Fall weather in Colorado can be very unpredictable. Typically the days are warm and sunny, while things tend to cool off a bit at night. However, it's not uncommon to get a couple early season snowstorms to remind you winter is on the way. That is just what happened this weekend in Boulder, Colorado for the US Open of Cyclocross at Valmont Bike Park. Saturday's warm weather had riders reaching for short-sleeve jerseys and sunscreen, while Sunday's chilly temps and fresh snow had everyone putting on mud tires and warm gloves. It really was incredible to have back-to-back races with polar opposite weather and course conditions. When conditions get muddy everything changes and things get a lot more interesting!
Coming off a few weekends of collegiate racing for Marian University, Laurel Rathbun was ready to get back on the course. "It felt awesome to race 'cross again. It was awesome to get in real mud race, too," said Laurel.
Laurel had a strong race going on Saturday before two untimely mechanicals kept her at the back of the pack. Staying positive, Laurel had this to say, "That's racing. Sometimes there is just bad luck and I got a dose of it today. Still, I felt pretty good and I'm looking forward to Sunday."
Laurel lined up on Sunday with a super-strong women's field and they had a great battle in the mud, snow and ice. "Today was a really good day on a challenging, cold, muddy course that pushed me to my physical, mental and technical limits," said Laurel. She went on to say, "I think I’m most proud of the psychological battle that I won today - letting go of yesterday’s fiascos, overcoming a body that felt like it was shutting down on me and sliding through the mud without hitting the ground once!"
With valuable UCI points on the line, Lance Haidet was ready to rumble. "I was a bit disappointed with how my body felt last weekend so I was really looking forward to racing in Boulder."
Lance had a spectacular ride on Saturday and was only bested by stand out and fellow Aevolo road teammate Gage Hecht. "I had a solid ride today and my back felt good. Of course, I always want to win, but getting second place to Gage is not so bad," joked Lance. "I heard we are going to get over six inches of snow tonight and I love racing in the mud. Hopefully I can go one step higher on the podium tomorrow." said Lance.
The snow did fall and the course was a mud bath, so Lance did get his wish regarding the weather and course conditions. However, he did have to step down to the third spot on the podium. "I felt fantastic today. My bike, tires and body performed great. My only issue was, with the freezing mud, I had issues clipping in to my pedals a couple times and I fell back to third, " said Lance. "With conditions like this the best rider is going to be the one who makes the least amount of mistakes and had the best luck. I'm happy with third. It could have been a lot worse!"
Rider Tire Selection and Pressure
Laurel Rathbun (Sat.)
Front: MXP / 24 psi
Rear: MXP / 25 psi
Lance Haidet (Sat.)
Front: MXP / 24 psi
Rear: MXP / 25 psi
Laurel Rathbun (Sun.)
Front: PDX / 23 psi
Rear: PDX / 23 psi
Lance Haidet (Sun.)
Front: PDX / 21 psi
Rear: PDX / 23 psi
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Team Schedule
Rochester Cyclocross – Rochester, NY
RenoCross – Reno, NV
Trek CXC World Cup – Waterloo, WI
Jingle Cross World Cup – Iowa City, IA
West Sacramento Grand Prix – Sacramento, CA
US Open of Cyclocross – Boulder, CO
Cincy CX Festival - Cincinnati, OH
Silver Goose CX Festival - Midland, ON, Canada
Major Taylor Cross Cup - Indianapolis, IN
Resolution Cross Cup - Garland, TX
Ruts N Guts CX – Broken Arrow, OK
USA National Championships – Louisville, KY
UCI World Championships – Bogense, Denmark
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Lance Haidet
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