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.  

Practice 4

Practice #4, great weather, good turn out, 11 people total.  Lots of fun out there, I managed to crash not once but twice, Jim drew blood (blames it on his pedals), one tire popped off the rim, so yeah maybe if they were glued last year it's a good idea to reglue them before this season.  It's exciting to see everyone's excitement build for the sport.  I'll be sad to see Laura and Alister move as they certainly add a lot to our sport, and Alister certainly pushes me to be better.  Had at least one new person in the group, welcome George, hope to see you all next Wed.

Brian Conant Coach tip....

"When coming into the barriers, there is nothing wrong w/ dismounting early where you  have to take 3 or 4 steps before the 1st barrier.  This allows for some time if you happen to have trouble getting out of the pedal- hopefully keeping you from eating the barrier.

This is especially good for those just starting cross."

Maybe I should have read that before practice....but then again I think if you don't crash once in awhile you're not going fast enough.  

Back from the dead

I wish I had before pictures of this one.  Reminder, if you haven't ridden your bike since last cross season, except for those few rides in the freshly salted roads, might be a good time to get her into the shop....  This one took 6 hours to get back to race shape, poor thing.  I had to cut the chain in 4 pieces to get it off of the bike, new hub bearings, bb bearings, tubies, and cables, but she's ready to go!  The owner thought I might repo the bike! 

Seriously though I am loving my job this week.  Just back from Wisconsin fishing, nothing but cross bikes, cross frame sets, tubulars, and wheels hanging all round me.  It's awesome.  Practice tonight, the temps dropped from 90's yesterday to a very crossy 68 today.  Very nice.