Loading ...The First Dismount
July 2nd, 2008 Filed Under Issue 1, print_archives
It’s that time of year already. Folks are laying out their cyclocross training plans, dusting off the ‘cross bike and running shoes, and starting to scrape off old tubular glue. In that spirit, we’re posting a timely Issue 1 piece for you from killer B racer and Kiwi, Damian Handisides.
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With six-month-old dirt from the last season still present on my trusty steed and nine months of restlessness trapped deep inside, I venture out on the first “training ride” of the cyclocross season.
My training partner, Chris, arrives promptly at 6:00 and we are off for the first true suffering that I have experienced in a while.
En route to the local trails we have about 10-15 minutes to discuss how we both plan to put in a good full season of racing. I can’t help but wonder if the bike beneath me feels like it has heard this story before. I can’t help getting excited for ‘cross, but my excitement comes so early I’ve often peaked before [More…]
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Confessions of a Sandbagger
March 24th, 2008 Filed Under Issue 1, interviews, print_archives
Everyone has had some experience with sandbagging. Perhaps you find yourself always being dominated by the same racers. Or maybe you find yourself coming home regularly with swag from B and C-level races? Perhaps you’ve bid on the eBay Upgrade Points auction offered by a group of New England racers that we covered in Issue 2. Regardless, we’ve all got a sandbagging story. Hector Finely offered up his for our premier Issue 1.
This story was originally published in Cyclocross Magazine’s Issue 1, November 2007, and proved to be a reader favorite.
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Confessions of a Sandbagger
By Hector Finely
“Dude, I was riding beginners two years ago.”
“I have no bike handling skills.”
“I don’t ride my bike at all during Jan through Sept.”
“I don’t have any fitness or talent.”
“It’s not like I’m a Cat 2 racing B’s and winning everything.”
“I don’t race road or mountain like everyone else.”
“I only ride once during the week.”
I said those things repeatedly, trying to convince my friends, and more importantly myself, that what I was doing was [More…]
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Katie Compton Interview - Cyclocross Magazine’s Exclusive Interview
November 2nd, 2007 Filed Under Issue 1, interviews, print_archives
This interview was originally published in Cyclocross Magazine’s Issue 1, November 2007.
Katie Compton is the reigning national cyclocross champion, as well as the silver medalist at the 2007 UCI World Cyclocross Championships. When Katie won her first national championship in 2004, she surprised her competitors and the media, but she wasn’t a stranger to competing at the top level. The three-time national cyclocross champion had already won gold medals with Karissa Whitsell while piloting their tandem in the Paralympics, IBSA and IPC World Championships, and U.S. Paralympic National Championships.
With such an impressive resume, one might expect Katie would be an uptight, type-A racer, but she’s surprisingly down to earth, modest, and much more like the girl next door, with the exception that she can kick your butt on a bike. We caught up with Katie after she got back from a training vacation in Montana and chatted about her background, the upcoming season, and her thoughts about the future of ‘cross.
CXM: Why do you race? Why ‘cross?
KC: Simply for the challenge of it; because I like to suffer. I like to push my body in training and racing and see what I can do. I like the competition, especially when I’m not as strong as other racers. [More…]
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Jonathan Page Interview - Cyclocross Magazine’s Exclusive Interview
November 1st, 2007 Filed Under Issue 1, interviews, print_archives
This story and interview was originally published in Cyclocross Magazine’s premier issue, Issue 1, in November 2007.
February, 1999. Tilton, NH. It’s 26 degrees outside and snowing. Jonathan Page, one of the U.S.’s most promising cyclocross talents is starving, having just finished a three hour training ride in the miserable conditions.
“Hello, Upper Crust Pizzeria.”
“Yeah, Hi. I’d like a large two topping pizza, pepperoni and sausage. And can you rush it? I’m famished.”
“Sure thing, we’ll be there in 30 minutes”.
A rusty old Saab speeds up a snow-covered dirt-road, flying past the destination house. The road glows red from the car’s brake lights, as the driver realizes his mistake. Suddenly, the car appears to spin out of control, but inside, the driver is calm and focused, pulling hard on the emergency brake just after yanking his steering wheel to the left. The car nearly completes a full 180 degree turn, but the right front fender plows into the snow bank and stalls the car. [More…]
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