Estabrook Park

Yesterday's course felt like a hill repeat workout on a back yard versus a bike race. Estabrook is much better course in park venue with small single track section with a log, hill run up that was rideable with a bunny hop. There were also 4 barriers before the circle of death spiral, aka the Chicago Cross Cup swirl. There were 2 barrier sections also in the back of the course to slow things down on a straightaway before twisting and turning through some rooted sections between trees. I've always liked this course and have done pretty well, winning the masters race last year. These are the type of courses that I generally do well with.

I got off the line in 4th position, behind James Lelond and Chad Hartley form Gear Grinder. After lap 1, James flatted and pitted his bike. I went to the front and tried to go hard with Chad and Kyle on my wheel. I spent the first 2 laps in front trying to surge to see if I could drop either one of them but it did not seem to work, so I wanted to back off a little bit. James finally caught on and I ended up trading pulls with him the entire race. We would gap chad through the corners and then attack to open things up, but this guy is strong in the flat open areas, he would get right on. Through the rideable log section, James kind of slipped and I lost my momentum riding up so ran it. He had a gap, attacked by I followed but I noticed we lost Chad. I went to the front again after sitting in with James and this guy still finds a way to get on our wheel. Finally on the last 2 laps, we lose him but are holding about 7 seconds and we each work the front. James lost it on the back course barriers, but I had a hard time attacking and opening a gap through the sections with all the corners so he caught on. By now Chad is far enough behind where I thought I could leave it to sprint between James and I but with 2 laps to go people are yelling at me that he is still in contact and able to make time on the open course sections. So, I did not want to let up and we made sure we kept the gap. Final lap, James attacks the open section before the log hill run up and has about a 3 second gap. I wanted to stay on his wheel until the straightaway finish, but after riding the log hill he attacks again and this time I could not respond.

I rode a strong race for 2nd. Spent alot of time in front, did not make any mistakes and felt like I had good power throughout. There was really nothing else I could have done tactically or effort wise. So I have to hand it to James, 1 mechanical and 1 barrier miss yet he still rides in front the whole race while trading the work effort and had enough gas left to throw down a massive attack at the end. It can be very hard to get back into a race mentally but he kept bringing it on and I always enjoy racing with him.

Also, I have to give Holly some credit for her 4th place finish. Kristin Wentworth dismantles every race with Sam, an up and coming pro road rider and Katie Antonneau who gets top 5 finish in Toronto. It's fun to watch these girls race, they're so fast. She's also been battling it out with Meghan Korol, top 5 WORS elite racer. Holly was about 5 seconds behind Katie for the first 5 or so laps before she lost contact, but her riding and bike handling is way ahead of where she was the last 2 years.

Next week...Kletsch Park for some crazy Team Polska cyclocross and Gibbs Lake.