October 10/00 5:31 am - Shep Report, Victoria 'Cross, Birthdays, MS 8 Hours

Posted by Editor on 10/10/00
 

Shep Report

The season is over and now it's time to get fat! Last weekend I did the Cane Creek finals as a little prep for the Tour de Wolf in Memphis. The two events were not exactly high profile races but in my mind they were a chance to finish the season on high note, get some UCI points and hey the Memphis race gets some damn good coverage.

Both races were extremely fast averaging 15 miles an hour in Asheville and 18 in Memphis! Torn hamstrings were the number of the beast after both races. Led start to finish at the Cane Creek finals. Tour de Wolf was a different story though. Ryder (Hesjedal), Tinker (Juarez), (Steve) Tilford, (Bill) Hurley, Julian (Hine), (David) Irving, etc. would make this no easy walk in the park. The course consisted of climbs no longer than 30 seconds and the surface had actual rubber marks from skidding which showed how hard the ground was. From the gun Tilford attacked but with the speed so high and the winds blowing at 15 miles an hour there were no takers. The front was dominated by Ryder, Hurley, Julian and me with Tinker and 10 others in tow. Dry Ryder's back started to tweak after two laps so he decided to crack the group and taper it down to the players. Job well done as the group became Hurly, Tinker and me while Tilford maintained a 30 sec lead. One lap with these guys and I accelerated after Tilly. Each lap I brought it back by 15 seconds until I passed him with 10 minutes left in the race. No problem I thought as I headed into the single track but I should have known he would try something nasty (I remember being warned in 1995 by canadian mtn bike legend Warren Sallenbach about Tillies elbows). Buddy guy tries to pass me (absolute last second cut-throat style) going into the woods....doesn't get his wheel in front of mine so he leans and aims me for a big ass tree! Forget about that so I figure if I'm going down he's going down! As the tree came closer I jacked my bars towards his bike and threw all my weight into him thereby avoiding the tree that was going to cripple me, getting Tilly off my side and throwing us both into the bushes. He immediately started to swear, etc. and chase after me while I picked my bike up and sprinted for the win. A great show was then put on for the NORBA official but I kept the money, took home the good feelings and UCI points. Jullian cranked it in for fourth capping a good season while Bill ended up in 8th. Willow won both races as well and will head off to do the 24 hrs of Moab this weekend. Should be the last update until things are signed and sealed for next year!

Shep


Victoria Cyclo-cross
(courtesy Steve Lund)

The second race in the International Cycling Coaches Victoria Cyclo-Cross 2000 took place October 8 at the Juan de Fuca Velodrome. The course was very fast and very technical, featuring a lap on the wet track and a number of tight twists and turns on either pavement or wet grass every lap. Troy Woodburn took the early lead, but faded at the half way point allowing Dan MacDonald to take the lead which he held to the end. Troy held on to second spot ahead of Peter Odegaard. With a number of the top crossers absent, due to a local cyclist's wedding, Dan MacDonald's win moves into the overall lead for the series. Cross bikes prevailed, with 4 of the top 5 riders in the A Group on Cross Bikes this week.

The next race in the series will be on a newly modified course at the site of race #1, at the Princess Mary Restaurant in Victoria's inner harbor, on Sunday October 15. Full details can be found at www.InternationalCyclingCoaches.com

Victoria Cyclo-Cross 2000
Presented by Redline Bikes, The Bike Cellar, Physical Culture, Bicyclitis

A Group, 45 minutes plus 3 laps (Top 5 and top Vet*)
1 Dan MacDonald Basic Nutrition 56:36
2 Troy Woodburn Unattached 58:45
3 Peter Odegaard Kona 59:52
4 Drew MacKenzie Unattached 1:00:36
5 Chris Reid Unattached -1 lap
6 Murray Drew* Wheelers -2 laps

B Group, 30 minutes plus 3 laps(Top 5 and top Woman*)
1 Dan Molgat-Roy The Bike Cellar 41:38
2 Dave Mathews Unattached 42:14
3 Curtis Bowick ICC Devo 42:30
4 Martin Demidow Unattached 43:15
5 Emily Sandwith* ICC Devo 43:52


Happy Birthday To...

B.C. mountain / 'cross rider Carter Hovey (yesterday) and our own Tech. Editor Mike Badyk (today).


The 8 Hours Multiple Sclerosis Mountain Bike Team Relay - Paris, Ontario

September 10, 2000