NorCal Cycling News – Cycling and Racing in Northern California

Screw the 49ers – they have caused me too much pain in recent years.  The only thing it’s good for these days is drinking 4o’s, fishing and cyclcross… thankfully Pilarcitos decided to bring cross back to the ‘Stick this year, and it was a hot one.  Temperatures reached over 80 as riders pounded over the dusty bumpy course.

Men’s Race

Scotty Chapin took off from the start and it was pretty much race over. Chapin told me after the race he was trying to take racing more seriously this year, and was even making noise that he might skip the Single Speed World Championships in a few weeks because it would be too much of a party. Chapin’s lead was marginally challenged by teammate Aaron Bradford who was able to keep Chapin within striking distance in the early laps of the race but fell off pace as the race wore on. The Rock Lobster duo had a huge gap on the remainder of the field who fought it out for the remainder of the spaces. Below is Chapin’s finish and a quick interview and look at their bikes.

Women’s Race

The women’s race was also dominated by the Team Rambuski Law trio of Devon Gorry, Courtney Dimple and Karen Brems.  Brems got the hole shot but got tangled up in the tape the first lap and lost position but was quickly replaced by Gorry who built a size-able lead and rode most of the race on her own off the front.  The most impressive performance came from Dimple, fresh off her first victory at CCCX, whose tenacity and willingness to lay it down at UCI races across the country has move her to the top of the NorCal Cross pyramid.  With teammates like Gorry and Brems, Dimple has some top notch mentors and if her reaction to finishing second today is any indication her enthusiasm for the sport has not reached it’s full potential.