On Sunday I raced in the Skyline Mtb. race put on by the Eagle cycling club. It was up at Skyline park in Napa where the '97, '98, and '99 World Cup races took place. Much of the course was the same as the World cup courses, but then there were these treacherous hike a bike sections that were definitely not on the World cup courses. This race also had the distinction of being a preview of the 2008 Single Speed World Championship course, AND at this race there were going to be 6 "golden tickets" up for grabs for the 08SSWC. My plan was to find a single speed to race on and earn one of those golden tickets. But somewhere in the circuitry of the cell phone world, the message that Julia had left me with the instructions on where to find the bike and how to get it, was lost. So I raced my sweet custom Santa Cruz hardtail and won the Pro women's race.
We did three laps on a very demanding course. Steep climbs, technical descents, hike a bike sections, this course has it all. We started out with a 10 minute fire road climb that ended in a very steep rocky climb to split up the competition, and then jumped (uphill still) into the single track. The singletrack looped up to the high point of the course and crossed over just above where we jumped in (so that you could see your competition that was just 5 minutes behind you.) After a little bit more climbing the course finally hit the first fast section of rolling descending down to a creek crossing. Then we climbed and traversed along a little pond and up to the white rock slab hike a bike section. Once we (the racers) re-mounted we encountered some fast fun twisty singletrack with a few surprise really rocky sections. The next part of the course I distinctly remember, was exactly the same as it was in '99 (the last time I raced here.) The "white stair step climbs." Steep white sandy dirt switch back climbing up to rocky ledge descending. All ride able, but you had to focus! After all the climbing was done we were treated to a series of sharp dusty switch backs and then fast trails (all big ring) to the last power climbs to the finish line. Only to be sent back out on the course for two more laps.
Jason Moeschler won the Pro Men's race with a time of 2:02, Cameron Falconer won the Single Speed race with a time of 2:08, I won the Pro Women's race with a time of 2:21, Kathleen Hannon was the first female single speeder, this 15 year old junior, Riley Howard (that I just finished ahead of at the Tamarancho race) beat me by 5 minutes, I think. The "golden ticket's" were awarded to the first and second male single speeders, and the first female single speeder. Then for the remaining three tickets, they had a ro-sham-bo contest. All the single speeders who raced and finished, faced off to a single elimination ro-sham-bo. It all happened quickly, but my man Sam won himself a golden ticket! I was so proud, all that ro-sham-bo practice that we have been doing finally paid off. Basically whenever we have to decide something, we don't flip a coin, NO, we ro-sham-bo! And I tell you, it is not luck. It is skill! Out smarting your competitor, that's how you win a ro-sham-bo game!
Anyways it was a great race up in Napa, the smoke had dissipated, the course was awesome, and the players were all good sports! What's next? The Downieville Classic, July 11-13
See you there!
-Rachel
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