What an amazing day of racing! If you were there, then you are a true EnduroBro for braving the elements to race in what I ultimately considered some of the best and magical dirt to ever appear at a CCCX Race! Afterall, deciding to venture out to race bikes while the population at large is hitting their snooze button and brewing up another pot of coffee while the rain pours down is definitely EnduroBro! In fact, I think the Cat 3 racers were extra gnarly today as they were out there in the brunt of the conditions and morning rain. As afternoon racers, our main challenge was one last storm shower that came through and gave a pretty thorough soaking to, what I believe to be, just about everyone getting warmed up for the 11am race. Soaked gloves, kit, socks and shoes. Good thing chance favors the prepared mind and there were spares and plenty of towels back at the van!
Once that last system moved through, the blue birds came out and sun broke through to make for an amazing day of racing! Keith laid out another super fun course that some said was similar to week one, but in reverse. While that is pretty accurate, there were a few fun deviations… and I cannot thank him enough for letting us shred DOWN the berm trail again! Wow! That single section of swooping corners brought a huge smile to my face every single lap!
I couldn’t be happier for these two EnduroBro’s! Absolute crusher rides netted our favorite Marin Bikes Ambassador and Bobcat Bikes supported Dillon Santos a pair of W’s on the day. I think the tall socks helped…
If this picture doesn’t sum up the attitude of EnduroBro, then I don’t know what does! Get out on your bike and have fun! The friends you race with and family support at the races make for some unforgettable memories! Does it help when you are super fast and routinely stomp out podiums like Big Ed and the Gaucher’s? Yeah, that helps a little!
Speaking of podiums, there were a ton of “red jersey’s” on course and the DC10 gang climbed their fair share of podiums, with Jett Chandler snagging 2nd place behind brother Santa Cruz Bicycles backed Steffen Anderson rather than last week, when Bear Development rider Soren was out front – Not only that, but more fast twins in the form of the “McHoney Brothers” used their Nestle Chocolate Milk (perfect product pose!) to fuel some podium’s, too! See what I’m talking about – FAST FAMILIES! And on the right, Briar moved up from his Sport class victory and put in a solid top 5 expert run as well!
The brothers Anderson, with Emily Forsberg who earned honors as the top female racer after a barn burner finish with Bri!
So stoked on Bri’s ride! And Micah once again proved to be an incredible competitor, as we battled nose-to-tail for the majority of the race, slip sliding around the course and doing sweet skids in the mud! Yes, he totally has the “matchy-matchy” dialed in perfectly with the orange Peninsula Bike Works bling running just as strong off the bike as his on-course antics!
And I am never quick to forget that if Quadzilla Racing’s Alex Kramer wasn’t racing his BMX bike out there, then I would be getting dominated by him as usual! If it’s any indication by IBIS-Buy-Cell’s fixture in the class, Ceasar, the single speed racers are bad dudes…who aren’t concerned with rain, mud and the ability to still shift!
Two of the nicest guys and good friends! Mark nailed down a solid 3rd for Family Cycling Center and Rich looked to be having more fun on the last lap than anyone should be allowed!
This group of guys is the epitome of EnduroBro – no matter which lines are crossed and how the seriousness escalates, even when contemplating the fact that they are heading out on hardtails instead of their normal “fun” bikes, they keep the atmosphere light and fun! Nicky D, Ryan and Dillon are a blast to have at the races!
Not to be out-done by the fun antics Micah and I have in battling it out on the course, Tracy and Bri looked like boxers in a ring (albeit with fancy nails and hair…) as they raced each other right up until the end in what must have been over 5 passes back and forth on the last lap! The girls are fierce!
Bri and Elli on the podium!
A few more podium shots…Dillon winning 19-34 Expert over Kyle and Sergio – fast dudes!
The men’s pro podium with the top 2…errr, 3, got a little confused with the mirror images of winner Steffen and 3rd place Sorren while Jett holds down 2nd.
I’m not sure if I snagged the podium girl or Bri snagged the podium boy. So proud of her!
While Cupertino Bike Shop is the stalwart of our program, I have been itching to ride a hard tail and my good friend and incredible trail ripper and photographer at Bay Bikes in Carmel was able to arrange for me to try out a StumpJumper Expert 29er. Wow, that a fun bike! Anything this fast and comfortable – that encourages you to shred even the downward portions of trail – must be EnduroBro! While I didn’t have a ton of time on the bike, it was enough to convince me that a plastic fantastic XC race weapon is on the looming horizon…
To everyone that braved the foreboding conditions, you are a champ and bada$$ just for showing up! We all won out on getting to roost PERFECT DIRT and a great day of racing!