2016 KMC Chain Winter Series #3: Endgame

For the most part roads don't have rocks in the middle of them. When they do, the pavement is wide, and when you are on two wheels you can simple skim around them. I can sum up the reason I never raced mountain bikes with a single photo:

Rocky switchbacks. That would do it. Endgame. The race would be over.

Of course, not everyone has that same problem.

So, lets see. What else happened out there. Alfred Pacheco came out to race, and when ever that happens I expect to see him up at the front. Sure enough, the first rider to come into view was Mr. Pacheco, sporting Bear Valley Bikes kit this year (and did you notice he is running those Lauf forks I took a liking to after last years Interbike. I'd like to know how they performed). That is going to add some firepower to an already strong outfit; almost juggernaut-like as far as the local race scene goes. Not today though. The guys of Trek Test Team had something to say about the outcome, and made a definitive statement on the day's results, with Nic Beechan taking the win from the Expert Men.

It was terrific to see a lot of high school athletes testing themselves ahead of the fast-approaching SoCal HS League season. Southridge is one challenging course, and if they can rise to the occasion here, the experience will serve them well at the League's various venues. In particular the group of young men and women from Temecula Valley High School were riding pretty tough and race-ready.

And, how could I (almost) forget that famous Fontana wind which blew over the pass for a visit just as many of the competitors were reaching the top of the hill. It is possible that the elites, the first group to hit the trail in the morning, reached the summit before the first gusts hit hard, but I don't think any of the other groups had that luck with them. Certainly by the second lap everyone was being pounded equally - my hat went for a sail a couple times, and I had to give chase through the brush and over the rocks. It was a Southridge kind of day.

Since I made a, mostly, quick exit following the race I had to wait until today (Monday) to post some results - the day's champions:

Nic Beechan (Trek Test Team) Pro Men
Nikki Peterson (Bear Valley Bikes) Pro Women
Stuart Gonzalez (Bear Valley Bikes) Veteran Pro
Jake Legge (Newberry Park Bike Shop/Cannondale) Expert Men U18
Nick Kneisly (Troy Lee Designs) Expert Men 19-29
Jeremy Kneisly (Troy Lee / Baghouse) Expert Men 30-39
Ken Smith, Expert Men 40-49
Johnny O'Mara (Team Baghouse) Expert Men 50-59
Jonathan Livesay (Montrose Bike Shop) Expert Men 60+
Meade Plum, Open Women
Cody Conde, Sport Men U18
Bryar Perry, Sport Men 19-29
Ryan Rebick, Sport Men 30-39
Gary Garman (Triple Threat Cycling) Sport Men 40-49
Eric Zook, Sport Men 50-59
Rich Fersch (La Habra Cyclery) Sport Men 60+
Geneviede Plum, Sport Women U34
Isabelle Thompson (Montrose Bike Shop) Sport Women 35+
Mason Kroepel, Beginner Men 9-10
Grant Mitchell (Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop) Beginner Men 11-12
Brandon Thede, Beginner Men 13-15
Kevin Trygstad, Beginner Men 16-18
Eder Estrada (Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop) Beginner Men 30-39
James Conaway (Biking Viking/Nurtisource) Beginner Men 40-49
Chris Woodruff, Beginner Men 50-59
Shelby Kawell (Pedals Bike Shop/ Hammer) Beginner Women U18
Dixie Owens (Do's Bicycle/Troy Lee Designs) Beginner Women U34
Paul Shank (Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop) Over 200 Club
Al Garza (StoneHaus/ Trek) Single Speed Men
John Clemmitt (Bike Cyclery Shop) Expert Men 65+

A selection of one hundred eight photos, from the mornings' XC race, are in the Flickr album.