Granogue Cross

Steve Klose working the techincal course(also see his race report below)

A very technical but fun course had people all over the ground!

Cat 4 race: Mike Caputi, Patrick Blair

Pat in CAT 4 race coming down the steep downhill section

Masters B race:David Tambeaux,Jim Klender,Steve Klose

U19: Lars Tambeaux, Jimmy Klose

Cat 4 results:
Pat: 13th(LOTS of FALLS due to bike)
Mike Caputi: 80th

Masters B results:
David Tambeaux: 56th
Jim Klender: 61st
Steve Klose: 62nd

U19:
Jimmy Klose: 6th
Lars Tambeaux:

Jim Klender pounding on the up hill!

Race Report from Steve Klose: Granogue, Saturday, October 18, 2008

Granogue is an awesome venue for a cyclocross race. It’s an easy 90-minute trek by car up 95 North to Wilmington, DE. Before you even reach the actual race course, you can see “The Tower”, which immediately creates all kinds of associations with the various Granogue video footage you’ve been watching on YouTube over the last several days. You quickly realize that this is serious CX.

The morning started off clear, cool and breezy with the promise of coming warmth as the sun rose gradually over the hillside upon which sits The Tower. Two pre-ride loops revealed surfaces ranging from moist to downright soggy, owing not from any recent rain, but from a heavy dew.

Just thinking about the Granogue CX course brings a smile to my face even now. It’s characterized by a 20-meter steep run-up, one set of up hill man-made barriers, a hop-off-and-run-around-switchback tree thingy and an off-the-charts-sketchy series of steep downhill off-camber switchbacks, the latter of which caused me to spill on each of my two pre-rides. In between each of the above, you have either of two surfaces: off-road technical or paved and fast. The great thing is, even though there are obstacles, you feel like you are ON your bike most of the time. It is a very challenging (serious) and SUPER-FUN course to race.

At Granogue racers are issued not one but three (serious) race numbers to wear on their jerseys (side, shoulder, shoulder), and heats are sent off by starter pistol (serious) versus whistle, which I have found to be more typical.

Pat and Weezal were off with the Cat 4’s at first gun, followed shortly thereafter by Jimmy and Lars in the U19 Men. Between the Men’s Cat 4, the Women and the Juniors, there were a huge number of riders on the course starting at 9:15 am.

From my vantage point, everyone seemed to race very strongly, handling all the technical stuff with great aplomb. Despite being utterly distraught by the performance of his practically brand new Cannondale CX bike, Pat placed a VERY respectable 13th in the Men’s Cat 4. Weezal looked completely spent and satisfied with his typical “training is for wimps” approach. Jimmy was channeling Pat in being disappointed with his 6th place finish, just out of the money, and Lars raced very well until a mechanical on his brand-spanking new Fantom CX forced him to abandon early. He’ll have that thing DIALED IN for Rockburn, no doubt. I think Pat and Jimmy have each gotten a taste of the podium and now are both victims of their own high expectations. Great results guys!

The AFC/TMR throw-down went off with the Men’s Masters B Race at the 10:10 gun, and Dave (YDT), Jim (JK) and me (SteveMC) toeing the start line (well not exactly; Jim and I were kind of in the back). I was apprehensive about the potential carnage-to-come and got a slow start. Dave and Jim were ahead of me the whole race (and as I later learned battling each other) until I was able to catch and pass Jim on the last big run up. I could feel myself pulling away, but Jim would have none of it. I caught site of Dave as we made our way through the switchbacks at the base of The Tower and was able to holler encouragement (and to let him know I was there). However, as I was negotiating the tricky downhill off-camber switchbacks of the hillside (great spectator viewing section), I took a turn too wide and ended up unclipped and hung up on the red SRAM snow fence. Jim took a better line and passed on my left, never to be seen again, well at least not until the beer tent. Dave, Jim and I finished in that order, all within mere seconds of each other and with grins ear-to-ear.

Granogue has the whole après-race thing down-pat. Podium area centrally located with some of the best up-close race viewing on the course; Big John’s Bar-B-Q (I recommend the chicken sandwich); Free beer tent with kegs from Fordham (local micro affiliated with Rams Head Tavern) served in complimentary take-home glassware; Seven-piece rock-funk-blues band as tight as could be; Oh yeah, the weather was a “10”.

Granogue…seriously…you gotta go.