Indy Cross Finale at Trader's Point Race Report And a Different Kind of Win

A little late with this race report, but better late than never. So weekend before last saw the final race of the local Indy Cross series.  This race, like three of the others, was hosted at Wild Air Horse Farm in Trader’s Point on the north side of Indy.

I was riding sort of a high following my fourth place finish at the race at the Indy Cycloplex the week before, so much so that I did not have time during the week to switch my wheels back over to the cross bike from the mountain bike. As a result, I decided that I would just finish things out on the mountain bike. Turns out this was a wise decision in my opinion.

Snow fall earlier in the week, and rain the night before left the course soft, and while it was a but muddy at the start of the races on Saturday, it began to rain again during the Master’s races, and by the time the Cat 4/5 wave went off at the end of the day the course was a mud hole. I watched some of the Cat 1/2/3 races struggling their way through their final laps and began to regret bringing the mountain bike. My plan in building up my franken cross/mountain bike this year was to avoid exposing my race mountain bike (the Orbea) to the muddy and drivetrain eating conditions of cross.

So, kind of walked right into that situation. But, nothing left to do but dive on in.  As I expected, I got a front row call up. Too bad I set up right in the middle of a mud puddle.  At the start I immediately spun my rear tire trying to get traction, while the rest of the first row left me behind. Once I got started I accelerated to their wheels, but was passed on the left by a second row rider who kicked up a chunk of mud, which somehow found its way under my glasses and straight into my left eye.

So…10 seconds into the race and I can’t see out of my left eye in the middle of a charging pack of Cat 4/5 riders. Losing my depth perception wasn’t helping and I immediately started to lose spots. I nearly locked handlebars with Aaron as he passed me and then made contact with at least three other riders in the first 300 yards before I blinked the mud out.

At the start after spinning my rear tire but before I got mud in my eye.
Photo: Dark Eagle Studios

I found myself at the back of the pack and set about working my way up to the front. As expected, the first lap was a “shitshow.” Literally. Remember that the course is at a horse farm. Anyway, the course was pure mud. The thick clingy type which sucks your bike in and doesn’t let go.  I made a bit of progress and then we came to the hill, which I have mentioned before.  This race we climbed it twice. The first time, while steep was climbable and solid, likely because it was on the southwestern side of the hill and was exposed to the sun and wind. After a few more muddy hills and flats, and some very high barriers courtesy of Shamrock Cycles, we climbed the hill again, on the other side. This was pure mud.  I can’t really describe it, so here is some Youtube footage of the chaos.


 

There were some people using their hands and clawing at the mud to try to get traction to get up the hill.  I was able to ride the descent the first time, but after that I slid and stumbled down the hillside each time. Cue photos of my stumbling in the mud, both courtesy of Dark Eagle Studios.

 

So that is how the race went. I could tell I was making progress, but wasn’t sure where I was. I managed to pass quite a few riders, both on the mud running sections, but also on the riding sections.  I was passed late by one rider, but otherwise, was able to hold off a few chasers who were 15-20 seconds behind me.

Coming in for the finish. I think.
Photo: Dark Eagle Studios

In the end, I crossed for 9^th out of 43 racers. While not as good of a result as I have had the past few races, I was still very happy with the top 10 finish considering the brutal conditions. Easily the hardest cross race I have ever raced.  I also ended up finishing 5^th in the overall series for Cat 4/5.  Not quite a sign I need to move up to Cat 3 anytime soon, but definitely progress.

And, as icing on the cake, I won big at the end of series raffle. The two main prizes were a custom frame from Shamrock Cycles and a Cannondale CAADX Sora cross bike from Nebo Ridge Bicycles. I didn’t win the Shamrock frame, but I did win the Cannondale!

Thanks to Tim Casidy at Nebo Ridge Bicycles for donating the Cannondale raffle prize.

I went by the shop on Tuesday to pick the new bike up.  While the prize was for a base level Sora bike, I had the option to upgrade. I figured I would aim for a bike with 105 components, but turns out those bikes are on back order until April.  Being impatient, and knowing I have one more cross race this year and the Barry Roubaix in March, I upgraded to a Tiagra level bike. I will likely upgrade it, but for now the components work well. The frame is beautiful, although the Promax brakes are a bit weak feeling. I may pull my Road BB7’s off the current cross bike and replace the stock Promax.

 

It was a heck of a prize, and it was great that the series had such great sponsors.  The bike will have its first race at my last cross race of the season at the OVCX race at Fort Ben on December 14.