2011 Rafa Focus Race Report

Cody Cupp

Sept. 18th

The second MFG cyclocross race of the season was awesome! The course was super fast and fun. There were two killer sand stretches, one that ended with a ledge so you had to dismount and run over it and one that was too deep to ride altogether, along with lots of fast, slick turns to blast around. 

Due to the fact that I didn’t finish last race and didn’t have any points for the series I had to line up about half way back in the pack but as soon as we started I managed to weave my way through everyone and get in the front pack of about ten. A few people crashed and fell back in the first lap so by the time I came through for my second I was sitting in about second or third. 

Catching one more racer on the barriers, I was able to stay at the top four or five for pretty much the whole time, always trying to catch back on to the leader that had pulled away early.  It started to rain pretty hard about half way into the race and I was trying to gain time and was taking chances.  Going too fast through a few corners I ended up falling as I slid through the corners and fell once more in the sand just because I was so tired. 

In the final lap of the race a guy that I race with quite a lot and know pretty well managed to catch up to me but I managed to battle him off and pull away from him in the running portion of the sand.  I caught one more racer going over the barriers right before the end of the race. I ended up taking second in Category 3 men, losing to another junior that I have also raced quite a few times and yet to beat so that is pretty much my only goal for the next couple of races.