The Train Keeps on Rolling
As the Cyclocross season has moved into full swing and the winter months have come, the classic midwest cyclocross race Jingle Cross Rock has come and gone. Every year around Thanksgiving, the Grinch of Iowa city is gracious enough to let a bunch of goofy people in tight clothes and funny bikes ride around his land. Held every year at the Johnson County Fairgrounds just outside of Iowa City, the racing includes a full schedule of USAC armature and UCI C2 and C1 racing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The course features some unique and difficult features which make the racing some of the hardest racers will see this year. First the racers encounter the yule log jam. They are series of small logs laid across the course which riders run through almost like running tires in boot camp. They require fast moving legs and precise movements. Then comes the Carousel Off-Camper. This section is an off-camber section along a drainage ditch which is always muddy, even on the dry days and requires careful use of a riders power. Next riders hit the Geoff’s bike and ski flyover. The front side features steep stairs and a short top. Riders dismount and run the stairs, then remount on top and ride down the back. This is a leg burner if there ever was one. Finally comes the big one, Mt. Krumpit. The mountain is huge and unrelenting. Riders are faced with either a long, slow climb on the back side or an insanely steep and bumpy climb depending on course setup. The decent from the top is always a sight for spectator as well.
A special treat for racers and spectators alike is the Friday night racing under the lights. The darkness presents a special challenge. With the sun down, the race is always cold. And without the suns light, some sections have shadows which hide bumps and slippery corners.
Dave Eckel Started out the night with and 11th place in the Master’s 45+ and Tyson Hausdoerffer kept it going with 14th in the Master’s 35+. The Cat 2 body had a dominating performance in their race with Alex Martin taking the win after an exciting battle with Jordan Cullen which ended in a last lap tangle. Mark Norton came in 4th and Tim Racette in 14th. Finally Joe Maloney got into the points with a 10th place in the UCI elite men.
Saturday’s course took the long way up the mountain, but unlike years before, temperatures were mild and in the 50’s for most of the day. The full crew was there on Saturday as well. Everyone was ready to rack up more top finishes and keep the success going.
Joe Maloney descends the Jingle Cross Rock switchbacks during the UCI race.
Junior Harrison Winkle showed that he can hang with the big regional fields, taking 5th in the junior race in the morning. Tom Winkle and Dave “Dino” Dineen took 20th and 22nd in the Master’s 45+ race while Dave was out with a mechanical. Tyson continued riding well with a 14th in the Master’s 35+.Alex Martin took 2nd in the Men’s cat 2 after battling with Jordan Cullen again. Mark Norton took 7th and Tim Racette also had a mechanical. Joe Maloney rolled in for 17th in the UCI elite men, well outside points.
Sunday was by far the hardest course. The off camber section had been changed so riders would cross the drainage ditch a total of 4 times. The flyover came immediately after a tight 360 degree loop, and then there was MT. Krumpit. After riding up the steep bumpy section, the course continued going up, up and up, all the way to the top. This was the place to watch and cheer as riders were completely spent at the summit. But the course changes only made the riders push their limits even more.
Harrison Winkle showed everyone he means business with a 3rd place in the juniors race followed by a 4th place in the Cat 4 race immediately after. Tyson Hausdoeffer took 14th in the Master’s 35+ race, I think there is a pattern there. In the Master’s 45+, Dave Dineen took 19th, Dave Eckel took 21st after some more bike troubles, and Tom winkle rolled in for 27th after running a major portion of the course with a flat tire. The cat 2 boys continued to perform with Alex taking 2nd, Mark Norton in 6th, and Tim Racette in 23rd. Joe Maloney got into the big points with a 13th place in the UCI C1 race, making it 5 total points for the weekend.
With such a successful weekend for the entire crew, the thanks goes to our sponsors. KS Energy Services and MC2 for their steady support. Trek bikes and Bontrager Components for the best equipment around and Emery’s Third Coast for getting us set up and keeping our bikes working flawlessly. Chiropractic Partners for keeping the body working. Enzo’s Cycling Product for keeping the legs warm with Embrocation, and Clif bar keeping us fueled. Challenge Tires kept us rubber side down, even with the changing conditions through the day from dew moistened morning to dry nights. Of course Kalas for keeping looking sharp and CycleOps for the best warm-up trainers around. Thanks to Everyone!