We have not been avoiding you...

It’s not that we DON’T want to ride with you. We are NOT trying to blow you off. We are NOT that kind of team. If you have been dying to ride through the park with your favorite Bob’s Red Mill p/b Focus Bikes Cyclocross team member, you have no doubt found yourself lonely, hoping we might ride by. For the past two weekends, we have been scattered across multiple state lines, climbing podiums and avoiding VeloNews interviews (call our agents to arrange a time!) as they cannot stop approaching us for pictures and interviews. FYI…that previous sentence is a lie. Velo News is not approaching us but we are getting some serious cyclocross face time.

Race Recap:

September 11-12. Bob’s Red Mill p/b Focus Bikes started the “unofficial” cyclocross season by hosting our own race…Huber’s Apple Cross in scenic Starlight, Indiana (for those unfamiliar with the area…it’s in the boondocks). Our course, which required many man hours, a diesel gator and hundreds of yards of caution tape, twisted through an apple orchard, skirted a pond and had a much talked about run up with an approximate 14% grade (give or take a few percentages). You know you have designed a challenging course when the officials point our potential hazardous sections. For two days, over 120 racers dusted their new knobby tires and stretched out their dormant legs on the rather unforgiving terrain of okra roots, pumpkins vines and homemade tubular applesauce. Winners took home ½ pecks of delicious homegrown apples and homemade medals. There is no better way to begin a season than have nearly all of your teammates podium including sweeps in the Men’s Elite category.

First ever cyclocross race held at the Joe Huber's Family Farm and Restaurant.



Every race requires a gator, a gator operator and lots of caution tape.





The women's cat 3/4 race saw many new faces crossing over from road cycling.



September 18-19. For the beginning of the OVCX series, Bob’s Red Mill p/b Focus Bike team was scattered in Cincinatti, Ohio and Baltimore, Maryland (Yes, Charm City). Some members of our team drove 10-hours to race, sleep in their car with a fermenting sweaty kit, then awaken to race again and head home. The remainder of us who really are not interested in sleeping in our cars opted for the 2.0 hour car ride to the Kings CX series. The former golf club offered all the amenities of a pro course with sand pits, multiple off camber sections, steep run up, and sharp hair pin 180-degree turns (with gravel!). The staging fields were large with over 18-guys lined up for the single speed category alone. The women’s Cat 3/4 had nearly 50 ladies lined up on the lines, 7 wide in places. The dry, scorching (95 degrees) course required looooow tire pressure (26-27psi) and the sounds of rolling tubulars could be heard on the off camber sections regularly. The laps were rather long and near the half-way point, fatigue was noticeable on nearly every riders face.

Bob’s Red Mill p/b Focus Bikes did not disappoint as the announcer boasted during the Men’s elite race…”Bob’s Red Mill is really becoming a name in the cyclocross community.”  The race (final race of the day) truly dusted off the cobwebs of the strong men. A chase ensued quite early with BRM p/b Focus Bikes boys holding steady second, third, and fourth places. As expected the first place racer popped off and one by one, the Bob’s Red Mill boys came flying through. The last lap opened up to more chases with wider gaps for the rather large field of racers. An out-of-towner took first with a gap for second and Bob’s Red Mill p/b Focus Bikes holding for 3^rd.



These barriers are not slowing down our boys.





Run-up...but these guys refuse to ever dismount for a little hill.



1,2,3....



Kendall taking 3rd in Men's Elite



The only disappointment for the day came from (2) riders in two different categories. Our singlespeed racer who nearly took the hole shot and held onto 2^nd place pulled off shortly after the first lap. The lung buster first lap zapped the energy out of his organs. Meanwhile, in the women’s race shortly after I tucked into the lead group, I realized my front tire was deflated and if I thought it was my imagination, it was affirmed when I hit a piece of sidewalk and heard the last few punches of air exasperating from the NEW, freshly glued tubular. Curse words, gestures and the idea of tossing the 19lb cross bike into the pond crossed my mind. Instead, I walked off the back of the course biting my jaw with anger. It is more than disappointing to spend an hour warming up, feeling rather good, to have your tire give out. FAIL.

So you now understand that we have been really consumed with training, hosting a race, winning, traveling, winning again, and considering bike tossing as a hobby. I would say, we would be able to ride with you soon, but as the weekend approaches, this means ANOTHER race is coming. We have podiums to climb and autographs to sign. You understand.