The Donnelly Aevolo Cyclocross Team had a fantastic weekend at the 2019 Pan Am Championships which were held north of the border in Ontario, Canada. Saturday’s event is known as the Silver Goose CX and is followed by the Pan Am Championships on Sunday, which are held at the same venue . Both days were chilly, slick and slippery which made for some fun and very challenging courses. Both Gage and Lance battled a stacked field on Saturday in the elite race finishing a very strong 2nd and 5th respectively.
On Sunday Gage competed in the under-23 (U23) race while Lance battled with the elite field. Both riders had high hopes after opening things up and showing strong form on Saturday. Gage dominated the U23 field and took home another Pan Am Champions jersey, his second in a row. In the elite race a bit of back fatigue got the better of Lance and he rolled in for ninth. Nothing to shake your head at, but not what he was hoping for.
Gage is off to Europe to prepare and race the UCI World Cup at Koksijde, Belgium in late November. Lance heads home to focus on putting in the necessary work to be ready for US Nationals in December. Hard to believe there is only one month left in the US racing calendar!
Going for the win. "The Pan Am race weekend was one I was really focusing on this season. It was my first time racing for an elite title, and I was super motivated to give it everything I had. Based on how the season has gone, I was really confident in my form and was looking to be fighting for the win." - Lance Haidet
Feeling good. "I felt pretty good on Saturday and knew I was firing on all cylinders, plus the course was really, really good." - Gage Hecht
Control what you can control. "My plan was to use Saturday as a chance to put in some hard efforts and get a feel for hitting the course at race pace. Between some hectic travel, not having my suitcase arrive, and me being a bit of a junk show, my race prep on Saturday was definitely not the best. I did my best to control what I could." - Lance Haidet
Let it flow. "I let it all hang out there on Saturday, but did not quite have what it took to take the win. Super happy with second place though!" - Gage Hecht
Time to regroup. "My legs came around for the second half of the race, and I was able to ride myself back into the battle for third. On the final lap, I made a couple errors and came into the final technical features sitting third wheel in our group of four. I instantly realized it was a mistake, and ended up stalling out and having to unclip at the top of a punchy little climb. I didn’t quite have enough time left to recovery from the mistake and ended up having to sprint for fifth." - Lance Haidet
Ready for Sunday. "Saturday was a great opportunity to open things up and get ready to defend the Pan Am jersey. I really got to get a feel for the terrain and the conditions. I could tell Sunday was going to be a good day." - Gage Hecht
Slip and slide. "A steady mist brought wet conditions to the venue. The course went from mostly tacky to super slick. You really had to pay attention at all times or else find yourself on the ground." - Gage Hecht
Let's do this "After some overnight rain and sleet, the Pan-Am course was running pretty slick on Sunday. I was super excited during pre-ride, because the slippery and non-to-thick mud is my favorite. Unlike Saturday, I had my prep dialed. Everything from my pre-race meal and coffee, to my clothing and warm-up was about as perfect as it could be." - Lance Haidet
Uh oh. "After a great start I never dropped behind third wheel for the first lap, which was exactly what I was planning. I certainly put myself in the position to fight for the win, but after the first lap the body was having none of it. I went in to damage control mode." - Lance Haidet
Time to go. "The first few laps were tight with lots of elbow rubbing, but I was able to get a gap. Once that happened I went in to time trial mode for the rest of the race." - Gage Hecht
Leave it all out there. "I rode as deep as I could and made very few mistakes considering the conditions, but finishing up 9th was all I could manage. Looking back on the race, I really don’t see anything that I could or should have done differently. I am definitely bummed with my result, but it’s not something worth dwelling over. " - Lance Haidet
Time to prep. "At the very least, I had an awesome time letting it loose in the Canadian mud. The course was super rowdy! Now I have a couple weeks at home to reset; and use the frustration and disappointment to focus on putting in the necessary work before US Nationals! " - Lance Haidet
Eyes on the prize. "Even with a solid lead I had to stay super focused. This course was tough and a silly mistake could have cost me the race. Everything came together perfectly today." - Gage Hecht
Back to back. "I super pumped and honored to win the Pan Am race two years in a row. This is my last season as a U23 racer so it feels good to take this one home again." - Gage Hecht
Off to Europe. "I'm off to Europe to stay at the USA Cycling house in the Netherlands. I'll be training and preparing for the World Cup in Koksijde, Belgium in a couple weeks. Looking forward to racing in Belgium again! - Gage Hecht
Sponsor Highlight // Sock Guy Our team has been lucky enough to be supported by Sock Guy for many seasons now. They were one of the first companies to bring fun, colorful and also custom socks to the cycling world and they have not let up. Sock Guy continues to bring new technology and great fitting socks to riders across the globe. If you're looking to give your feet some love or get custom socks for your team, club, business or event, be sure to check out Sock Guy.
Rider Tire Selection and Pressure
Lance Haidet (Sat.)
Front: PDX WC / 20 psi
Rear: PDX WC / 22 psi
Gage Hecht (Sat.)
Front: PDX WC / 22 psi
Rear: PDX WC / 23 psi
Lance Haidet (Sun.)
Front: PDX / 18 psi
Rear: PDX / 19 psi
Gage Hecht (Sun.)
Front: PDX WC / 18 psi
Rear: PDX WC / 20 psi
Donnelly Professional Cycling Team Sponsors
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Team Schedule (Tentative)
Rochester Cyclocross – Rochester, NY
Jingle Cross World Cup – Iowa City, IA
Trek CXC World Cup – Waterloo, WI
Fayettecross - Fayetteville Arkansas
US Open of Cyclocross – Boulder, CO
Cincinnati UCI Cyclocross - Cincinnati. OH
Silver Goose - Midland, ON
Pan Am Games - Midland, ON
NEXT RACE:
Ruts N Guts CX – Broken Arrow, OK
USA National Championships – Tacoma, WA
UCI World Championships – Dubendorf, CH