Tuesday, December 11, 2012

OxSxOx 2012 report

The "classic" podium boys, L to R: Chris Johnson, Zack Allison, and Dan Miller-Lionberg

Hats off to Zack Allison, the new FoCo GraVelo SS Champ !

We had an impressive turnout and an incredible time racing in 15-20 degree weather.
In all truth, we expected only a small handful of riders but we ended up running out of registration forms!! The amazing 50+ attendance proved that Single Speed Gravel racing is alive and well in the old Fort... Way to throw down, y'all!

An early breakaway of about 12 riders took place but was all broken up within a few miles after leaders rotated a couple times to then have the top 5 leaders put a good gap on the rest of the group. The long course went 1 mile from the town of Nunn east of Fort Collins. Winds around 30mph  persisted throughout the race; lightweight riders like myself fought getting side-pushed in really lose sections, being forced to just hang on and "surf the marbles".
 I'd like to thank the Sun God for shining for us and helping us make it the whole way. Would have been a different story without you... Even though the going was darn frigid, at least it seemed like a nice day.  Still, riders struggled with water bottles, camelback hoses, food and snot all freezing.
The brutal wind brought about some balance by rewarding us with "a pat on the back" the last 7.5 miles pushing us all closer and closer towards that wood stove, hot chili and cold beer.

Special recognition is deserved by Rod Cerkoney and Claire Mechtly:

Rod, our only age 50+ rider of the day, won the 23 mile loop, fixed gear too. So there.
The only other "Master" racer to ever win an OxSxOx was Dr. Tim Anderson, taking 1st place Single Speed back in 2008.

Claire of 400 Smith Racing  was the only lady to take on the "Classic" 45 mi loop with a middle-of-the-pack finish.

Top 3 finishers below. Full results with times tomorrow.


OxSxOx "Classic" 45.1 Mi                                

1st   Zack Allison  of  Mercy Elite cycling team  2:33:05  Single Speed    
2nd  Chris Johnson  of  E2 cycling team             2:37:40  Single Speed        
3rd  Dan Lionberg  of  400 Smith Racing            2:38:35  Fixed Gear


OxSxO "Lite" 23.5 Mi

 1st    Rod Cerkoney     1:33:57  Fixed Gear
 2nd  Bryce Johnson     1:35:05  Single Speed
 3rd   Izzy Krompegel   1:35:08  Single Speed
          

If you or anyone you know have any photos to share, please send them in! We're short on those.

bikeagainst@gmail.com

Single speeders at this 8th edition of the OxSxOx set the precedent for what's believed to have been the first winter race of this type in Fort Collins.


Blown away and Humbled,

-Raf

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