Race Cyclocross!

Jonathan Baker jumped into the 2006 cyclocross season with back to back victories at the Tailwind Enterprises – Kinetic systems UCI weekend in Michigan. Racing for Primus Mootry bicycles out of Colorado, Jon is looking good to improve upon a stellar 2005 cross season. Since he took the first domestic UCI win this season we decided to ask him to be our first Pro Cyclocross Questionnaire:

1. How old are you?
32

2. Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?
Nevada City, CA, now in Boulder, CO

3. How long have you been racing?
6 years.

As an elite?
4 years

4. What was your first bicycle?
An orange BMX-type bike. Maybe it was a Huffy.

5. What is your road/mtb racing background?
Started out riding MTB’s for fun in ‘99, then went to a couple Collegiate MTB races with my girlfriend (now wife) when she was racing for Chico State. Won the A-race my first time out. Bought an old 10-speed Peugot in the winter of 2001 to “train on” for MTB races, and decided to jump into a cat 5 crit on it that spring in Solano, CA. Winning that race I was now addicted to road racing, and proceeded through the ranks to Cat2 by the end of the year. Didn’t want to stop racing in the fall, so jumped into some CX races in Nor-Cal (surf-city). Found ‘cross to be a good mix for my fearless MTB skills and road fitness, and have made incremental progress since then, culminating with a spot on the ‘06 US cyclocross worlds team.

6. Describe your first exposure to cyclocross.
See above.

7. Would you consider yourself a cross specialist?
Not necessarily. I enjoy road racing just as much as ‘cross. Cross just happens to be a smaller pond, so I think my results there are comparatively better.

8. Do you race full time? If not, what other job(s) do you have?

I race as much as I can, usually every weekend, with some extra time taken
off for stage races, and trips to Belgium! I also have a full-time job
as a software engineer.

9. Did you go to college? If so, what was your major?
I went to San Francisco State, starting in ‘92 as an Economics major, and finishing in ‘99 with a degree in Computer Science. In between I took 3 years off to play chess professionally.

10. Describe the first time you shaved your legs.
Hmm, I don’t remember specifically, but I’m sure it was messy.

11. Do you have any tattoos, and/or piercings?
No

12. Pre race rituals?
Don’t eat anything solid for 4 hours before the race (cross). Pre-ride at least 2 laps on the B-bike. Change into the skinsuit 1 hour before the race, and warm up on the trainer for at least 30 minutes.

13. Post race meal?
Anything I can get my hands on to drink at the finish (water, coke), and then a pre-mixed recovery drink. Post race meal is just whatever I feel like eating; last week it was steak and a baked potato.

14. How do you wind down after a race?
If it’s Sunday, I’ll have a beer or a glass of wine. Saturday, just try to chill out on the couch with the legs up, maybe watch a movie.

15. Your idea of the perfect cross course?
Wind, substantial elevation gain, grass, some mud, but not too much, long sand section that only the most skilled can clean, and about 10,000 drunk fans lining the course.

16. Espresso or tea?
Both

17. For you, what is the essence of cyclocross?
Picking the right line, and following it with the proper technique in order to go as fast as possible.

18. Tubulars or clinchers?
Tubulars

19. Write a haiku about 2005 CX Nats.
I’m not artistic like that.

20. My mind wanders when I’m racing. What were you thinking about during your last race?
The race. I know, boring, but I’m a bit of a geek.

21. Seen any good movies lately?
Will Ferrel is always funny; Talledega Nights was good for a few laughs.

22. What are the last three albums you’ve listened to?
Hmm, the same 3 that have been in my CD changer for the last 5 months ’cause I haven’t gotten around to switching them. So bored of them that I don’t even want to mention their names.

23. Who is going to win USA Nationals this year?
Horner (joking). Probably Page; though Trebon may be a bigger talent aerobically, Page seems to be more dedicated and mentally tough. Wells is good in tough conditions, but I am convinced (cross fingers), that we won’t have “epic” conditions at Nationals this year, unlike at the past 4.

24. In three words or less, describe how you feel about top mount
cross brake levers.
Dead weight.

25. Would you use disc brakes on your cross bike if they were UCI
legal?
Only if they were made in Holland.

26. What is the craziest thing you’ve done to lighten your bike?
Raced on a set of road-intended Reynolds Tubbies at Nats last year; the gritty
braking and poor pad choice ground holes in the rim.

27. Any season goals you’d like to share?
Top-3 at a USGP race. Rounds #3 and #4 will be in my backyard, and I’m hoping that the altitude here in Boulder gives me just the bit of edge I would need to pull off a result like that.

28. What result are you most proud of?
A 14th place at a Euro cross race last year.

29. Who has most influenced your cross racing career?
This guy Evan from SF; who basically told me to race cross, cause all the cool kids were doing it.

30. Is there another rider you train with regularly?
I train by myself.

31. Why do you think the Europeans are so much faster than the US
crossers?
1. Larger pool of talent is drawn to ‘cross over there; here
other sports siphon off the best athletes. 2. Old-school training
methods; yes, you need to do hard 5 hour training rides for cross. The
U.S training philosophy of specificity (aka, train for 2 hours), does
not quite cut it. 3. Doping. Probably most of the top Euro’s are on some
sort of program.

32. Are you married? Have any children?
Yes, 2 children. Leah, 9 years old, and Julian, 4 weeks old.

33. Any (other) passions or hobbies in your life?
Chess, Snowboarding.

34. What would you be doing if you weren’t racing cross?
Something else highly competitive.

35. Do you have a blog or online journal?
Tried it, gave it up. I have better things to do with my time.

36. Any words of advice for those new to cyclocross?
Learn from your mistakes. The more you race, the more mistakes you make, and the more you will learn.