SHANGHAI CROSS #1 (EVER!)

incredible photos here: http://www.fotop.net/TANG/090222

After a lot of organising between deepbluephatboy and Your Author the FIRST EVER SHANGHAI CYCLO CROSS RACE took place this morning at 10:30am sharp.

We arrived at the course at 7am with the plan of having the course ready for everyone to preride at 9am. We were welcomed by the TREK Sponsored Tents already set up! This was a brilliant surprise, and certainly set the scene for a smooth start.

We would like to personally thank TREK for their support.

Let me immediately express our thanks to all the volunteers!!! I must say, we never take volunteers for granted, but with the amount of organization that goes into a cross race our helpers were a blessing. We had volunteers assist with setting tape, Robbie on the tools setting up barriers and the cheerful girls helping take registrations. Once again – this race would not have been half as brilliant without your help – THANKS! The weather was excellent and the organizers set up the course, and laid about 5 kilometers of tape by approximately 9:30am. Another personal thank you to MaxSHracing (http://www.maxshracing.com/company.php) Bikehome (www.bikehome.net) and TREK (www.trekbicycles.com)

The race started at 10:30am with 30 keen racers on the line. The weather decided to transform the race immediately as the clouds opened up to greet the start with rain! We had an excellent range of cyclists and we were very happy to see so many smiles – even if many of them had mud in their teeth!

The course had a fantastic mix of challenges (says he who designed it. . .) but the plan from the start was to string out the group. We started with 700m on the road to line everyone out. Eric Koh from team Specialized entered the single track first with a smooth bunny hop from tarmac to trail (MUD). Eric was followed closely by Your Author, Chia, Cui Yinhao and 2 other Specialized riders. There was a long line from there including Sven Nijs who had a tough start. . . .

Once riders hit the mud it was time to pick your lines as the rain turned the course into a series of deep ruts, puddles and slippery rocks. At the end of the first lap it was a Specialized 1, 2, 3 with Your Author in 4^th followed closely by MaxSHRacing teammate, and perennial strong man, Cui Yinhao.

As the laps went by the course got slower and sucked the energy from all riders. After riders exited the first section of trail they entered onto the second short section of road before jumping back into the trees. By mid race this area had degraded to the point where it was one long run. Throw in some barriers and we kept all riders on their toes! In similar fashion the second set of trail was great on the first lap but turned into pure running after the barriers as the rain continued.

A huge well done to all participants on completing such a demanding and energy sucking Sunday!

Full results will be posted in the next few days, however the final top 5 were:

1. Eric Koh (Specialized China)

2.Tom Simpson (Specialized China)

3. Chia Kung (Specialized China)

4. Robert Lamb (MaxSHRacing)


5. Cui YinHao (MaxSHRacing)

More pics and news to come. . . .

CLUB AWARDS #4 BEST ALL AROUND CYCLIST SHANGHAI

We are getting down to the cold, hard, nitty, gritty of the awards in a hard fought category. Today, we will release the winner for best all around cyclist SHANGHAI as voted by your peers: Riders who received multiple votes were:

• SIMON CUI (SPECIALIZED)
• ERIC KOH (SPECIALIZED)
• MARTIN BREUVART (TCR)
• JEAN PIERRE DAWANCE (TCR)
• CUI YINHAO (MAXSHRACING)

TWO LOCAL TEAMS REALLY DOMINATING THE TOP 5! The Winner of best all around cyclist, including climbing, time trails, crits and point to point racing is: a TIE!!!!

MARTIN BREUVART AND JP DAWANCE - WELL DONE BOTH AND WELL DONE TCR!!!
Sorry I (strangely) couldn't find a pic of martin. . send one if you have one. .

The official award for this category (I Know you didn't think you would win anything. . . will be to be featured as our"banner boy" for the next year!!!

Tune in tomorrow race fans - and until then, Stay classy San Diego.

CLUB AWARDS #6 - BEST DRESSED SHANGHAI CYCLIST

This category was NOT a huge competition. Only one OTHER rider got a (single) vote. . . . .

THE WINNER: MR TRENT ILIFFE. . . . .

Congratulations TCR. . .!

Always the wearer of white socks, the rider of Italian steed, the wearer of Adidas shoes. . . . .and when off the bike Bulgari sunglasses. . . we here at shanghaivelo feel that the Australian may have a fake passport and may actually be Italian. . . . . .watch this space as Mr. Iliffe may have some words as a guest columnist to keep you looking TIGHT on the bike. . . and don't let him catch you without white bar tape. . .

GOING NATIONAL! CYCLOCROSS IN BEIJING

One of the main goals of shanghaivelo is to bring the cycling community in China closer together. I have been speaking with Tom Lanhove at www.cyclosportchina.com and he is doing some amazing things in Beijing - definitely have a look at his website!

Tom has added me to his mailing list to keep me posted on Beijing riding and racing news and to cut to the chase - they have fantastic riding and racing community running. Recently the Beijing winter racing has been written up in INTERNATIONALLY!!!! Please take 5 minutes and have a look at

http://cyclosportschina.com/?p=421

SOOOO COOL! I would once again like to take a line and thank TREK BICYCLES for all the hard work they are doing in China to build racing culture - a big thank you to Todd McKean and all his dealers!!!

GETTING STRONG: Winter Training Part3b

Story courtesy of Simeon Green/ PezCyclingNews http://www.pezcyclingnews.com

. . .As with everything, there is an exception to the rule. If there is an uneven number of riders in the group and you don’t have anyone to ride along side, you should place yourself in between the two riders ahead of you, with your front wheel between their two rear wheels. This allows the riders behind you to remain bar to bar and to keep the group tightly together. The riders behind you should ride with their front wheels either side of your rear wheel. It’s not acceptable to sit directly behind the rider ahead of you and leave a gap to your side.

Now, before you spark up and say that riding between the wheels of the riders preceding you is unsafe, let me point out, that if everyone is riding bar to bar as they should be, you are guaranteed the space of a handlebar’s width within which to move, which should be ample. So even if the two riders ahead of you knock into each other, you should have plenty of space. This is a pretty safe place to be.

Rule 3: Peeling Off
When you are tired of riding at the front, and you feel it is time for you to go to the back, make sure the rider beside you knows you are tired and want to go back. Once you have both established that you are going back, check briefly that there isn’t someone overlapping your back wheel, then both riders slowly and gradually move to the outside and let the group come through the middle. Do not suddenly veer off to the side, peel off in a steady and controlled manner.

Rule 4: Pulling Through
When the two riders ahead of you peel off . . . . . I will explain what to do in a few days on my next post - I am off to the trainer and my new cyclocross videos!