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Emerald City Cyclocross Series #4
Fort Steilacoom Park - Tacoma, Washington, October 30, 2005
Morgan Schmitt takes the Win
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On Sunday October 30th, the Emerald City Cyclocross Series returned to Fort Steilacoom Park in Tacoma, Washington. Missing the notorious Steilacoom run-up, racers were treated to a new fast course that was a third up hill, a third down hill and a third fast flats. The weather was merciful to the riders and the rain held off until the last event of the day.
In the Elite Men's race, Tucker Thomas led the first lap with a blistering pace. Thomas lost the lead after crashing around a leafy corner at the top of the course. Without the traditional run-up to break up the pack, the field was strung out throughout the course. It wasn't until the second lap that small groups started to form with the favorites clawing their way to the front group of five. Without the Steilacoom run-up, the deciding factor in today's race was speed, power and endurance. "I thought it was harder without the run-up" noted Rich McClung (Broadmark Capital).
Eventually, a group of four made up of John-Christian Flack (the Valley), Richard McClung (Broadmark Capital), Morgan Schmitt (Redline) and Josh Squire (Recycled Cycles) became the race lead with the rest of the field scattered throughout the course, chasing alone or in groups of two's and three's. The group of four leaders "buried the needle" to maintain the gap and keep away from any chasers. After a number of attacks and counter attacks, the group of four were still together with one lap to go.
With one lap to go, Morgan Schmitt (Redline) attacked on the long gravelly uphill. Richard McClung (Broadmark Capital) managed to claw him back, with John Christian Flack (the Valley) following down bumpy downhill, but Josh Squire was gone. Morgan went again on the narrow steep uphill after the bumpy downhill, and he was gone. With Schmitt putting time into McClung and Flack, the battle fir 2nd came down to the final set of double barriers. Over the barriers just before the finish stretch, "Flack cleaned them I while botched my re-clip in. My legs were blown, and Flack was driving it hard" described McClung taking third place.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Hyun Lee
- Alex Andel pleasing the crowd
- Single speeders Dan Peterson and Alex Andel
- Future crossers in the making
- And the women are off!
- Kristi Berg (Bicycle Centers) gets an early gap
- Karen Amundson (REI Novara) chases in second
- Wanda Howlett chases hard
- Jadine Riley worked her way into third place
- Nicola Mann (TiCycles) smiling on her way to fourth
- Kristi Berg on her way to a win at Steilacom
- Kristi Berg takes the win
- Karen Amunson takes second place
- Tela Crane (Rad Racing NW) wins the women's B race
- Susan Ashalock (Byrne Specialty Gases) was second in the women's B Race
- The Elite men are off
- Tucker Thomas led the first lap
- Richard McClung worked his way up to the leaders
- Second Ascent well represented in the ELite Men's Race
- The pack was stretched thin by the beginning of the second lap
- Team Second Ascent having a good time
- A select group begins to form
- Morgan Schmitt, Josh Squier, Rich McClung and John Flack become a select group of four leaders
- Small groups of racers hammered through Steilacom
- Josh Squier turns the screws through the log barrier
- McClung and Schmitt begin to push the pace
- Morgan Schmitt (Redline) on his way to the win
- Ronnie Schmeere on his way to fifth
- Matt Vanselow (Western Washington University) wins the Mens Bs Race
- Second place Stambaugh followed by tird place Jiri Senki Rik
Results
Elite Men 1 Morgan Schmitt (Redline) 2 John Christian Flack (The Valley) 3 Richard McClung (Broadmark Capital) 4 Josh Squire (Recycled Cycles) 5 Ronnie Schmeere (Art by Opsal) Elite Women 1 Kristi Berg (Bicycle Centers) 2 Karen Amundson (REI Novara) 3 Jadine Riley (Grouphealth) 4 Nicola Mann (Ticycles) 5 Kele Murdin
