Star-Crossed Cyclocross, October 2, 2004
Report and photos by Greg Louie
Lots of fun in the sandbox
It went down as advertised: Fast 'cross racing, bumpin' sounds, and plenty of beer. The third incarnation of the Star-Crossed Cyclocross had a new title sponsor, Cerveza Toņa, but the crowd seemed to enjoy the Latin flava' as many of the best cyclocrossers in the country headed to Redmond to put on a show on October 2. The usual throng of racers, messenger-types and bike-crazy families flocked to the infield of the Marymoor Velodrome, with the beer garden getting the nod as the "place to be." Security was anything but lax - I watched as grey-bearded Jerry Baker was carded repeatedly as he ambled to and fro. Speaking for myself, I was in good shape for the Beer Garden, having spent the previous week training in New Orleans, walking the French Quarter with a frozen Peach Colada in hand and eating plenty of deep fried seafood and beignets.
I missed the early races, but arrived in time to see "Grande" Dame Anne Knapp ride away from a dogged Josie Beggs and keep the pressure on to the end in an impressive display of dominance. I even heard her cheering on fellow competitor Kristi Berg while hammering out of the saddle on her final lap! While the women's race was lacking a bit in drama, the display of power by the top female 'crossers in the Northwest certainly got the crowd in the mood for more, with fully amped spectators banging cowbells and doing their best to emulate drunken Swiss WC fans.
In the men's elite race, Maxxis' Geoff Kabush went hard from the start and looked like money, but went down in a slippery corner with just a couple of laps to go, letting eventual winner Carl Decker and perennial top 'crosser Todd Wells slip through. Jonny "The Cat" Sundt and Russell Stevenson upheld the honor of the 'hood, coming home just adrift of winner Decker in fourth and fifth places. All told, it was a hell of deal for the measly $5.00 admission fee, and the price of beer even went DOWN to $2.50 for the men's elite race!
Hardest Working Man in "Cross? After a full season on the
road with the Jittery Joe's squad ("Oh, I took a couple of weeks off"),
setting up the whole infield for the Star-Crossed, and racing his butt
off Saturday and Sunday, Jonny Sundt was back at the track on Monday,
hammer in hand, taking DOWN the podium and beer garden . . . Annette
Hansen, fresh off multiple successes at Nats and Worlds and in the
middle of her infamous progressive power workout, was heard to quip,
"You don't get much of a break, do you?" Kind of gives you a clue as to
why these people are so fast - they NEVER GET OUT OF SHAPE . . .
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