Thursday, June 21, 2007

Cache Creek to Game Creek XC Race

I typically do one or two local cross country races per season just for fun and to experience a new all-time high heart rate. Last night was my first time doing the popular Cache to Game point to point race over in Jackon and it was a hoot! 5:15pm start, 86 degrees, and 74 racers lined up to pin it from the word go.

The race pretty much goes up for 5 miles, then goes down for 5 miles, and ends with a mile of flat double track and the last chance to pass anyone ahead of you if you have the legs. For me, it was 50 minutes of joy and pain. For the supa-fast freaks, it was 45 minutes or less. Sam Jurekovic (currently racing the NMBS Series) holds the course record at 37 minutes!

Racers milling about before the start
Fun scene at the finish line
TraceyP with a solid finish and PR in the women's race


As if the GDR wasn't exciting enough already, now we have drama. JayP blows throw a construction zone and pisses off the flag lady which makes life hard for Pete. Pete finally caves into the lady, rides in the car, and then 30 miles later feels guilty about it so he turns around and rides through the construction zone again. Holy Crap!

There are lots of opinions over on MTBR regarding JayP's actions at the construction site. However, at both pre-race meetings the racers were clearly told "do not get in a pilot car". After hearing that message at the pre-race meetings, I would have been very concerned about being disqualified for getting in a car and would have blown through just as JayP did.

Side note; I have ridden behind pilot cars in the caravan of vehicles many times on my road bike so I am not sure why they wanted the cyclists in the car and not behind the car as it drove through the construction zone.

Late Edit: Jay may have also ridden through the construction zone behind other cars following the pace car.

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