Monday - October 20, 2008

 I went to a bike race

Thursday - October 19, 2006

Turbo-Trainer.

My Turbo-Trainer broke this year at St Cloud Crit. I was kinda mad because those things are not cheap. I managed to get it fixed last week thanks to the nice folks at Cyclops for the warranty piece. I was looking at setting that thing up this week. The weather wasn't all that nice, but I decided against it. I figured if I can't train outside in this weather, how in the hotel am I supposed to race in it.

I got all kited up in my nice new grandstay stuff with full green legwarmers thermal jacket and matching skull cap and hit the roads. It wasn't nearly has bad as I thought and was glad to resist that turbo trainer. I busted down some super cool dirt roads today and worked on riding in my drops at speed. When I was done I was still grinning wanting more, but there wasn't enough daylight left for another loop so I called it a day.

My poor Turbo-Trainer, maybe someday I'll use you again, but not today, I have real roads to ride!

Mud pit racing sunday. I can't wait. Does anyone want to be my pit crew for the day? I'll supply the rubber boots. I think I might need a bike change every lap!

Posted at 10:32 PM   Read More    

Monday - October 16, 2006

Another Double Weekend of Cross.

Sunday - October 08, 2006

Time for Blogging (Guest Update: Harry Anderson)

Well, I am late with the update, so I'll just post Harrys post on teamskihut.com

Another weekend of some awesome cx action.

Saturday took us to a really cool course in Milica. The course started off with a paved start into the wind and than took a sharp right hand turn around a hockey rink and up to the first run-up of the day. After that we went over a railroad bridge and than some high speed action on an open sandy road to a set of high speed doubles. Over the doubles and into the woods to ride some twisty ski trail and then we were spit back out along the river to another high speed set of doubles. Quicky followed by another set of doubles with a ride/run up. Back over the bridge, down a quick decent and back onto the road. Rinse and repeat. This was one of the longer loops in MN racing. With a little bit of everything for all riding types.

Off the start line I was able to grab Aric Harlands wheel and followed for much of the first lap. After that, he was gone. To smooth and powerful all day long. Aric would stay away the rest of the day. That left Me, Dan Swanson and Jason Snider racing for second. Snider is Aric's teammate and Danno had Dan Casper chasing hard behind so with about 5 to go, it was up to me. I tried to do enough work to keep Casper and the chase group away, but with 2 to go, Casper was on. Which meant at least Snider would work with me a little more now.

But that didnt last long as Snider crashed on the run up and than later flatted. That left me with the two Grandstay teammates. I tried to sit second wheel most of the time waiting to see what would happen. I knew I wasn't able to ride away from them, although I did try to drop one of the two Dans a couple of times. With that not happening and heading into the final lap my goal was to grab a podium spot.

At the double right before the ski trail, Danno makes his move and Dan C. lets a gap open up. I sneak by Dan C on the inside and quickly close the gap to Danno. Just the two of us now. We hit the next set of high speed barriers and Danno attacks. Running like a mad man. I stay calm and than all of a sudden chaos rains. Danno misses his saddle on the remount, lands on his tire, falls to his knees and skids across the trail and into a heap. I see my oppertunity and attack. I get a gap on Dan and all I have to do is get over the last set of barriers and ride up cleanly. But I miss my pedals, struggle to find them and I get to the top and look back and Danno is still looking stunned from his crash, so I power to the line to grab the second step of the podium for a podium spot for the SKIHUT.



Charile Farrow represented in the killer B's taking a well earned 7th overall. And Duluthian Mike Hall rocked it out in the C's and than the killer B's for an hour fifteen of pure cross bliss. Good job fellas.

Sunday's race was out in Rockford, MN. Pretty much the same course as years past. Fast open road start with some tight turns onto the ski trail over a 6" log with a bunny hop and down to the first barrier that leads to the ride/run up. On the top section flying through the woods trying to stay out of the rut. Onto the paved trail and to the next dismount. Which was uphill and a dismount, ride, and than a dismount again. Pure pain. Onto the road and past the s/f line again.

The race started with Hollywood grabbing the hole shot and me grabbing his wheel. We take the hard right onto the trail and I attack hard. I keep my head down just blasting away for the first 3/4's of a lap. I turn around and look and it's Danno on my wheel with a Flanders rider 10s back. Danno and I work together the next two laps, look back and there is no one around.

Danno continued to do much of the work and I pitched in where I could. He actually sat up at one point with 4 to go and waited for me as I botched the ride up. He than blew a corner and almost went down and I waited for him. We stay together and have a blast all the way till 1 to go when the race was on. I pull hard to the dismount/ride up and make sure that I am in front of Dan so he doesn't get away there like he has all day. I sit up and the cat and mouse begins. I lead up the next little uphill where he was killing me all day and raise the pace. He is glued to my wheel. Onto the last dismount section. I pull to the front and keep it in the big ring, I hear danno click down to his inner and I go. He responds. Over the first barrier we are both flying. Legs hitting wheels, wheels hitting legs, chaos again. Bottom line, its coming down to a sprint.

A Tour De France breakaway style sprint. I slow almost to a stop and make Danno lead out as I know he is a much better sprinter than I am this year. Danno leads and does a little shimmy bait move to my left, I don't bite and I wait, he does another shimmy bait move to the right and than stands up and goes. He caught me by suprise and road away for the win. I roll across 2nd. The stronger rider won that day.

Two days of racing, two more races the SKIHUT is on the podium.

Up next, the Duluth CX and (Ka) Boom Island. Hope to see you there.

Photos: Skinnyski.com Thanks for the great race coverage!!

Posted at 07:50 PM   Read More    

Friday - March 26, 2004

Jesse Rients Guest Update

This is my first race report so bear with me. I drove from Tucson to Phoenix of Thursday afternoon so I could ride the tt course with TJ Woodruff. The course was really rocky and loose, but fun. It was about 8 miles long. I stayed with TJ and his grandparents the whole weekend. They made me feel like their own grandson. We were in the campground about a 10 min. ride away. Friday morning I got up, had my latte and went for a short spin to wake up my legs. I warmed up for about an hour and I was ready to race. I was riding really well until about 2 miles to go when I got a severe abdomen and side ache. My side felt like it had been hit by a truck. I lost some time and ended up 28th out of about 40 pros.

Posted at 09:42 PM   Read More    

Wednesday - February 25, 2004

What I have to deal with every weekend!

Wednesday - August 13, 2003

PETE LACNY GUEST UPDATE:

I met the Swanson boys in 98 when I moved to Montana from Pennsylvania to go to school. The first time I met those two they were both wearing cycling caps and were always saying, "Well, see ya later." I liked them right away, although I think they had their doubts about me, that was until they learned I had a cross bike. To the Swanson boys, the fact that I had a real cyclo-cross bike, and also appreciated Simon Burney, made me an OK guy I guess.

Posted at 07:08 PM   Read More    

Wednesday - August 06, 2003

Peter Lacny to be Guest Entry

Monday - July 21, 2003

Hello- From Harry Anderson, Ski Hut, Duluth