2017 CX Race Report thru the District Championships

Greg Fenton and Bob Willcox have been preparing for the Cyclo-Cross  National Championship in Reno in the second week of January.   Greg has been racing up a storm, logging five Cross races in 29 days, a win in a 50 mile MTB the week before that period, and a road TT in between.  Greg won the first of those CX races battling very hard w/ several 55+ racers that aged up this year.  Since then he had two 3rd place finishes and a 4th, for a podium every week.  On Sunday he was attempting to defend his 2016 District Championship and battled hard to get the Silver Medal.

Bob has raced in 4 of the last 15 days (3 of which included a second single speed race).  Bob got a scratchy throat on Tuesday this week and had almost enough time to recover enough to defend his 2016 championship in 60+.  One of the local 60+ riders was at the Masters World Championships on Friday in Mol Belgium and took 4th.  A semi local that was battling w/ Greg the week before in the national championship jersey, took 2nd in Mol.  They both missed the local championships.  The course has the most elevation gain of any local CX, but they changed the climbs this year to wind back downhill a couple loops before continuing up the climb.  This would shorten the climbs to around 15 seconds rather than 30 or 40 and not play to Bob’s strengths.  He was able to get a call-up for the 1st time this season and got the last front row position.  Bob’s start was mediocre and he was down 17 seconds from the first guy in the 60+ at the end of the first 7 minute lap.  He battled back & forth w/ a few 55+ to attempt to bridge up, but the gap was not closing.  A new 60+ pressured Bob on the first half of the race but was not able keep up on the last half.  Another 55+ pressured Bob the entire race and attempted to pass in the last 100 meters, but Bob was able to sprint out of the last corner to hold him off.  It was a nice consolation since that rider had beaten Bob in every 55+ race this year.  Bob finished 22 seconds down for the silver medal in the 60+.

Jimbo Wimberly jumped into the foray for two races in November and did very well w/ two 8th place finishes.  After not competing in CX for 5 years Jimbo took off right where he left off.  This is the heat of the season for CX and the competition is fast and fierce.  

Jose Vigil, a new member of our UCC team, has been representing UCC well and finishing on the podium in the 45+ class.  We are having fun and want to thank our teammates and sponsors for helping us have lots of FUN!

Bob Willcox