First Weekend of FL ‘Cross Racing a Success
The ‘cross season kicked off in FL last weekend with a primer race at Carter Road Park in Lakeland and a premier event at the Little Everglades Horse Ranch in Dade City. Fun was had by all, even though the level of suffering was high.
Saturday’s event was a make shift ‘cross course that was more of a MTB course with single track through woods, long sandy sections that had to be run, soft grass and jeep roads. Many complained of the course quality before hand including myself, I hate to admit, but in the end it provided an excellent workout, some techinical skills work and a butt kicking effort that got many of us open and primed for the upcmoning events.
The prize came to everyone who attended Sunday’s event in Dade City as the course was one of the best I have personally ever ridden. Set on the top of a hill on a horse farm of several thousand acres, this provided a venue that I think should host not only the state championships, but a national caliber event.
The course layout was true cyclocross with sand, hills, off-cambered, switch backs, run-ups, double barriers and even a horse barn. You could see the entire course from the start/finish and there were vendors, race packets, spectator and an announcer. This was cyclocross at it’s best in my opinion.
The racers paid their hosts back with awesome efforts, every racer giving it their all on a very demanding course. With lots of sandy sections, a steady 20+ mph wind and hard sections paired together, you couldn’t hide the pain. It was a true ‘crosser’s course and we would like to thank the promoters for a job extremely well done.
Here are all of the relevant links to check out this great venue and the results of the races that went on this weekend.
http://www.littleevergladesranchcx.com/
See you at our next clinic this weekend and at the next race weekend in Clermont.
~JDS