Save the best for the last!

Saturday was AWESOME! Cold, with a lot of snow and mud, yet warm enough to make slop. But just because the conditions were prime doesn't mean the racing would be equal. In these conditions you need hardcores willing to put in an old fashioned yeoman's effort. In fact the racing wasn't ok, or good, the racing was exceptional. In every category, each rider brought his/her A-game and made this day of racing the best of an already phenominal season of cross racing. The Men's A race took the cake... please read the various blogs for the inside scoops, here is how this outsider saw it...

First off, the one and only "Sly and the family" Fox showed up donned as Santa going to the beach... so you kind of knew things were gonna heat up.

As far as the Men's A race, let's use the analogy that Bartmang is the '08 Patriots, and the rest of the field wants to knock him off. So what are the other NFL teams doing, they are attacking the Pat's all the time throwing everything they have at 'em. Enter, and here is a new one for ya folks- Street-Ali-fighter" Goulet. From the gun he went ballistic (you know I dig it when I pull out the B-word). He took charge of the race much like Bart has done race after race... Bart hung on to his wheel for a while, and it looked like he was ok. But, the "Alifighter" kept on attacking on the narliest corners creating just a bit of distance. Ali is a mudder, no doubt about it. When you consider how ninja Bart's skills are, to be in a position to one-up-him at any aspect, is worthy to the max. So here is where Ali changed the whole dynamic of the race, he saw Bart falter ever so slightly on the turn leading up the hill near the start and drilled it. Eventually getting more than 1/2 a minute on Bart and then sustained it (ed note-I know Viagra ad ha, ha). Ali looked like a bounty hunter chasing down a bail jumper, focused- would be an understatement. Well the difference between Bart and the Patriots, is that the Pat's only play one team at a time. Bart was going to feel the heat from a group of bad men with worse intentions.

This is where the sharks smell blood, and it was impressive how smart the tactics were. Reed Wycoff knew that Bart had teammates around him, so he had no choice but to drill it hard to try to chase Bart down which he did with A-Train riding roughshot,not about to help... Team Rico was not far behind with Gallagher right there not sure whether to conserve for the Nat's as planned or take a great opportunity as it presented... and Mitchell Peterson who started off toward the back only to heat up and start picking off groups in front of him. Each dude playing his cards to only his/his team advantage.

So, here is how it went from that point-Rico is just off the 2nd chase group of 3 lead by the Gallagher who is now putting the gas on Wycoff and A-Train, lap after lap. Ali is gapping Bart Big time and the three chasers somehow catch up with Bart! Bam! With Rico right there in the mix after a huge effort just dangeling behind... WHAT a race!!! Then it appeared as if Wycoff was losing a bit of steam after his gargantuan effort chasing Bart down, Art was somewhat rested, potentially ready for an attack... as was Gallagher who was probably in the best postition with Bart and Team Rico having done a lot of work soloing...so basically really good stuff at that point... with it being unclear who had the goods, and who was spent in that group of 4, with Ali in command. At that point these guys were smelling blood and were going after Bart en- masse. After a few laps Bart apparently recovered and made his move, no-one could hold his wheel and he was going after Ali, only to make up a second or two per lap at first... but then on the stretch next to the pond, Ali's pace got instantly slower yet his rpms were still up. This was not good for him, while Bart kept steady in a bigger gear and made up 15 seconds the first lap and caught Ali with a 3/4 of a lap to go on the last lap. We could see the move by Bart has it happened, at it's onset with ONLY two laps to go, but never did we think that he could catch Ali in that time span. Now the hunter was being hunted! Bart kept his Tom Brady composure throughout the entire race but especially in the waining minutes of the 4th quarter- with the game on the line, he rode steady and DID IT! Bart caught Socks! No one could believe it!!! Then it got even better, Ali would not let Bart pass, they attacked each other like boxers in the midst of a draw in the 15th round, punching and countering relentlessly... did Ali save enough? Did Bart expend too much reeling him in? Until finally, it was answered with 1/2 lap to go Ali's rubber band broke. Bart took 1st, Ali with a valient 2nd... A-Train was riding his A-game solidly in third, but had yet another mechanical... and walked the course to the finish, calmly with his bike in hand. Then came Rico and Gallagher (Rico has had his share of mechanicals this year) around the last muddy corner they were nose to nose and Rico outsprinted the G-man at the line... for 3rd and 4th respectively... I thought it was the damn Preakness with those two. Then came the lunch pale man, blue collar worker of the day, yes Reed "Whycough?" who lead the chase to catch Bart for the majority of the race getting a well earned 5th...

Everyone looked like coal miners after, mud all over their bodies, faces, teeth, ears etc... and freezing. Ali was holed up in the Ridleymobile, as he got his verbal high fives from everyone including Bartmang.

Post race notes- Ali apparantely hit the wall at 50 minutes and got tunnel vision. Bart let his guard down just a bit during the race (he won't do that again) and the rest of the field dug very, very deep to make him pay... Gallagher and A-Train are looking good and definatley on excellent form for the Nat's (good luck gents) and Team Rico pulled off the podium after refusing several long solo efforts to bridge forward. Probably the best race I have ever seen, bar none!!!

Thanks to Matt O, Jon G, Steve the Patriot, Steve the Flahoot, Ellie and Gardie for making my rookie season fantastic. To my team and sponsor Mikelo Prattini and Canyon Bicycles for their interest and support, and all of the sponsors. But especially to all of the riders who rode their tails off all year, and never gave up. You guys were truely inspiring and motivational both on and off of the bikes to me... at a time when I really needed it! You guys have lifted my spirits big time in the last few months, and I can't wait till next year! Lets make next year even bigger and better (if that's possible!)... Look forward to seeing ery'one at the awards banquet...

Sincerely,

B-Horn