Race Cyclocross!

Joachim Parbo called me up to talk about cx and offer his congrats about my Tour of Ohio result! He is coming over to the USA and had tons of news from Europe.

After Bjarne confessed, Parbo lost a bunch of sponsors.

Looks like the Super Prestige series lost a big money sponsor too and are in a financial crunch. Start money is looking leaner and leaner for everyone.

We discussed building a cross commune house in Belgium so we could have a sweet place to stay and race in Belgium instead of renting or crashing on couches.

He is heading over here early in the year and we will be at the first Seattle UCI cross weekend, Vegas and probably Vancouver too. Then Ohio, Granogue, Wissahickon and the first USGP, then he heads back to Europe and I to Oregon.

Ryan Trebon moved back to Bend, Oregon and rumor has it he may head straight to Belgium for the early season, come back for US nationals then right back to Europe for Worlds.

So rumor has it. The USGPs are pretty good money and if he keeps winning them: cash is cash. So we will see.

I was on a ride a couple months back and asked Ryan if he was excited about cyclocross. “Hell yeah.” I appreciated that. When I talk to other racers and pros there is often a lack of enthusiasm about races and the season ahead. Everyone is still focused on the road or mountain season and we usually only see each other at races and are busy getting ready; never a good time for a chat. I meant to write about that a while ago. It was refreshing to hear the top US cyclocross talent geeking out about euro courses, cross tyres and race results.

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I had a brief exchange with the promoter of Cross Vegas and the race is ON! Jon Page is confirmed to race and we can assume: Wicks, Trebon, Powers, Wells, Johnson and co will be at Interbike and will race. It is going to be dry and fast. And hott. I am hoping for some obnoxious Vegas tomfoolery on the course. Strippers as barriers or something.

I’m just saying…

I am billing this as the early season show of force. Trebon vs. Page. On an atypically fast and dusty circuit with every cycling industry nerd placing bets on the winner. To be a complete cross racer you have to be able to race well in any condition, will the stars and stripes be able to step onto the podium above the 2nd place worlds finisher?

Another rumor is that Page may stay in the US for the early season after Cross Vegas. That may have been to race the first world cup (which has been canceled in the US) so, I imagine he will head back soon after Vegas.

Speaking of Jon Page. A masterful comeback to a potentially tragic season. Mission accomplished. The f’ed up shoulder at the first World Cup nixed any chance of getting UCI points for a good start position during the season. And the lack of racing did not appear to hold him back when it came time to deliver the goods. Besides the Worlds podium his results for the month prior were stellar, back of the pack starts everytime. The pro contract is well deserved and a long time coming. When I bumped into Jon warming up at the Superprestige Diegem, I said “hey” in English and he muttered a hello in Flemish or at least that is what I understood. After heckling me for bringing carbon wheels to Belgium, I realized the man is Belgian, we can not claim him as our own anymore. (ps: I saw you on your Cosmic Carbones! At least my wheels were light!)

No matter what Wellen’s says about the podium finishers. Franzoi raced Roubaix; where the hell were you? Oh right, at home nursing a broken wing and filming “Wellens en wee”.

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I am the proud owner of some new FMB cyclocross tyres.

Going back and forth with Francois, we have built a pretty cool relationship.

The SSC Sprint is hott. Going to be great for everything but the muddiest course out there. The side lugs are taller than any other tyre out there and on my recent test rides they hook up very well. I got 34s for sandy and rough conditions. It is not so much a “file tread” pattern as lots of little 2mm spikes.

My digital camera is in Pete’s hands right now so, I don’t have any photos yet.

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A guy wandered into the shop a few days ago and after a brief chat turns out he works at TRP! We get to talking about cross and he is designing the newest TRP cyclocross brakes.

“hang on a sec, I’ll be back with the prototypes.”

TRP is stepping up their game with a serious entry into the cyclocross scene. He rolls back in before closing with the TRP versions of Froglegs/Spooky style calipers! They are not up on the TRP website yet. I’ve been racing on the spooky carbon brakes for the last 2 seasons. They are the best out there. These appear very, very similar in design and weight.

I think we may have a sample pair on the way, here is to hoping the pricing is competitive with the Spookys!