'Cross My Heart & The Super Bowl Of Single Speed

This weekend in DC looks and sounds like it was a helluvan event! It had everything that makes a good cross race a damn good cross race: mud, snow, costumes, old dudes with mustaches and ill-fitted lycra...you name it!



TOMette, Matt Bartlett said, "The conditions were nothing short of epic. We've had some snow on the ground and sub-freezing temps all week, but I think it got up to about 60 degrees on Sunday. That meant riding through snow and ice in the shade and mud everywhere else."

This, is, cyclocross!

Matt, despite crashing in the A-Race, finished in a solid fifth place and did so in, well, err, style I guess. Seeing as our jerseys aren't finished yet, the DC crew decided to take matters into their own hands and showed up to the start line wearing all black bibs, one arm warmer and electrical tape to keep their nipples from rubbing sore in the blustery winter winds. Unfortunately or fortunately, the race officials forced the guys to put shirts on and the end result looks something like this...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesoflily/3248577620/in/set-72157613220473943/

Matt also went on to race the Single Speed race, but he did it fixed. Hard. Core. Say it with me now. Matt ended up finishing in a solid eighth place overall and if you ask me, that's quite an accomplishment considering he had no freewheel. Rock on Matt!


Another one of our DC cohorts, Ryan Dudek, had a big hand in the event. Ryan helped design the course and was also out there in the freezing cold pounding out two-inch thick layers of ice to make the course ride-able. Unfortunately for Ryan, a tree got in his way resulting in blurred vision and what is clinically considered a concussion, but keep in mind, this is cyclocross. Concussions and wuss-bags need not apply in this fairy tale land. Ryan raced on! Unfortunately, reality set in and a barrier came out of no where resulting in the following series of events:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesoflily/3245866471/in/set-72157613220473943/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesoflily/3246694438/in/set-72157613220473943/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesoflily/3245871073/in/set-72157613220473943/


To be fair, Ryan was in fact attempting to bunny hop those barriers and if the abominable snow man hadn't ran out and hit him mid-hop...he probably would've successfully hopped the barrier and finished in first place. In all seriousness, considering all of the set backs and distractions Ryan had a great race and muscled his way to 20th place.

I'm really excited to have Ryan and Matt on board. These guys are all about fun. They love the sport and it shows. Along with Ryan and Matt, rounding out the DC connection are Bryan Billington and Nate Chenenko...two totally tubular fellows as well. Nate is at home recovering from a nasty shoulder injury so we're all wishing him the best of luck in his recovery.

For 2010, I can see a HUGE Team TOMS turnout at the 'Cross My Heart/Super Bowl Of Single Speed Cross! Bring it on!