Fabian’s CX Report Part II: COTR in Victoria
Fabian’s back with his CX Report, Part II: COTR in Victoria, covering the stellar GP Topaz and Bear “Crossing races. Remember Part I? It was rad. So is this. Read on…
Words: Fabian. Pictures: Fabian & Leif (@numberonephotog)
I expected Topaz to be a big one and I was right. Spectator friendly, basically right downtown, liquor store across the street, really good course and weather, it was perfect.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to be racing due to a concussion I had a couple of weeks before but I ended up racing anyways (not a great idea). The course was awesome, best course I’ve ridden so far, conditions were great after it rained the night before and the morning of, making the course as slippery as it could’ve been.
There was a great vibe right as I got there, watched people crash by the straightaway next to the garbage can by 12 in the afternoon and I knew exactly how slippery it was going to get for the expert race. When our race started, took the lead into the first 180 and lost both wheels, grabbed the bike and ran (sorry guys).
After that I kept it easy, the off camber sections were all mud and spectators, Halldor was drifting corners and people were going into the tape, that was a ton of fun.
The opposite of Topaz was the next race, Bear Mountain was expected to be a fast one. Without rain the day before or the day of, the course was dry and fast, only one running section slowing things down, and everything else was big ring friendly.
The start was tricky, there was a big wide corner instantly followed by another one going the opposite direction, I got bars going into my hips and tires rubbing against each other by the second corner, everybody wanted to get to the steep kicker before the sand pit first or at least at the front. I stayed on the second chase group for the whole race, having really good battles with people, trying to make no mistakes and telling my legs to shut up after hurting due to no real riding since Topaz.
Nick won on his brand new single speed, I was happy for our team that started with Nick and I at the front row and Brian moving up to the Expert field after 3 intermediate races. The next two races are going to be crazy fun and the top 10 overall will move around quite a lot, can’t wait.
Hopefully everyone realizes how important it is to have races in town like these two, especially Topaz. It makes the sport and the series so much bigger in the fastest way possible, so many new people came out to watch and race and Topaz was the biggest cyclocross race in Canada. Really hope next year we have more in town, that was amazing!
