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Kansas City Cyclocross National Championships. Men 30-34 race. 12/15/07 11am.

Cold, icy, and windy. That pretty much sums it up. Overnight some snow started to fall and the temperature dropped down to the low 20′s. I don’t know the exact temperature at start time, but it was probably 24-25F probably. I did grow up in Michigan so the weather wasn’t so strange, but I never used to ride a bike in it. We would cross-country ski.

All the slop from yesterday froze up solid leaving a heavily rutted icy course. This race a lot of firsts including sub-zero temperature riding, riding on ice, etc, etc.

My start position was basically back row due to registration order. I was a little bit strung out up the pavement section for the start. The transition off the pavement had a slight dip down with some icy mud ruts and short uphill. Several racers got tangled up, so I ended up dismounting and running through that section. Getting back on it was a tough first lap trying to figure out how to ride the ruts. I have to say it was an experience. I know I passed some people and some people passed me. In the end, I ended up 52nd of the 68 that actually started (122 were registered). I was lapped by the leaders at about 1-3/4 laps and they ended up pulling me at the end of the 2nd lap (30 minutes). During the 2nd lap, I finally started to figure out how to ride the course. Oh well, it was a good experience anyway.

I was really surprised I didn’t fall on this course. I probably stalled in the ruts about 2 dozen times and had to dismount to get going again. I ran a good part of the course sometimes to a good effect…it definitely felt more secure.

Two other Memphis guys came out and raced the 30-34 race. Russ Griffin finished on the lead lap in 33rd.

Robby Holditch representing Los Locos was shown to be 2 laps down. I don’t remember passing him, but maybe he was mixed up in one of the early crashes.