The San Francisco Bay Area is fortunate to have six different cyclocross race series within about an hour of the seven million people residing in the area. This weekend, with Surf City, the nation’s oldest cyclocross series returning again on Sunday, and the classic Lion of Fairfax (in Los Altos) returning on Saturday, Bay Area racers are in for a treat with back-to-back racing. More northern NorCal racers aren’t left out either, as they have a brand-new cyclocross race at the new bike park in Truckee by Lake Tahoe to keep them entertained.
While San Francisco and San Mateo County boast consistent cyclocross racing, both legitimate and underground, Santa Clara County, with 1.8 million people (more than double the population of both San Francisco and San Mateo Counties), has gone through a relative cyclocross drought. It’s a shame, as Cyclocross Magazine calls Santa Clara County its home, but not since 2006 (before CXM started) has there been an official cyclocross race within its borders.
After a seven year hiatus, cyclocross returns to Santa Clara county for the second weekend in a row. © Cyclocross Magazine
That drought has ended, at least for this season, as promoter Murphy Mack and his Norcal.cx team have put together two memorable back-to-back weekends of cyclocross racing in Santa Clara county, with last weekend’s hilly and technical San Jose Cougar cyclocross race, and now this weekend’s Lion of Fairfax race, relocated to Foothill College in Los Altos. It’s a 10 minute bike ride from the CXM World Headquarters, and Cyclocross Magazine could not miss this opportunity to help make this race happen and assist in course design.
It’s an eleventh-hour interval of planning by Mack and team due to the relocation of the event from Fairfax, but pending final course approval by the school, the course promises a mix of Cyclocross Magazine-inspired features to serve up something to please and challenge every rider, and a fan-friendly layout that keeps bringing racers riding past the spectators that would make Lyle Fulkerson and his Supercup team proud (see our feature “SuperCup: When Fans Came First” in Issue 22).
2013 Lion of Fairfax of Los Altos – Foothill College cyclocross race potential course map
Foothill College is no stranger to bike racing, having hosted a Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club circuit race on its roads the last three years to raise funds for a campus bike path. School staff are already talking about potential course options for next year, so if the race goes smoothly, the venue could become a Bay Area classic for years to come.
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2013 Lion of Fairfax of Los Altos race press release below:
The Lion of Fairfax, now in it’s eighth year, is out hunting new territory again. This year’s venue is Foothill College in sunny Los Altos, California. A new venue which has never held a cyclocross race before and holds much promise.
Once again our friends at Cyclocross Magazine lent their time and know-how to help us shape a course that you’re sure to be talking about weeks and months from now. A fast, 1.7 mile long loop with off-camber downhills, technical climbing, a downtube-grab dismount, beautiful pavement, a high speed set of barriers and one technical run up. The course is wildly different from last week’s San Jose Cougar climbing challenge.
The forecast calls for 77 degrees and sunny. Perfect for NorCal ‘cross. The venue has loads of parking, indoor toilets and a cold drinking fountain. It’s located directly off 280 twenty minutes from San Jose, forty minutes from San Francisco and fifty minutes from Oakland.
Mike’s Bikes will be offering neutral mechanical support all day and Cycles Fanatic will be providing the neutral wheel pit. There will be no food or beverage support at this event so you’re tailgating with your team / cohorts.
The layout of the Lion of Fairfax 2013 – Los Altos, Foothill College
Public Service Announcements:
We found a couple/few goat head thorns in one section of the course… maybe leave your fancy Dugast tubulars without sealant at home for this one! Also, this is our first time at this venue, please be discreet with your adult beverage if you bring them.
Important Message: There is to be NO WARMING UP or PRE-RIDING ON THE COURSE DURING RACES. Once the lead racer crosses the line for the finish in a race you may then enter the course to pre-ride it / warm up but please be respectful of riders who are still out there. If we see you on the course when you are not supposed to be you will be called out by name for having brought shame and dishonor to your team and sponsors. We may or may not dock your time as well. Don’t try us.
Chromatic Coffee will be onsite again with their delicious bean juice for you. Help support their efforts by buying a bag of their locally roasted beans!
Call ups are based on your finish from last week. The staging area is 100m from the timing tent on the pavement in the parking lot. We are using parking Lot #4. Remember to bring your number from last week, it’s yours to use for the entire series.
The course will be open for inspection from 5:00pm – dusk on Friday. Use parking lot #4 only please.
Race schedule is below and pre-registration is here, and more info on the race is on Norcal.cx.
- Junior 10-14 8:30AM / 30 MINUTES
- Junior 15 – 18 8:30AM / 30 MINUTES
- Junior Women 8:30AM / 30 MINUTES
- Women’s C 8:30AM / 30 MINUTES
- Cat C Men 9:15AM / 30 minutes
- Cat C 35+ Men 9:15AM / 30 minutes
- 35+ B Master Men 10:00AM / 45 MINUTES
- 45+ B Master Men 10:00AM / 45 MINUTES
- Master Mens 55+ 10:00AM / 45 MINUTES
- 35+ A Master Men 11:00AM / 60 minutes
- 45+ A Master Men 11:00AM / 60 minutes
- Women A / Pro 12:45PM / 45 MINUTES
- Women B 12:45PM / 45 MINUTES
- 35+ Masters Women 12:45PM / 45 MINUTES
- KIDS RACE 12:10PM 20 minutes
- Open Men A / Pro 1:45PM / 60 minutes
- Open SS Men A 1:45PM / 60 minutes
- Cat B Men 3:00PM / 45 minutes
- Cat B SS Men 3:00PM / 45 minutes
There will be climbing at Foothill College, but not like there was in San Jose – 2013 Norcal.cx San Jose Cougar cyclocross race. © Cyclocross Ma
