Thursday, November 16, 2006

We've got company Josh

My third greatest cycling moment is another race story about my reputation.  Only this time it wasn't the kind of reputation I could be proud of.



#3 The day I was a sandbagger



I did my first cyclocross race a year ago.  Since it was my first ‘cross race ever, I signed up in the C group.  That’s the group for beginners and first time racers.  That’s where the race website said I belonged, and who was I to argue with that?  This race also happened to be the state championship. 



I felt strong right from the start.  I followed two guys on mountain bikes for most of race.  I was taking my five year old ‘cross bike on her maiden ‘cross voyage.  It took a lap or two before I felt comfortable on my skinny tires in the dirt. 



By the fourth lap the three of us had developed a pretty big gap in front of rest of the group.  They were a little faster than me on their mountain bikes through the single track, but I could always reel them back in on the straight-aways. 



On the final lap I was only a couple of seconds behind them as we raced through the last long straight section.   Without thinking much about it—it wasn’t a conscience decision—I made a move to the left.   When I passed the first guy and moved into second place he hollered “We’ve got company, Josh!” 



That took away my element of surprise, so Josh and I jockeyed for a good line into the next section of single track.  The first turn was to the left, so I had the inside edge.  Then I put just enough distance between us that I beat him to the best line for the right turn into the singeltrack. 



I didn’t feel either of them on my wheel again.  I had a few good mounts and dismounts and somehow won the race by a few seconds.  I was the best beginner in the state.  Whoopdie doo.



Later that night I got a call from Racer.  He owns the shop that sponsors our team.  He said someone had called him and complained that I shouldn’t have been racing in the C group.  I guess he also mentioned that I had won too many mountain bike races the previous summer and was tired of my sandbagging.  Racer said the guy sounded pretty mad.



Whoever it was (I have my suspicions) may have had a point; I definitely didn't belong in the C group, but I just don’t understand why he was so worked up about losing to me in that group.  If he’s good enough to be contending for overall points in the beginner series, he’s probably good enough to move up to the B group. 



That's what I did.  My prime suspect has too, and I smoked him again last weekend. 



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