Weston Schempf of C3-Sollay.com and Betsy Shogren of FORT Factory Team pulled away from their top competitors early to ride to commanding victories in the inaugural DCCX Cyclocross Race presented by DCMTB/City Bikes in Washington, D.C.
The event, held on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, was the first-ever cyclocross race held in the nation’s capital, and — with a crystalline fall day as an added draw — the race had a full field of 225 riders, including a packed CAT 4/beginners race with more than 80 riders.
The race was promoted by the DC Mountain Bike Team with the assistance of team sponsors City Bikes, Metro Gutter and Home Services, Temperance Hall and Whole Foods Market – P Street. Specific race sponsors included Sticky Fingers Bakery, Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar, DrinkMore Water, Louis Garneau, WTB, Serfas, Surly and Salsa.
The course, which was muddied up by three days of rain in the days before the race, included a wide mix of rooted, swooping curves, open road, two sets of tricky barriers and a Paris-Roubaix style brick section. Roadies called it a mountain bikers’ course because of the rough, rooted sections; mountain bikers wondered why their competitors hung on their wheel during the brutal windy, road section. Everyone was heard praising the course design.
“Props to whoever put it together,” Schempf said. “There was a lot of good rhythm to it.”
Schempf, from Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, led the field of 17 top riders by the time the field hit the first uphill barrier section and said after that he knew the race was his to lose. No one else had a chance: Schempf had his car, with his bikes in it, towed the night before. He had to scramble in just the few hours before the race to recover his bikes (and car) and make his way to the venue.
“I was a little angry,” Schempf said. “I decided to take it out on the course.”
Blair Saunders of Henry’s Bikes led a group of four riders who chased Schempf for much of the race. Saunders tried in vain to get some help to lead the effort to work the way back up to Schempf, whose lead exceeded one minute at halfway into the hour-long race. Saunders finally attacked his group and got clear for second place.
The most dramatic finish in the race came from Bethesda’s own Nick Bax, a member of the junior national road team. Bax started at the back of the field and was shaky around some of the tight, technical turns. But as the race went on he picked better lines — and picked off riders ahead of him. With less than a half a lap to go, Bax put on a charge, and was able to nip Patrick Engleman at the line to take fifth place and a podium position.
“He might have won this race if it lasted another 30 minutes,” announcer Shawn “Bega” Blumenfeld told the crowd, which at that point was enjoying the free beer offered by Sonoma.
In the women’s race Shogren, from Morgantown, West Virginia, took off with Jessica Hill from the start, and then built a lead after Hill had technical problems. She smoothly built up a big lead, wide enough that she could switch to her single-speed pit bike after a few laps.
For Shogren, the DCCX event was about more than just racing: She hadn’t visited Washington before and spent Saturday touring the historic monuments with husband and third-place finisher Gunnar Shogren on their bikes.
The earlier races had bigger fields and lots of drama. Russell Langley, a professional with Battley Harley Davidson, throttled the B field and then pledged Blumenfeld — and the crowd — that he would race with the A riders next week.
In the Masters race, course designer Marc Gwadz moved out to an early lead but was slowly roped in by Randall Root and Bernie Shiao. Gwadz held on with the Root and Shiao and then made a dramatic sprint in what he thought was the last lap. It wasn’t, and Shiao and Root, who are both 45+ riders, then moved out to win the race in that order.
In the packed C Race Ryan Bannon used his mountain biking skill to move out to an early lead. Steve Wall and Matt Parse put on the chase and took the lead. Parse of Route 1 Velo held out for the victory, and Wall faded to fifth – one place behind Bannon – after a flat tire.
Race director Matt Donahue lives near the Armed Forces Retirement Home, and approached the government-sponsored retirement home about using the grounds for the race. Race proceeds will be donated to benefit the veterans at the AFRH. One official donated his daily salary to the veterans.
Results are here: http://www.dcmtb.com/blog/archives/221
Photos are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/ou98dtbiggs/DCCX
Photos and blog here: http://www.gwadzilla.blogspot.com/
Tom Vaughn 2007, Cyclocross, Events, News
