and did all 4 laps. That was one more lap than the age group cat 2 women and the same amount of laps as the cat 1 women. She was the last cat 2 ss to finish but she wasn't last as there were quite a few in the group that dnf'ed. So with her time she would have actually placed 2nd in her age group in cat 1. What was simply amazing though was she didn't walk any of the downhill sections and she has only been riding a mountain bike for a month.

 

Forgot to thank all the course workers and photogs that were out there in the sun. I've been in their shoes many times and know how draining it can be. You guys make the races happen and ensure our safety. Thanks!

 

I'm not going to lie, I was a little scared when I saw you at the start. I remember the whooping you put on Noel and I at Fontana. It was real unfortunate about Noels wheel. I was on his tire and every climb it was jut making terrible noises. All in all it was a great day out there!

 

results are up

http://www.uscup.net/up/file/UNIFICATIONXC.pdf