Woodland CX Video Footage...

Happy Thursday!

Good Ol' Times.

I'm so stoked for the upcoming Missoula Pro XCT. In so many ways this is a coming of age for both Missoula and my group of friends. We were both of total junk show back in the day, and hopefully we will stay a little greazy on our meteoric rise to the top. When most people claim Missoula is the center of the universe, they are often referring to the oh so easy vortex that one can slip into for a decade in the peaceful mountain town. Don't get me wrong, living for Wednesday Night Cross League is far superior to workin' for the weekend. But I feel that Missoula is becoming a hub in many new ways once thought impossible. It seems that people are finding ways to live well, improve the community they live in, and basically doing things other than going to grad school so they can stay on the teet for another 5 years.

Anyway...I'm so happy this is all coming together. I'm basing my whole 2011 season on the revived sport of XC, the resurgent town of Missoula, and the ongoing legacy of the Mangy Crew. Some dreams just take some time to become reality!

Here's a little clip from Jedzilla. I swear I was way tougher last year, my bike's gotten lighter and the muffin tops have been waging war on my ambitions ever since I left the yoga ranch... Oh well let the Thunder Roll!

Zootown 9 Euro Ready from Jed Zilla on Vimeo.

Pull out all the stops.

"The team that wins a 24 hour race is the team that screws up the least" -me. It's not about showing your ego on lap 1, or risking everything to gain 15 seconds, steady as she goes will get you on the top step. You can ride as fast as a bull, but if you get a flat your lap time will be like a slow elk. If you bust a wheel you'll be rollin' in with the horny toad.

It's also about bringing the right equip. for the mission. For me this means a unreleased 2011 Cannondale. Somehow I made the good list and got one of these (prob. cuz I'm an xl). Anyway, I put on some periwinkle grips for good luck, and we're bringing a small army to the desert in our bid for interstellar trail supremacy. 

Check for updates mid race on the 'book.

Pip

Whitey-Seatttle-Whitey-Vegas-Seattle-Hood River-Seattle-Whitey (in 8 days!)

Sweet pic from Craig Prather at Great Northern Cycles, your source for Hammer, Ibis, Specialized, and great coffee in downtown Whitefish.

Lots of miles, lots of racing. Cross Vegas was the biggest race I've ever done and super cool to be a part of. Here's a brief recap. Too many miles for full report.

Cross Vegas was the cap to my mini UCI early cross season. Both Starcrossed and Rad GP were sweet category 2 events, but this was the real thing. I was looking at the start list the other day, and realized just about all the 105 people in front of me were full time riders. The start was very slow at the back, I lost at least two minutes by the time I really got riding. The course was very hard, fast and not tech-e at all. I still had some mud tires on from last weekend which were not ideal for the grass. I had also been on my feet all day at the show so I was feeling pretty beat. But seeing Bandito, Matty, Andy Schultz and the rest of the fellas each lap, I couldn't give up. I made it until two laps to go, with the hunger of the wolf for next year. Last years winner, Jaime Driscoll, rode solo for 2/3 of the race only to be nipped at the line by Starcrossed/ Rad GP/ French Champ Francis Mourey. It was a true international event, the dogs caught the hare with 200m to go! No gifts from the euros at Cross Vegas!

Pippo,
Road Nomad

CX, hotter than...ICE?

I know I haven't contributed much to the blog these days, but it's been even longer since I've slipped around in a good ole muddy cross race. Come to think of it, it's been like four years!

Needless to say, the butterflies were flying around my stomach like crazy before Saturday night's Starcrossed race. I hadn't don a bike race of any kind in about six weeks, I was jumping in with some serious heavy hitters on an incredibly slippery track. When the gun went off, I began a rapid, yet very brief round of maneuvering through the pack with ease. I was passing riders left and right, including a world cup winner who had crashed.

My super powers lasted about 1/2 of a lap, gravity reaffirmed itself, and I was on my back, sliding through the mud in front of thousands of fans. Not a huge deal, but as I went to hop on Doug's bike (I always like racing on Douggie's bikes, not sure why), the bars and shifter were all crooked. A brief tweak got me going again, albeit a little sideways. Saturday's course was way too slippery, fast and technical for the working man, super powers were needed equip. I was pulled with 17 minutes to go for 34th place.

The champion of France however, could have been sipping a Bordeaux as he waited for the finishing stretch to show "The Treefarm" how to execute a world class sprint.

Sunday I felt a little better, and was more at ease in the daytime at a super cool Rad Racing GP (first time presented by Hammer Nutrition!!!) It's never easy starting in last, but I always try to remember that at one time, every pro started towards the back. The track was quite fun with several off camber, rooty, greasy corners and two long sand crossings. I was moving through the ranks until the last fifteen minutes when I believe I was carrying around 8 pounds of excess mud. Apparently all elite racers have two bikes except me, oh wait I have zero :( So I wound up 25th, which was a pb for me (Pippo's best). I'm super pumped for cross, especially the THUNDER!!!! Here's a vid of the start, you can see my big butt sliding around the corner near the end of the peloton.



Let the Thunder Roll!

Pip

Improvise.

No racing for me at the moment, bruised ribs and a xc motocross race at Big Sky that is in dire need of an expo. Depending on my health I may see how I stack up with the six year olds in the 50cc category. I'm loving my Yamaha Vino.

On a side note, I don't know how I feel about traveling this close to Bozeman. I can't stand the stench of cat. Go Griz!!! UM Cycling is #1!

NGUNNGU. (Trail 2, Pip 1)

We had this goofy acronym in high school football (I had the bench on lock down sophomore year) that a lot of meat heads really took to heart: NGUNNGU (never give up, never never give up). Most of them have since given up and resided themselves to the desk for the next 40 years. But I just can't do it. Earlier this week I wanted to give up and sit on the beach this weekend instead of continuing my battle against the trail. But my new scooter has inspired me to continue on. The 49cc Vino goes full throttle all the time. Plus I need revenge after being outfoxed by the trail last weekend in Butte. I may have lost the fire for a few minutes during the Butte 100, but the trail won't quit so neither am I. So I'm off to the High Cascade 100 for round four of Pip vs. Trail. I won't let off the gas until I look like these guys!