Book of Chad

The trip out to Kelowna is a long way to go for an hour of entertainment, but I would say it is worth the trip. Knox mountain park is a venue for cyclocross. The course has flat gravel straights, some elevation and a muddy run-up. To me, the perfect cyclocross course has sections that suit everyone and other sections that should suit no one, after all, it should be a little silly.

The men’s Masters A race was the last race of the day and was combined with the elite men’s field. I lined up in the second row on the far right with the first corner being left at the end of the starting straight. I am traditionally a fast starter however being with the elite field I knew I wasn’t going to get there in the free and clear and I thought there was a good chance that the first corner was going to get crowded on the inside. The countdown started and shortly we were on our way barreling down the straight, as we reached the first corner Matthew Hornland came out on the right side just ahead of me and I followed him around the stalled group on the inside of the corner. We single-filed out over the next few corners and with only a small amount of bumping made it to the run-up for the first time. After the run up it started to spread out and I quickly fell back through the elite field. At this point, I thought that Matthew and Wai-Ben were the only two in my field ahead of me making me 3rd. I should note that it is very hard to figure out who you are racing against when groups are combined like it was. As the field spread out further Matt Atkinstall was right behind me and a small gap back there were two others.

After the first lap Matt passed me on the straight I then clawed my way back to him, and I got by him in the first muddy section leading into the run-up. He passed me on the straight climb up the gravel and stayed ahead through the grass and corners sections. Going into the barriers he had a small gap but I caught and passed him in the run and remount. I stayed ahead through the rooty section and he passed me on the straight. This went on into the next lap only I wasn’t able to pass I would only catch back onto his wheel and then get gapped off. By the 4th lap, I wasn’t catching his wheel anymore and although I made ground in the technical sections he was making even more in the power sections. While all this was happening I noticed the two riders behind me were trading places however their gap to me was getting bigger every lap.

I was truly in the middle for the entire second half of the race it seemed like every lap Matt was a bit further ahead and for every lap, my chasers were a bit further back. The leader of the elite field Evan Russell came to lap me in the roots section and I gave him a wide berth, a quarter lap later the 2nd place elite came through. After over an hour of racing, I was 47 seconds behind Matt and 39 seconds ahead of the guy behind me. I don’t know how far ahead the eventual winner Wai-Ben was since he didn’t get lapped by the elite field he did another lap. What I learned only when I get home is there was another racer ahead Steve Devantier in second and Matthew Hornland in third. Matthew Hornland is a good yardstick for me I have never beaten him but have raced him quite a few times now, He is also a previous provincials winner. I was 1:56 behind him and the podium, in cross two minutes is an eternity, however, I am pretty sure that is the closest I have got to him. Last year I finished 5th and this year I was 5th again, I am not at all disappointed because this year the competition was at a higher level. Two more races to go!

Race: Provincial CX Championships
Time: 1:06:37 Laps: 11
Avg Heart Rate: 182
Max Heart Rate: 190
Place: 5th