Xilinx Race!

It was a very cold day down in Boulder on Saturday. The temperature around 37 degrees farenheit and it had rained the night before. I went out to the second Boulder CX Series at Xilinx and it was very hard. I raced catagory 4 and ended up around middle pack I believe. The race was very hard and muddy but I had a lot of fun.

Zack

Falling

Cross Haiku

Fall Here, Leaves Drop Down

Rage on Cross Bicycle Fast

Don't Trip, Barrier 

Mitch Hoke

Back at it!

It's been a slow start for Kevin and I over here in Grand Junction getting back into full swing for the cross season. Right we are at the end of Collegiate Mountain biking season for Mesa State College. Normally we don't race mountain bikes, but our school needed two more Cross Country racers for Nationals so we were the ones they turned to. This is why Kevin and I haven't been doing all the cross races that would of liked to do. We have our home Mountain Bike race this weekend, then will be racing cross the weekend after in Longmont and Fort Collins. Though that following week Kevin and I will be traveling to North Carolina for Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals. Though once that is over will be in full swing for cyclocross. Just in time to race at the Boulder Cup and all the cross races following.So far this season we have done the Brecktobercross as well as the Frisco CX just last weekend. This is our first season racing in the Pro 1/2 field and we are loving it. We both have been getting repectable resutls. Though in Frisco I had to drop out Saturday do to some mechanicals on the bike and Kevin ended up 20th. Then Sunday we both had a better day on the bike, though both of us threw out the race had one of our shoes come off while dismounting/remounting. But in the end we ended up 11th and 12th and had a great time.Another thing keeping us busy in our cross clinic that we put on a couple weeks ago. The local Western slope junior team out in Silt about an hour East of Junction asked Kevin and I if we could help them with a clinic. So we drove out there and had about 10 kids to work with. We tought them the basics of everything and helped them pratice it all together. Afterwords we had a nice course set up for them to practice it all. All the kids did really well and love cross. Now when we see them at races the are always asking us for adivce and thanking us for our help. We do plain on going back up and doing some more clinics.

Clif Representation

Saturday October 4 was the first real display of the CLIF Team’s power. Like any ACA race there was an open field at the Frisco CX. I, as a young rider looking for a great way to develop, signed up for this category to get the experience of racing world class racers. But the best part was that not only did I represent the team but so did many others. First off the CC boys were up-Mitch Hoke and Colin Cares who represented fashionably well. Also Alex Howes made the jump as well as the twins Kevin and Conor Mullervy. The day was a bit cold, actually after having raced in the mid 80’s all summer 50 degrees and rainy felt like Belgium in January. None-the-less it really set off a good cross vibe. I set off on my warm-up as did the rest of the team, where we all got back together to the start. Jon Baker, Matt Potocha, and many other fast guys were in the race. The official sent us off! I started very well and I was surprised that the pace wasn’t too fast. The lap consisted of a long paved hill then this sketchy descent, and then though a grass field to another bumpy section, then on to a “screaming” run-up. Screaming because there were people there screaming and your legs and lungs were screaming. Then my good buddy Mitch got on my wheel then attacked. This guy was freekin’ FLYING!!! Soon after that the big guy Colin Cares came up and blew by me. At this point my race was dead, but Mitch and Colin really lit it up. They ended up in 3rd and 4th respectfully. Right behind two really fast guys Jon and Matt. I wouldn’t want to be U23 this year racing these guys. Danny and Brady, watch your back. I ended mid pack with Kevin right behind. Somewhere along the way Conor had some trouble as well as Alex, whose seat fell off. hmmm. Anyway, this weekend was an awesome representation of our team. Next weekend in Boulder will be even better as our team prepares more and more to represent around the country at the Grand Prix’s.

Frisco 'Cross!

This week I traveled to Frisco, Colorado to race some cyclocross! We left on Saturday and arrived at around 1:00 PM. I was going race juniors 13-14, but I decided to move up to 15-16 for some more competition. I ended up actually arriving at the course at around 1:15 and was riding around in the cold rain for two hours. I was suited up in my "thermal skin-suit" and my brand new "Gavia Gloves". Finally, I lined up at the start and it was David Kessler, me and about four other kids. Of course, David had an easy win since he is really fast but I was holding a tight second place. On the last lap I made a tactical error by trying to sprint up this hill (which was only 1/4 of the way around the course) and was trying to drop the kid behind me. He counter-attacked and gained a small lead on me by about ten seconds. I went all out in the last two minutes and passed the kid right before the run-up to take second to David.
After that, I decided to race juniors 13-14 just for fun. I wasn't registered for the race but I didn't want to win the prize or get the BAR/BAT points. So I just raced it simply for a cool down. I finished up in first with ease, but after the official called me over and asked what my name was. I said, "Zack Gould" and he went over and talked to the head officials and said I wasn't registered for the race. I explained to him how I was in fact 13 years old and was just doing this as a cool down. He said that I need to be registered for the race so that it doesn't mess up the officials. I don't blame him, it was my fault.
After the race I went back to the car to put the bikes away, I took off my new "Gavia Gloves" and put them somewhere where I can no longer find them. I am usually very responsible, but I found myself short of one pair of really awesome gloves.
The next day I woke up and was very tired. I don't think I slept well at all and was very dehydrated but didn't know it. I raced cat. 4 and started off really awesome right behind Zane Godby, then right in front of us was a hill. Suddenly, it felt just like I just slammed into a brick wall and I was having trouble getting up the hill. I felt like my technique was fairly good throughout the race, I just didn't have any energy left in the tank. I don't know exactly how I finished up, but I had an awesome time anyways. So I think that I had a pretty successful weekend and a great time!
By Zack Gould