Boulder Cup Weekend!

Finally. The first real cyclocross weekend of the year for me and my first real time representing Boo Bicycles/TrainingPeaks. I was determined to shine and do what I could this weekend.

Colorado Cross Classic and the Boulder Cup are really the benchmark for Colorado kids in the beginning of October, and this year was no different. With a stacked field on both Saturday and Sunday, it was truly a battle on both days.

Photo Credit: Matthew Fix

I showed up Saturday at Boulder Reservoir, the site of Colorado Cross Classic. I rolled up to the Boo Bus and got all set up and got out on course to check it out. It was no different than years previous, with tons of corners, a few barriers to bunny hop, and sand, the most in the country. I knew what to do on this course, and it was a race that I had won the year previous. I got on the trainer feeling very confident about the race.

I lined up first row, and shot off the start, I sat around 6th wheel and once the race starting bunching up, I knew it was going to be hard to win. But luck prevailed. Maxx broke his derallieur fairly close to pit, but would never regain contact with the front group. Up the course there were two racers on the same team in front of the race, and a chase group of three behind. One of the racers in the chase group was on their team and did their best to block us. I finally snuck around him and bridged up to the lead two, and right as I did, one of them blew up and then it was just two of us in the lead group on the final lap. Going into the final 300 meters, Chris and I were elbow to elbow, and I took a better line than him in a corner, and when he tried accelerate back on to my wheel, he rolled his tire, giving me the gap I needed. I came across the line in 1st place, the first win of the season, and 7 seconds ahead of the chasers!

Photo Credit: Brian Dunn

It was a huge confidence booster for the start of the season, on a course that I really enjoyed. Sunday would be much different though. Preparing for Sunday was a little different, and I was there early to watch my dad race and prepare for the course. The course at Valmont was far different than it had been in the past, and had much more elevation gain than previous years.

Lining up second row, I was confident in how I had raced the previous day and was looking to preform just as well the first day. The race split up fast, and I found it hard to stay with other racers as the 17-18 kids tore through the CAT 4 field, my legs were just not responding which was frustrating. I watched 5 riders ride away from me, and I chased hard, but then on one of the super gnarly downhills, my front brake cable slipped, leaving me with no front brakes, on a course that needed front brake. I switched bikes and then it happened again to the other bike. It was incredibly frustrating while I was trying to chase back, and riders started passing me and my legs gave out. I finished in a disappointing 8th place.

Photo Credit: Matthew Fix

While it wasn't terrible, it wasn't a great race on Sunday. I am just getting used to racing two days in a row and with a win under my belt already, the weekend was an overall success. It felt amazing to get my first win in the Boo Bicycles/TrainingPeaks kit, the bikes worked flawlessly, despite the brake issue and the bikes out-preformed me, and took everything I threw at it! The build up for Cincinnati is coming along well, I can't wait to mix it up with all the top guys.

I'd like to congratulate everyone that raced both days, everyone raced hard and it was an awesome weekend in Colorado. Thanks to my coach Andy Clark, my super awesome dad Matt Fix, as well as Adam Wolf, Nick Frey and everyone at Boo for all the support over the weekend. Cross hurts like hell, but I can't wait for the first UCI 17-18 races in Cincinnati during the first part of November!