cyclocross makes the paper of record

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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/25/sports/othersports/25outdoors.html

November 25, 2006
Cyclocross Is Colorful. Mud-Colored, That Is.
By OAKLEY BROOKS

PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 19 - The burgeoning pro tour for the sport of
cyclocross had a successful fall: big crowds, thrilling finishes, the
emergence of a superstar in the 6-foot-5 Ryan Trebon. But because
of what most people consider good weather at several stops throughout
the country, the United States Gran Prix of Cyclocross, in its third
year, headed into last weekend's finale here lacking mud, one
of the sport's most important elements. ...

(Is the author of this article really named "Oakley Brooks"?
There are also a set of photos, including a lot of mud, and a
close up of the Vanilla Bicycles builder guy's butt, for those
of you that didn't get enough from the Norcal framebuilder
pinup calendar.)

Ben

[[email protected]]

wrote:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/25/sports/othersports/25outdoors.html
>
> November 25, 2006
> Cyclocross Is Colorful. Mud-Colored, That Is.
> By OAKLEY BROOKS
>
> PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 19 - The burgeoning pro tour for the sport of
> cyclocross had a successful fall: big crowds, thrilling finishes, the
> emergence of a superstar in the 6-foot-5 Ryan Trebon. But because
> of what most people consider good weather at several stops throughout
> the country, the United States Gran Prix of Cyclocross, in its third
> year, headed into last weekend's finale here lacking mud, one
> of the sport's most important elements. ...
>
> (Is the author of this article really named "Oakley Brooks"?
> There are also a set of photos, including a lot of mud, and a
> close up of the Vanilla Bicycles builder guy's butt, for those
> of you that didn't get enough from the Norcal framebuilder
> pinup calendar.)
>
> Ben

dumbass,

it would've been nice if you could've copy-n-pasted the entire article
here.

[MagillaGorilla]

wrote:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/25/sports/othersports/25outdoors.html
>

> (Is the author of this article really named "Oakley Brooks"?

SNIP
>
> Ben
>


No, the NY Times uses pseudonyms in their by-lines.

Magilla

[MagillaGorilla]

wrote:

> http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/25/sports/othersports/25outdoors.html
>
SNIP

> There are also a set of photos, including a lot of mud, and a
> close up of the Vanilla Bicycles builder guy's butt, for those
> of you that didn't get enough from the Norcal framebuilder
> pinup calendar.)
>
> Ben
>


You people are going to turn this place into a bathhouse yet.

Magilla

[MagillaGorilla]

wrote:

> wrote:
>
>>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/25/sports/othersports/25outdoors.html
>>
>>November 25, 2006
>>Cyclocross Is Colorful. Mud-Colored, That Is.
>>By OAKLEY BROOKS
>>
>>PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 19 - The burgeoning pro tour for the sport of
>>cyclocross had a successful fall: big crowds, thrilling finishes, the
>>emergence of a superstar in the 6-foot-5 Ryan Trebon. But because
>>of what most people consider good weather at several stops throughout
>>the country, the United States Gran Prix of Cyclocross, in its third
>>year, headed into last weekend's finale here lacking mud, one
>>of the sport's most important elements. ...
>>
>>(Is the author of this article really named "Oakley Brooks"?
>>There are also a set of photos, including a lot of mud, and a
>>close up of the Vanilla Bicycles builder guy's butt, for those
>>of you that didn't get enough from the Norcal framebuilder
>>pinup calendar.)
>>
>>Ben
>
>
> dumbass,
>
> it would've been nice if you could've copy-n-pasted the entire article
> here.
>


Cyclocross Is Colorful. Mud-Colored, That Is.
Photographs by James W. Pritchard for The New York Times

By OAKLEY BROOKS
Published: November 25, 2006


PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 19 — The burgeoning pro tour for the sport of
cyclocross had a successful fall: big crowds, thrilling finishes, the
emergence of a superstar in the 6-foot-5 Ryan Trebon. But because of
what most people consider good weather at several stops throughout the
country, the United States Gran Prix of Cyclocross, in its third year,
headed into last weekend’s finale here lacking mud, one of the sport’s
most important elements.

Cyclocross is an off-road circuit race ridden on modified road bikes.
Mud is a sort of founding principle, dating to the sodden winter ground
on which European road racers first explored the new terrain in the
early 1900s.

But as the rain turned sideways, heaping more moisture on an already
soaked racecourse on Sunday, Brad Ross, the organizer for the Portland
event, smiled broadly.

“This is what the sport is all about,” he said. Not far away, the
lower-level riders were carving up the course before the professionals
raced. Some of their faces were sprayed with so much muck, they looked
like coal miners.

“The pros are going to get what they came for,” Ross said.

In cyclocross races, athletes ride laps around a course that is one to
two miles long, powering over flat straightaways, grinding through bumps
and soggy pits and portaging over obstacles. The Portland race also
included two flights of stairs. Mud accentuates the pain and increases
the difficulty.

“It creates a larger difference and spreads out the pack,” said Trebon,
the leader in the prerace standings, as he peered out at the course from
the trailer of his Kona team. Trebon grew up near Tacoma, Wash., and is
based in Ventura, Calif.

His teammate Barry Wicks, in third place, added, “When it’s a nice day,
everyone can just hang around the front until the end.”

Cyclocross in the muck also draws a different breed of spectator. On the
Portland course, a small knoll rose up in the center, and at the top, a
group called the Gentle Lovers, made up of amateur riders and friends,
installed a wood-stove-fired hot tub. Wearing red Speedos with hearts on
them and fueled by plenty of refreshments, the Gentle Lovers danced,
slipped and swam to music from a nearby stereo.

The revelry rippled from there among several hundred other fans on the
knoll. Such scenes are apparently more common at European competitions.
“In Belgium, ’cross is like college football,” Ross said.

The spectators on the knoll had the best view of the twisting course and
a close-up of its toughest sections — two quick, steep climbs up the
hill, which was so soupy that everybody but the pros had to dismount and
carry their bikes. Every time a pack of riders came up the hill, a
chorus of cowbells and yells arose.

“It’s a total cult following here,” said Matt Slavin, a local semipro
rider who had taken the day off from racing and was wearing a pink wig.

He added: “Every race, you want to vomit, you want to quit, your bike’s
not working, and then you come up a run-up and everyone’s cheering and
you get pepped up. As soon as you’re done, you can’t wait for the next
race. It’s kind of like a cruel drug — addictive.”

In the last lap of the women’s race, Lynn Bessette, the Gran Prix series
leader and Canadian national champion, became caught on the boundary
tape, which allowed Katerina Nash of Team Luna to win the race. But
Bessette held on for second, good enough to win the series title.

The towering Trebon, 25, and Wicks then took the first row at the
starting line for the men’s race and quickly shot to the front. Back in
the pack, one rider went down on the opening straightaway, a gravel
road, and was thumped in the back by a succession of front wheels. He
climbed back in the saddle and chased down the pack.

At the start of the second lap, Tim Johnson, who was second in the
series rankings, passed Trebon. Johnson, a compact rider from Middleton,
Mass., seemed to accelerate through the slop.

“Johnson is a mudder,” said Richard Fries, the announcer, standing on
the knoll at the center of the course with a remote microphone.

Sure enough, as Trebon’s white leader jersey turned deeper shades of
brown, Johnson grew stronger and stretched his lead. Trebon had problems
with his pedals, and the brake pad for his back wheel jammed at one
point. He exchanged his bike for a clean one in the race’s pit area
several more times than Johnson.

Wicks endured three flat tires and fell way off the lead. “It’s a lot of
fun riding over rocks on $500 rims,” he said dryly.

When Johnson had powered his way to the finish, completing the seven
laps in a little more than an hour, Trebon had slipped to fifth. Beyond
that, Fries had trouble identifying finishers because they were covered
in mud.

Trebon, however, retained his overall lead and won the series
championship. He will represent the United States at the world
championships in January in Belgium.

The winner of the United States championships, scheduled for Dec. 15-17
in Providence, R.I., will also earn a spot in the world championships.

Johnson collected $600 for his winning ride, along with $200 for being
voted the day’s most aggressive rider. He was hosed off before stepping
on the winner’s podium.

“The conditions just made everything worse today — all these hidden
holes,” he said, smiling through chattering teeth.

[Michael Press]

In article >,
MagillaGorilla > wrote:

> Sure enough, as Trebon¹s white leader jersey turned deeper shades of
> brown, Johnson grew stronger and stretched his lead. Trebon had problems
> with his pedals, and the brake pad for his back wheel jammed at one
> point. He exchanged his bike for a clean one in the race¹s pit area
> several more times than Johnson.

Oh, come on. Changing for a clean bike? Limit them to
getting rinsed with fresh water. Nascar style pit stop.

> Wicks endured three flat tires and fell way off the lead. ³It¹s a lot of
> fun riding over rocks on $500 rims,² he said dryly.

I don't think so.

--
Michael Press

[RonSonic]

On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 09:29:19 -0500, MagillaGorilla >
wrote:

wrote:
>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/25/sports/othersports/25outdoors.html
>>>
>>>November 25, 2006
>>>Cyclocross Is Colorful. Mud-Colored, That Is.
>>>By OAKLEY BROOKS

Here's just the important part:

“Every race, you want to vomit, you want to quit, your bike’s
not working, and then you come up a run-up and everyone’s cheering and
you get pepped up. As soon as you’re done, you can’t wait for the next
race. It’s kind of like a cruel drug — addictive.”

Ron

[[email protected]]

MagillaGorilla wrote:
> wrote:
> > http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/25/sports/othersports/25outdoors.html
>
> > There are also a set of photos, including a lot of mud, and a
> > close up of the Vanilla Bicycles builder guy's butt, for those
> > of you that didn't get enough from the Norcal framebuilder
> > pinup calendar.)
> >
> > Ben
>
> You people are going to turn this place into a bathhouse yet.

That's a GAY bathhouse to you, monkey-boy.

Ben