National Standings

Way to go Devon, keep it up!  National standings update.

Sprint

This is what it looks like when you sprint against your grandpa.  Just kidding guys, good photo though!  

Devon 3rd at Planet Bike Madison #1

Photos

I have to say after ten years of interbike this year was really great.  So many people, I don't remember seeing it so busy.  Did too much talking and not enough snapping, still not used to being able to shoot photos.  I remember the days where no cameras were allowed unless you were a press guy.  Cyclocross magazine has tons of great shots, I just have lots of good memories and reminders why I love this industry.  Thanks to everyone who made it out with us and made this year great.  

VEGAS

Mike and Ryan.
The tireless Steve Tilford.
Lance still looks pretty fit, his bike was about the sorriest there though.  If you would like to see how to properly cross pimp your Trek Lance, look at Brian's.  
John, Ed, and Alex.

That's Mike 2nd in followed by Moots, then the white helmet sticking out is Christoph Sauser, world champion.  The race was awesome, great atmosphere, great people, tough racing.  I didn't do the industry race, basically I was waiting for a call on a bike, didn't happen so I figured go with the flow and just support.  The guys working the show are so taxed non stop I didn't feel I was in the position to start calling "where's my bike to ride???"  not cool.  I handed out my share of cash and screamed myself hoarse.  The best part of the night....Mike Sherer gets a call up "number 39 from the Pony Shop in Evanston IL Mike sherer........number 40 from Trek Bicycle Austin Texas Lance Armstrong......   Hell yeah, the p shop and Mike getting the call up before the man.  I thought that was pretty cool, how many of us can say we did a race with lance, much less got the call to the line prior to Lance.  

New Film

This is sure to get people jacked up about heading back to KC for nationals this year.  Can't wait to get a copy of this, should be able to order up some copies of the 9 ball diaries as well in about 2 weeks.  Watch the trailer close and you'll see Pony Shop's Mike Sherer in the mix for a bit.  

confirm

I sole this.  Check it out...

Tires!

Things are looking sad on the tubular front... I'm on the hunt for more tires today but challenge griffos are running thing and it's only september.  I've glue and or sold more than 75 already this year.  Be nice to your tires!!  I'm hoping to talk to Don in Vegas about some more tire action.  I'll be at Intebike till Sunday, have a good practice guys will be out there with barriers!  

Jackson Park CX#1

Wow so much activity this weekend, before we get to Jackson Park, just wanted to note that Both Mike Sherer and Devon scored some of the elusive UCI points they were after this weekend.  Mike nabbed 6 in Michigan after a nice sprint finish with Steve Tilford.  Devon got 4th on Saturday despite some mechanicals, and 2nd on Sunday!  Congrats to them both, Aspen, and Ben for racing a great double weekend.

Pony Shop had so many racers and supporters I think we did a great job at Jackson Park.  I spoke with lots of guys at the race who asked about the kits and our sponsors, one parent stopped me and asked me to thank EJ for sponsoring the Junior races, that was really cool.  The part that I was most impressed with was how almost everyone (insert joke about me here) improved greatly this year over their races last year.  Seeing everyone stoked with their result really makes the difference and reminds me why this sport is so much fun.  No one wants to leave the course, it's so fun to be around.  Full results will be posted shortly I'm sure.  Some notables were Brian Conant and Luca going 1/2 in the pro race, Roman, Jim, and Bryan R. all top 10 in the staked 40 plus field, which also had a funky start...Carolyn kicked multiple buts in the women's race, Cliff top ten in the 4a's, Scott top 20 I think... lots more but don't remember them all!  

The course XXX laid out was really great, much improved from last year, with just enough room for recovery lots of turning, and some off camber stuff.  It was super organized and it was really cool to pick up the new t shirts there also.  I will be wearing my with price at Interbike.  My race didn't quite go as planned.  I crashed hard on the first lap around those willow trees, which I thought were a little dangerous, and never really recovered well.  I was so freaked out for the next two laps that people were just riding away from me.  I managed to find a good rhythm on the last three laps and reeled some guys back in and passed them, trying to sprint for 9th with Matt Silva, but ended up 10th.  I've got about 20 calls and texts with "what happened".  The truth is I'm not sure.  I felt like I rode hard, but just didn't have the head or the legs today.  I'm hoping to improve on that result as we move forward throughout the season.  I have searched yee old files and nothing really stands out that I did differently than last year, I haven't quit training, so either everyone got a lot better, or I just rode a bad race and the result is what it is, a  place to start.  

These cool photos are from velosnaps, she does an awesome job, you should check them all out.

Michigan UCI report Day 1

Report below from Aspen, Mike's is here. Awesome first day, hope Sunday goes as well. I think we'll have at least 10 people racing on Sunday all together!

Devon and I loaded up the car Friday evening with Ben and Julie from Rock Lobster to make the 5 hour drive to Michigan for the UCI double cross weekend with 5 bikes on the roof! After a quick nights sleep, we headed out early to get a few laps on the course before the racing started. With all of the recent rain and the cool evening the grass was still pretty slick. I got the morning off to a good start by hitting one of the corners a bit too fast and slamming myself into the ground as the rear tire washed out. I hit my head pretty hard and filled my shifter with mud. After finishing the lap in a bit, of a daze I fixed the shifting and tried to get my head back on straight before my race started an hour later.

Between getting everything together and trying to get a warm up in I forgot about the race before the race and showed up to the line a bit late. I ended up sneaking my way into a spot on the second row and hoped for the best. Off the line, a group of four opened up a decent gap and I was able to settle into the second pack. Soon I got into the gap and worked to catch on to the front group. About 2/3 of the way through the lap, I finally made contact with the front group. After sitting in for a bit I tried to make a move before the start finish. I wasn't able to create any separation and just ended up pulling the group around for a bit. Through the race the pack grew to as many as seven and eventually shrank back down. In the last few laps gaps started to form with a few riders getting off of the front. I ended up in a group of three others and finished in fifth. Awesome to get a result in a solid 2/3 combined field, but wish that I could have finished the race a bit stronger.

Devon got off the line in the middle of the front group with one rider opening up a small gap. She was able to bridge up to the leader with a few riders on her wheel during the first lap. Gaps were starting to form behind when Devon rolled a tire on an off camber corner and crashed, shearing her front shift lever off of the bike. After stopping again to put her chain back on, she was able to make it to the pit for a bike change. She was "super happy" to have a pit bike this year so that her race could continue. With the pit bike she never fully re-found her rhythm in the race but was able to fight back for a respectable 4th place finish.

A big thanks to Isaac for getting the A bike back into riding shape for the race tomorrow! Good luck to everyone at Jackson Park!

Aspen

Goosebumps

Watch this and tell me if the hair doesn't stand up on your arms.  Have to score a copy in VEGAS.

For Sale

Super nice ride for sale.  52cm Redline conquest pro 2008 frameset, almost all new parts including new SRAM rival new mavic wheels, lightly used Chris King headset, Ultegra crankset and BB, spooky brakes, the 09 version is 1800.00, asking 1300.00 for this one, great a deal.  Geometry.  Looking for the power??? Buy this and get some coaching from Brian!  

Sleds

I love this time of year, so many cool bikes around the shop!  Alright one of them is mine, but how many colnagos do  you see with fenders.  The Seven is another bike that was upgraded to RED after the road season, so much for easily going back to da from RED.  

Nutrition Clinic

Clinic put on by the well renowned Monique Ryan.  I have met her at The Pony Shop and she is a very nice lady who is sure to be able to help us with Cyclocross and any other nutritional needs.  I've never seen a clinic advertised for cross specific nutrition very cool!  

HIGH OCTANE FUEL FOR CYCLOCROSS
by Monique Ryan, MS, RD, LDN
Tuesday, October 7
Time: 6:30PM
Chicago, IL

Imelda March
Director of Communication and PR
Chicago Cyclocross Cup
www.chicrosscup.com

tick tick tick tick tick

Time is ticking away, only days to Jackson Park, things are looking great.  New faces at practice today, little scary thinking about doing your first practice only days before the first race, no??  Everyone looks pumped and ready to go.

Carolyn and Jessica relaxing after some barrier work.
There was a lot more of faces like these today, no time for screwing around.
Check out Mark's 2009 Bell Sweep R helmet complete with visor, nice Mark. 
Eric getting one more lap in as it's getting dark, the form is coming quickly.  Cheers, Lou.

Fango is here!

The Challenge Fango is finally here!  Mike texted me Monday night that Qbp had them in stock, and by the time I ordered I got the last two tubies in 32.  Crazy.  More are coming, the fango is above and below here shown in 32.  Greg has an awesome story on the Fango, that guy is so lucky!  
Here is the Fango compared to the Dugast Rhyno.  The Fango looks more agressive than the Griffo but not quite as gnarly as the Rhyno.  The rhyno is the tire on the bottom of the photo below.  
All three, Rhyno, Fango, and Griffo left to right.

Twins

The Riders

I realized that I haven't really introduced who is on the Pony Shop cyclocross team.  It's really a bunch of guys who all have shown tons of enthusiasm for the cyclocross scene and enjoy riding together and helping each other out when possible.  Many of our team members are also sponsors of the team as well.  Our goal for this year was to get a good group of people together, and financially to help support some of the younger riders including kit and entry fees for four collegiate riders.  I am very interested in expanding by adding juniors to the roster.  If anyone knows of a local junior who might be interested I would like to meet them.  On to the roster.

Brian Conant pro 1/2

Mark Feary 30+, and 3's

EJ Lenzi 40+

Daniel Rudrud 40+

Luca Lenzi pro 1/2, U23, collegiate

Mike Sherer pro 1/2, U23, collegiate

Devon Haskel womens pro 1/2, collegiate

Aspen Gory 3's, collegiate

Bryan Rheude 3's, 40+

Cliff Golz 4's

Carolyn Golz Womens 4's

Josh Mallan 50+

Mike Jones 40+

Roman Mandzij 40+, 3's

Jim Brady 40+, 3's

Scott Starbuck 40+, 4's

Lou Kuhn 30+, pro1/2

Hope to see everyone on Sunday!

Mike Sherer's Race report

Check out Mike's race report from the pro 1/2 in Ohio here.  They had 40 elite riders!  That's a huge field.   Cheers, Lou.

Race #1 for Pony Shop Cyclocross

Report from Luca Lenzi.  

Ohio Valley Cyclocross #1 Riverview Park Loveland, OH

Headed out to Cincinnati on Saturday after battling the elements in Chicago, which were brutal. Got a good night of sleep and was ready to race. Got to the course early enough that I was able to pre-ride the course alone. The course was really long, 1.5 miles, and it was so twisty that it was really difficult to get any momentum.

Registration took forever because they were running the electronic chip timing and nobody knew how to use the computer. After waiting in line for a good hour I finally got my first number of the cyclocross season. At about this time the wind started to pick up, and it decided never to slow down all day.

The races were running a little late early in the day, but by our race everything was on time. We headed up to the start line around 2:15pm and the wind really picked up, gusts up to 50mph were hitting us right in the face. All of the course tape had been displaced by the wind so it was difficult to just stay on course let alone race. The race started and I had the worst start ever and battled back heading for the first turn. I made up about 7 positions, but I than ended my own race. I hit a stick which got kicked up into my cassette locking out 5 gears. At this point Mike had pushed the pace so hard, that he had made a split with 7 other guys. I rode the next couple laps as well as I could missing half of my cassette, but it was just not meant to be and I pulled off and out of the race.

Mike continued to hammer at the front, fade a bit, fall of the main group, rejoin the main group, and be off the front of the main group constantly for the rest of the race. He ended dropping back to 4th after getting course tape stuck in his cassette and having few gears to choose from. A great first result for The PonyShop Cyclocross Team, which will continue the domination in upcoming races without a doubt.

Mike will be headed up to Michigan to race two days of UCI cyclocross, while I will be staying close to home and racing in Jackson Park for the first race of the Chi Cross Cup.

Tired

I'm tired today, not from getting up at 5:00 am to ride, but from getting up at midnight last night to register for cyclocross nationals.  I have never done that before but I've heard it's critical, and judging by the fact that I registered at 12:04 and I'm 40th on the line I guess I have heard correctly.  I had to make a few calls but they also explain it on the opening page of registration.  You sign up for cyclocross nationals for the age you turn in 2009!  Make sure you get that right when you're registering.  6 days till Jackson, 9 days till cross VEGAS.  

Hello???

Cross season starts in a week, and I feel like something is missing.  I think it's someone.  I have read this guys blog for years and his words have at times fueled the flames.   Now there's no talk of tire choice, intervals, midnight online registrations, or bike set up on his blog.  I'm missing it and him, he brought a lot of excitement and, a sort of seriousness to the cross scene. 

Super Size

Finally.  Aquaseal is normally sold in .5oz or 1 oz. sizes which just don't seem to be very reasonable considering we're lathering the sidewalls on tubulars with it.  Found some super sized 8 oz's online the other day.  Much easier to work with.  Man this rain has me thinking I may want to put some Rhynos on for the mud!  Should be pretty cool actually if we get some races that aren't bone dry, we only seem to get the hard weather for Montrose every year.  Right now rain is predicted for Sunday at Jackson park.  One week from now we'll be lining up for the start.  I'm excited to do VEGAS cross this year, but I'm not mixing in with the pros, just not realistic.  I'm doing the dealers race, and I'm sure there will be some sleepers in there with me, SRAM is loaning me a Ridley to ride I think so that sounds awesome.  Both my bikes will be ready to roll on Monday so I feel much better about that.  The swap to Red has me feeling totally at home on both bikes.  Rain rain rain, maybe the semi slicks should hit the shelf, and the mud tires come out to play.  Off to ride in the rain for a couple hours, but I'm running inside, thank god for treadmills.

Practice 5

Good practice tonight.  First time I practiced with Luca, got a good whooping, maybe I won't taunt him so much at work next time.  Two faces I haven't seen in awhile out there too, Eric and Anthony.  Nice to have you guys back.  Eric summed it up, "this is why you guys are so damn fast, you practice".   Yep I have no natural talent that's for sure, chasing Luca and Alister are the only things that help.  Had to cheers Alister and Laura off with a beer after practice.  Rumors of a Bandit race on Sunday!  Might have to make it to that one.  

Chicago Cup T Shirt

Check this out... Limited edition Chicago Cross Cup T-Shirt, designed by Northerner and new Planet Bike Factory Team member Jesse Lalonde.  Super trick.  Email Greg and get one asap, or get two.  Some of the proceeds will go over to the good people at World Bicycle Relief.  

Today's Gluing Session

Glued these bad boys up today.  There's a lot of nice hardware there!  I'm excited to see the new Fango's to check them out.  I'm fully set up if anyone needs any gluing work done let me know.  I have a bunch of tires pre stretched ready for glue.  Everyone at the shop is probably getting sick of me by now, and the residual fumes that accompany the gluing.  12 days till Jackson Park, and 15 days till Cross VEGAS!  Oh yeah can't wait.  Kind of miss having Mike here to get the jones going about cross, Luca is getting warmed up to it though, cleaned the bike up yesterday, the Moots looks good.  

Mud

Challenge's new Fango tire!  Check it out at CX Magazine

It's coming!

It's starting to feel like cross season, time to dig out some clothes for tomorrow mornings ride.

Goodbye!!

Did our last Judson ride with Alister and Laura today.  They will be moving east and taking on the cross scene from the DC area.  Good luck to both of them!  Come to practice on Wed at James Park, which will be their last ride before taking off!  Maybe some of that silky smooth skill will rub off on me before he goes.   Alister is the guy on the right in the photo above, kind of freaky how he and wicks look almost identical isn't it??  

Go Long

If you're a Cross mechanic with lots of customers riding bling wheels you need these.  Everyone has been out of them, the boys at H2 finally hooked it up, and we went deep!  If you are in need let me know and I can shoot them out for you, got a hundred of them.

Leapt

Red Red Red!!!  After riding Red all summer on the road bike I thought it would be an easy transition back to DA on the cross bike.  Not quite.  The DA was tough to swap back to.  The guys at SRAM all rock, the product is the best, and I love supporting a Chicago Company.