The penultimate stop of the 2016 MFG season rolled south to Tacoma and the grounds of the LeMay Family collection. Racers weaved their way through a greasy course that featured two run-ups, followed by fast descents, and bone yard of old trucks and buses that pepper the grounds of the auto museum. Predicted rains arrived early making the course slick, and causing more than a few crashes.
The “bone yard” of old trucks and buses that pepper the grounds of the auto museum provide an interesting backdrop to the race course. © Geoffrey Crofoot
“The Treatment’ was given to the 1:55 races, with Melanie Lewis (PCP Racing) winning the women’s 1/2 40+ field. Jodi Duqette and Jodi Connolly (Black Sheep Velo) finished second and third respectively. In the women’s three field NWCX Project took the top two steps of the podium, with Hayden Gizinski taking the top spot and Yelisaveta Topchaniuk finishing second. Ten Speed Hero West’s Megan Faye finished third.
Early rain created a slick race course at penultimate round of the MFG Cyclocross Series. © Geoffrey Crofoot
Sarah Martin (Olympia Orthopedic Associates) took the Cat 3/4 Women’s 40+ field while Avon Hansen and Cary Lassen (Black Sheep Velo) finished second and third. Bryna Fahrner (Mayhem Racing) won the Women’s Cat 4 field. Tracy Gramenz and Wendy Leber (Nemesis Racing) took second and third. The 10:20 races will receive “The Treatment” at Woodland Park.
Women racers navigate the barriers at the North 40 CX. © Geoffrey Crofoot
In the women’s race Tricia Fleischer (Monument Wheel Works) continued her dominance, sealing up the series overall. For the first three laps Fleischer had company, with Gina Estep (Group Health) and Janna Gillick (Coal City Cycles) accompanying the series leader, through the course’s twists and turns. Fleischer would finish the hour with a little under a minute lead on Estep, while Gillick held on for third.
Kona Cycles Spencer Paxson leads Hector Fernando Riveros Paez (Qarvi Imports/ Evoc USA) © Geoffrey Crofoot
The men’s race featured a back forth between Hector Fernando Riveros Paez (Qarvi Imports/ Evoc USA) and Kona Cycles Spencer Paxson. At times, the two ripped through the course on each other’s wheel. Riveros managed to distance Paxson twice, but crashed multiple times on the slick course, giving Paxson a chance to catch up. “I’m a skinny guy and I struggle on the flats, so I would attack in the technical sections.” Riveros said. One of those well-timed attacks allowed Riveros a small lead, giving him the win by two seconds.
Behind the pair, Mcgovern Cycles/ FSA CX rider Steve Fisher was possessed, and riding out of skin to catch on. Fisher suffered a broken chain at the start of the race, and somehow, made it to the pit and was more than a minute back on the first lap. Instead of calling it a day, Fisher rode through the Women’s field—which had started thirty seconds after the men—and then, over the course of the hour, rode his way through the men’s field, systematically passing riders in corners, powering past them on the flat straightaways, and by riding at least one of the course’s run ups. Fisher eventually finished third, close to two and half minutes behind Riveros and Paxson.
This little cross racer sports an awesome “race face”! © Geoffrey Crofoot
The final stop of the 2016 MFG Cyclocross season slides into the heart of NE Seattle: Woodland Park. Tricia Fleischer holds a twenty-point lead over second place Monica Lloyd in the series standing, Kenda Super (Hagens Berman Society Consulting) is currently third. The Men’s race is still wide open, where Rory Jack (Recycled Cycles) has used a consistent season to put him ahead of Riveros by one point in the series standing, with Steve Fisher a good ride away from second place for the year.
photo credit: Geoffrey Crofoot (www.crofootphoto.com)
