U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross Derby Cup

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestmailby feather

USGP ain’t no fucking joke, lemme tell ya. It’s the real deal.

The Eva Bandman Park and Cyclocross Venue, where USGP is held, is the same venue where CX Worlds 2013 will be. Be sure to refer to it as a “venue”. Joan Hanscom is very specific about that. She and her partner Bruce Fina are the two individuals responsible for bringing CX Worlds 2013 to Louisville. Joan is a bad ass. Calm, cool, and collected under even the worst circumstances.

I worked hard Saturday. First I killed my back loading boxes of Cliff stuff into a trailer. Then I rode my bike from registration, carrying shit to the announcers and officials. I ran all kinds of stuff – results, call up sheets, a very heavy bullhorn, bib #’s to an elite racer girl at the start (who must have forgot to put her bib# on?), and a battery for Joan’s radio. After the last race was finished, I set to work on changing the course for the next day. I was down in the dirt digging up roots and picking up debris and glass and shit.

By Saturday night, I was exhausted. And I had to race the next morning at 9:20am. My host Sherri and I had dinner and hung out for a while and then crashed.

The next morning we got there early to pre-ride. I crashed on the steep downhill (see video below at 1:18). I yanked my cleat out and ripped out a screw. Fucked. I hate not having Dominic at my races. I am totally dependent on him for everything mechanical. Someone directed me to the SRAM tent and I found some very nice mechanics who had me hooked up with a new screw in 5 minutes. Thanks Steven at SRAM.

YouTube Preview Image

As far as my race goes, I will just say I rode really well skill-wize but I placed hella shitty. I had my pity party and it’s over now.

The course was fun as shit. I loved the BMX pump right before the barriers, I got a little air once. No fear there. I loved the steep downhill and the run up that followed. I hated the downhill sand pit. I loved the Green Monster. I hated the sandy twisty turns that followed. I loved the BMX curvy side swoop thingie. I hated the 10 mile long sand pit (that’s an exaggeration, obviously).

After my race was over, I continued to work for a few more hours, running stuff back and forth on my bike again. It was a tough day.

Here are the elite women lining up. Georgia Gould (far left)won both days. The first day she won by over two and half minutes.

elite women

Can ya just taste the dust in your mouth? This was taken after the elite men rode this downhill sandpit. Everyone was wearing a layer of dirt.

dust

Mark Legg-Compton raced in the Elite Masters and got 3rd. He proved once again to be a Drunk Cyclist when I handed him a Blue Moon and he says “Fuck yea”. I gave him the rest of my beer tickets I got for volunteering.

mark compton

This was a favorite part of the course for me. It was super fast. There goes Jeremy Powers flying by.

jpow

Thanks to all the DC readers that gave a holler. It trips me out!

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestmailby feather

About Judi

Bicycles are my salvation. They are my way of life. If you don't like it, then you can go straight to hell. Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

13 Replies to “U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross Derby Cup”

  1. Hell yeah, this course was fun and HARD and fast and gritty and I’m so glad you stayed with me.

    Great entry, Judi

  2. Pingback: Tweets that mention U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross Derby Cup | Drunkcyclist.com -- Topsy.com

  3. Oh. My. Freaking. God. I SO want to do this course. I would put up with the sand just to ride another cyclocross course with a — gasp! — rhythm section. Yesssss! Gimme air, gimme whoops. Absolutely. Love. Them.

    The Green Monster is simply… wow. Words fail me. I want one for my very own.

    JOAN! Can we have a Green Monster in Portland? Pleeeease? We’ll be good and everything.

  4. Sorry. Not happening. Coincides with a, ahem, *significant* birthday on Groundhog Day. Believe it or not, I’ll be in Punxsutawney that morning…

    Can we just dismantle the Monster and send it around the country? USAC could charge rental fees and recoup their investment, or sell plans online for DIY Monster projects. T-shirts with the Green Monster image could be sold at select cross events. You could have your picture taken with the Monster (again, for a fee). Imagine the possibilities. There is money to be made off that thing.

    Joan? Hello?

  5. Nice of you to give the SRAM guys another chance to do your bidding after slamming them in Vegas for lack of service. Whatever Judi wants……..waaaaaaa!

  6. I have worked for USGP the last 2 years in PDX. It was sopping wet so freezing and wet hauling crap here and there and taking riders money…will do it again if I can! I never had the energy to race so never took part, cool that you did.

  7. You still doing RRCC this weekend Judy. If so I’ll get a 9 speed on the Zipps so you can try them on. ” )

  8. @brad – storm the greens, you mean, yes?? oh hell yes! those zipps will look funny with my green fork, right on brad. now we’ll know for sure if it’s the engine, right?