Got the wheels re-dialed this week so let's see if I can't keep the Gremlins from crawling all over and inside the machine to take me out again. Looking forward to Frisco and firing up the engine again at 10K feet. Got work to do this week on all three seats of the teeter totter as I ramp up for racing goals, family plans and work travel to the 2,240 meter-high Mexico City. Gonna preso-out to a couple of hundred of my close Mexican business associates. Translator and all. Nice. Done this a zillion times in places like Osaka and Sao Paolo too and is fun to have their laughter happen 35 seconds after the joke has been told.

Timmy is planning on make the trip down to Za Reepoobleek for the Wed Am World Championships to have some fun. Weather should be nice still but I feel somthings a brewin' for Frisco this weekend weather-wise so I'll be packing doubles of everything.

Wish me luck that the bikes stay together. I'd ironically love the excuse that the engine wasn't cooperating than the bike.

Ah, the Rocky Mounts team. What can I say? we are core 'cross geeks. Here's Greg H (white helmet) and Ryan H (black helmet) getting their 'cross training on. You go boys.

This is a pretty well produced re-cap of the UCI race Pagey-Page won in Michigan in is new Sunweb colors.The video in its entirety can be seen here.

And that's what Boups and I had last night building out his new Yeti CX frame. What made it even more geekdified was the near LIFE size projection TV on which he had the '06 Koksijde jamming in Surround Sound. Dope. Boups had some fine Belgie Ales flowing and I dipped my toe into one but played saint.

The Yeti frame looks pretty nicely built. These are off-shored apparently but the quality looked pretty spot on.....which I'd expect for a Yeti. It looks like they are dialing in their cross game and the geometry and characteristics of the frame were clearly matured since their initial few frames FTW built (at least I think I heard FTW built the first few one-offs.)

The shouldering 'cut out' is now becoming in-vogue by frame manufacturers (see Specialized, Scott and Salsa 08's ) and Yeti's is pronounced. I shouldered Boups' and it feels pretty good but the rider may feel the pronounced bevel if you use around the head tube porting styles. It feel pretty solid though.
Boups is going to rock this bike.

You can read a full on report of the new Sam Smith (Transitions) here on Cyclocrossworld, but locals can come to the historic Boulder Theater and see it first hand on the big screen.

When: October 4th 2007.

Info and ticket purchase can be found Here.

Another beautiful sunny morning in Boulder....and 40+ hungry 'crossers out before their work days begin to get their 'cross on in the weekly throw down. We had a stellar turn out and the Front Range folks are amped to get the season underway.

After going to South Boulder and deciding the grass was too wet (we're trying to keep our good rep you know and preserve the land!), we headed down to Boulder Research for a throw down and then on to Elks for more fun. Za Plan prescribed only one session pour moi this week so I was able to take some pics and a quick vid (below) of the group at Elks.

Boulder Research went well. Given the heavy hitters, I was immensely satisfied with how I felt and had T in my brain on trying things we've discussed. It's good to try 'em now with all this depth of talent I get to train with and see how the body responds which made me smile. More work still but I'm so happy. We had the whipper snapper Danny Summerhill out today so he and I traded some paint which was fun. Like old times in the 3's a few years ago when he was like 10 year sold and making me suffer for my placings back then.

Digital celluloid.

Lane

Tyler J and a BMC guy (got to get his name!)

Corey's new Primus Mootry

Corey!

The WB, fresh off a top 20 at Leadville.

Strong strong strong ladies.

Dave and AC2

Ben and Danny

Danny's new steed.

El Gruppo @ Elks.

Dubba and Danny

I got to say 'Go"...and did the Boston Style "You'll start when I'm g-damn ready!"

Strong lady 1

Michelle!

Baker dropping in.

Tuba dropped in...and rode strong today.

Steve Harshman of Harshman Primus Mootry

So Joe sent me another huge batch of DVDs today. Puts the total of my collection at 100 and something 'cross specific DVDs. My porn collection.

Hidden on the 2002 Worlds DVD was a little gem. The 2002 GP Holland. Possibly the finest race I have ever seen (maybe with the exception of the Zolder World's when Super Mario and Wellens photo finished). The race is s a study in course design, equipment/tire selection, shitty conditions and technique. The Dutch know how to throw on a race.

Richard put on a capital 'C' clinic in this race proving at the time he was and probably is the all time greatest mudder. He pulled out the 2000 World's in similar fashion. His technique in this race was flawless in how he utilized his energy alternating between riding and running. The course was b-r-u-t-a-l. Almost 90% mud with the exception of the paved start/finish section and included mad 45degree mud run ups and descents and a 75 foot wooden staircase thrown in for good measure.

The things to observe in this race were the porting and running techniques that varied so differently between the Dutch and the Belgians (who were the only people factoring in, in this race. Gerben De Knegt and Richard classically wrapping under the down tube and all the Belgians wrapped around the head tube. The shouldering was all very interesting to study as well given the extreme conditions and how they use modified styles to.

Super Mario and Wellens put in an impressive chase but could never catch Richard who wins by :20. He dangled from the first lap or two at :12 to :15 so it was so impressive to watch how his technique enabled him to stay out front the whole time.

Indeed 'cross porn and should be used a study aid.

The weather has dipped into the 50's and 60's and its blustery. It's welcoming us to the season. I am so amped I can't sleep well any more. The work has been put in and my family has supported me so much. I haven't smiled this much in a year. I'm ready to have fun and see what this aging body can do. I've listened.

Memories. This is some GOOD sheeit! I posted on this guy at Cyclocross Videos before on his amazing collection of super hi-res 'cross video last year, but Gewilli's recent post on the guy's unbelievable collection reminded me to revisit the site and further how i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e these videos are!

If you watch carefully, the details of 'cross technique come alive in this video. Watching Frank and Mark McCormack get their 'cross on and a young Tim Johnson battling it out against a (possibly high) Pontoni, is great, but you have to step into and observe the details of the race vis-a-vis all the technique going on. Delicious. Watch the transition of the racers through the barriers and run up. For all those dudes at my clinics, this is like a video overture of the remount nuances we drilled over and over...all captured in hi-res. Frank McCormack in particular (my hero if you all want to know) is perfect. Even with old school bar end shifters, he's flawless on his porting. I have followed his style since I watched and raced in the '99 Super Cup in the Presidio ages ago as a B. It was that race and these guys in '99 that made the whole thing click for me by watching that finesse in the midst of all that power.

One particular sequence is maddening. Watch and study this particular part of the course where the riders come down and immediately up into a set of run up barriers. Note Pontoni (and note his white sex...'rockin 'em in '99!) coming in HOT to the planks. Amazing sequence of how NOT to lose ANY momentum. He is grabbing a handful of top tube while still swinging his leg over at a full gallop. I guess that's why he has the stripes on his sleeve. A few seconds later, watch Frank McCormack again. He's slower, but again flawless on the technique. Watch the interesting flick he does with his hand to adjust the cranks to ensure that right crank is in position for his remount. Like I said. Details.

Click HERE to watch the 99 Men's Pro Boston SuperCup and prepare to hold on to your jocky shorts.

So I recall when Brandon pumped these out for VeloNews last year.They are a good 4 part series on some raw technique basics you can leverage if new to the sport. I live directly next to this park and get my game on quite often here early in the AM's. If you notice, check out the para-gliding hippies landing in the background. I got into one AM with one of these freaks for 'using the grass'. Awesome. Love Boulder.

Click HERE for the Vids as VeloNews' embeddable video control is a p.o.s...thus the screen shot.