CCCX race #4 Fort Ord

[Greg Alsterlind]

I was planning on racing the Nevada City Dirt classic but it was canceled due to a much needed storm system. Thankfully the CCCX group had a race set up as part of their series on the same day so Mark Ingwersen, Jim -Simon Hewett and I made the early trip down. CCCX uses the Nor Cal high school courses for their races at Fort Ord. I am not familiar with this course or area but I did do their Toro Park race a few years ago and did enjoy the trails. This course was very different. It was advertised as 500’ of climbing per lap but it was more like 300’ per 5 mile lap (as flat as it gets). My team mate Mark Ingwersen and I took a couple of practice laps before the race and were surprised by how fast the course was. The CAT 1-45to 54 class was attended by a group of local riders that I had no plan of passing but I did hope I could stay close to. I rode my Trek Top fuel with Maxxis 2.2 Ikons. My suspension is no longer the Trek stock remote lock out, so I had both independent shock and fork set to pedal mode at the start. I found the course was smooth enough that full lock out on the last 3 laps provided plenty of traction to keep the bike connected to the moist sandy surface. I started off keeping pace with Mark but about 2 1/2 miles in I made a poor turn and fell of the bike. I lost only a few seconds getting back on the bike but with a course as fast as this one, that’s all it took to never see to main pack again. I rode with Jose Luis Hernandez for a few laps but eventually he dropped off and I was all alone for the last 4 laps alone;  this  is never an easy place to be when racing. Without knowing if my pace was gaining or losing more time to the lead riders, I did my best to keep a hard pace that I could maintain. In the end my results were mixed. I finished behind all of those I expected to. I had hoped my gap on the top guys would be smaller but I expect to pick up some speed as I start my training. I was surprised to finish so close to Mark but I expect him to improve faster than me as we begin another fun season racing bikes and enjoying each others company. It was good to try something in bike racing completely different and that is what this course was. My team had a very good day with  Simon Hewett on his new bike and winning the 14 and under class. Carson Benjamin finished second and Jim Hewett 4th in the Pro class and Mark Ingwersen finished 5th in the Cat 1 45-54 class. Not sure I will make any more of these CCCX races this year but I would recommend them to anyone looking for a safe and easy to ride race course that is both fun and fast.