MUNSTERCROSS

until T can work up a batch, heres Joes report.

OUCH!!!!

What can you say about people who race bikes in blizzard conditions? Either CRAZY, stoopid, or just simply HARD CORE!!!! A couple observations from the Tailwind-Jacks Bicycles Munson CX race today in Monroe: - The guys from Team Sand Bag ( http://www.teamsandbag.com/ ) are about the most dedicated out there. John Nolan tows the trailer to every race so far this year and his 7-8 yr old son is racing every kids race and the TSB guys are the foundation of the C and B races. Also, check out John Nolans t-shirt designs at ( http://1x9design.blogspot.com/ ), the most original race shirt designs around!!! -

The race sponsor, Jacks Bikes of Monroe ( http://www.jacksbike.com/ ) and owner Scott Goocher, really make this race a family affair with the whole Goocher clan coming out to the race and Scott’s wife baking cookies and berrie bars for the racers. Scott was also manning the grill and feeding all the racers with hot dogs, chili and coffee. My only complaint is with the C Racers who descended on the chili like a biblical plague of locusts, leaving nothing for the later categories!

- The Bell’s Beer ( http://www.bellsmtbteam.blogspot.com/ ) guys are 1) Crazy, 2) Didn’t get leg warmers as part of their team kit 3) Have anti-freeze for blood 4) Tough as nails 5) or just crazy, cause they were the only ones without leg warmers on this bitterly cold and windy day. I bet they bleed Hopslam!

Tailwind ( http://www.tailwind.net/ ) and Joe Brown continue to put together some of the consistently best CX courses in the Midwest. Racers who travel out-state to big races like US Grand Prix of CX, Nationals, etc always come back saying the same thing, that the Tailwind course ROCK. Seriously, the US CX Natz haven’t had chip timing until this year -

The A race was PHENOMENAL to watch. Tim Saari put on an incredible show by bolting away into the lead in the first 200 meters and never looking back, leading the whole race. He finished about 30 seconds ahead. Rob Foshag was riding inspired in his home town and followed about 2 laps later to comfortably take 2nd place. 3rd place was a HUGE battle, with two groups of two bringing up the rest. Vince Roberge and a CycleTherapy guy were fighting for 3rd place, behind were Jeff Weinert and Tom Burke. With less than a lap to go Tom Burke put in a HUGE acceleration to drop Weinert and bridge a 20 second gap. It was INCREDIBLE to watch. Burkes face had the intensity of an ultimate fighter. As soon as he made contact the CycleTherapy guy, who was leading, went down on an off-camber section. Roberge jumped and Burke followed. At the top of the next run up Vince was only 2 bike lengths ahead of Burke. Vince punched it down the last hill and had 20 meters on Burke who had 20 meters on the Cycletherapy guy. Even though the gaps were very, very small, that's how they stayed over the last 300 meters. The crowd was going WILD!!! That's something special about CX, you can watch all that happening right there as most courses allow you to watch all the action from one vantage point. Whew! Two more weekends to go and we’ve already raced in snow and freezing conditions. I wonder that Bloomer will bring next week

heck dont know if T is needed.