2013 Napa Valley Dirt Classic & California Enduro #1 (Riverside)

[Ryan Gibson]

Yesterday was a perfect NorCal mountain bike racing day! The 20th anniversary of the Napa Dirt Classic at Pacific Union College in Angwin saw perfect weather with sun and high 70's. Dirt was good too-while a little dry and dusty, it was better than prior years mud.

 

My training has been pretty consistent and this is a big target race for me and the Summit team every year (Jim Hewett won the Pro class last year). Hoping for better results than the three flats dnf I had at my first 2013 race in Cool, I tapered a little the week leading up to the race and arrived in Angwin with the team feeling okay. My Santa Cruz Highball with 120 Fox CTD fork and light 2x10 build (26-38, 11-36) was perfectly dialed. Specialized 2.2 Fast Trak S-Works front and 2.1 Ground Control Control version rear with 26/27psi were a good choice, although not much does great on loose over hard.

 

We got there early and set up a BIG Kelty canopy, the Summit pop up shelter, bike rack, table, chairs etc. right in the middle of the track. It was a really nice shaded lounge right in front of the finish and awards/raffle area that was great to hang out in after the race. Seeing so many familiar faces was great. In addition to the team, local northbay biking friends racing included: Mark Wier, Ben Cruz, Jason Moeschler, Charly de Pottere, Clinton MacDonald, Jason Holmes, James Norton, Carlos Perez, and many others.

 

Last year I had an okay result, 5th in Cat 2 19-34 at 1:47:03. It was muddier and I lost around 5-7 mins on a wrong turn, so I was eager to do better this year, especially since I have moved into Cat 1. I got a nice long warmup in and lined up with the typical big crowd. With a few Cat 1 age groups combined, it seemed like there were 75 or so racers all sprinting off the line...I narrowly missed getting tangled up with a few guys bouncing off each other and got a decent position as we funneled into the short single track off the road/parking lot. Sitting in 15th or so I knew this was a good time to burn a few matches to gain positions along the fire road before the right hander into the single track. I powered down and moved up, even passing a few on the hike a bike root staircase section. Biggest gear engaged, I steamed through the mostly flat fire road and counted myself 6th going into the skinnier stuff.

 

I continued to feel strong and settled into a good pace, although I think my HR was running high and wearing me out a bit due to taking in too much caffeine (water supplement, gels and blocks). Prior to the whoops I caught two guys and swapped positions a few times before pulling away, now finding myself in 4th. I caught one more racer going into the big whoops and was able to scream down one of the dips really fast and pass him at the top of the next. As we meandered through some singletrack climbing he was right with me. Eventually he took 3rd back and gapped me a little-not wanting to blow up and not have anything for the climb out of Pope Valley, I decided to let him go and hoped to challenge for the last podium spot or better later. Now sitting in 4th alone I kept a good rhythm and felt strong.

 

Charging along the section about 2/3 through the race that has steep, loose and rutted pitchy descents and ascents, I got into a downhill too hot, washed the front and crashed hard, sliding 10'+ on my side down the loose trail. Coming to a stop only a few feet from a downed tree, which my bike landed in, I started to cramp a little and my heart was beating out of my chest. A quick inspection revealed no damage to the bike, but rash from my ankle to my armpit and down my arm, and a deep muscle contusion on my left high thigh. Ouch. I took around a minute or more to get back on, and just as I was about to start pedaling again a train of five or so guys passed me, including teammate Shiloh. As I tried to get going again I quickly realized I was not going to be able to stay with this group and dropped off. From there I kind of limped the rest of the race, although passed several Pro geared and singlespeed racers that had started a minute ahead. Towards the end a rider came around me, now putting me in 9th. I was able to hang on his wheel and hoped to be able to sprint for 8th on the track finish. As we rounded the last couple corners to the line I kicked...but he quickly closed the door in the last turn and it was enough to break my surge. I missed 8th by 6" but it was a fun way to end an event filled race.

So, somewhat like 2012, I finished NVDC in 2013 with a bit of an unknown...what could have been? I bettered my time at 1:32:47, finishing 9th out of 26 in Cat 1 19-34. Racing is a learning experience and I try to take something from each race to improve on the next. While I am okay with this result, I need to be a little more conservative on the downs. Also, I am going to alter my nutrition to take out much of the caffeine, save a little before a race and maybe in gel...just not in my water supplement. Time will tell, but I hope to keep my HR a little lower, as it really felt unusually high vs. the effort during much of the race.

 

Lastly, a very late race report for the first California Enduro Race in Riverside, CA back on April 7th. I am doing all of the CA and OR Enduro Series races this year on my Santa Cruz Tallboy LTc. The first race was a little disappointing, as there were only three stages for a total of ~12 racing minutes. No climbing or even pedaling on timed stages. The SoCal course was very dry and had lots of deep sand-very different than what I am used to up north. I was hoping for some small element of fitness, but not really. Going in totally blind with no pre-riding or even recon of the stages was stupid, but I was very short on time and just couldn't make it happen. I am 100% going to pre-ride the remaining race stages, which should make a big difference. I finished 18th out of 37 in a combined Cat 1 category (no age groups). Looking for top five finishes for the rest of the season, and maybe even a challenge for the series overall....

[Ryan Gibson]

Well, either the results are wrong or I did pip Mat Gordon at the line for 8th, as the official results show me in 8th and Mat in 9th. I didnt think I got him at the line, but it was indeed very close and I was focused on ahead, not the line. Regardless, a good day in the saddle!