Race the Wrock Root66 MTB, New Haven CT

The team continued its consistent racing on the local mountain bike circuit at the Race the Wrock Root66 event in New Haven. Slop slop slop was the order of the day!

Sean Whitehurst sent in this great race recap.

  "Joe, Gregg, and I were all in our respective Cat 2 races.  Our start time was pushed back due to those slow Pro/Cat 1 guys.  Really, they can only go about 20 minutes faster a lap for 3 or 4 laps than us Cat 2s?  We ran into our resident Cat 1 SS expert Zac.  He runs tubeless and had managed to burp him self flat.  He did look good with his Jorts covered in mud.

   After a decent warm up riding up the road at west rock we all took our spots in our respective age groups.  Mine was first to go.  There were 5 of us, 4 from CT.  I made it into the woods in 4th, with 1-3 right in front of me.  A strange feeling for me to not have a terrible start like I always do.  On the early part of the course there were some bobbles by everyone and I bounced up to 3rd and back down to 4th.  On the first road climb I had 2nd and 3rd insight but could not close the gap any.  Eventually everyone was out of sight.  On a relatively flat section of single track over about the course of a mile I slowly closed to the rear wheel of the 3rd place rider only to bobble.  I was then passed by the leader of another category and watched 3rd place ride the faster wheel away from me.  On the last fire road section (per lap) a guy in a verge kit came up alongside me and then passed me.  On his wheel was the ever impressive Joe K.  They were running 1 and 2.  Coming up to the dam at the lake I tested my brakes for the steepest decent on course only to find I had zero rear brake.  I immediately ditched the bike into a chain link fence and ran down the hill to where I could get my rear brake working again.

    On the second lap I held Gregg up as my chain wrapped all the way around the middle ring up front on a short punchy hill, gotta love not maintaining your bike.  I 'let' Gregg into the single track ahead of me and watched him ride away.  Zac had set up with cooler and camp chair on the most technical decent to make fun of us mere mortals who try not to go over the bars and take the easy line.  Just past this spot on the second lap I saw Mr. Mechanical, Joe K fixing a flat, oh the problems of tube riders.  He eventually passed me, once again, later on course.  On one of his laps in the farm field section of course Joe found a wonderful little hole that allowed him to portray his alter ego, Superman.  His front wheel stopped and he went flying through the air, probably circumnavigating the globe knowing his speed, before a gentle landing in the mud.

     In the end Gregg took 6th overall in his category.  I took 4th, apparently the non-CT rider got a DNS.  And to continue the success of the morning riders Joe came in second in category and first in the state of CT.  Looks like someone will be riding more laps next year.  It was a great course even in the mud." 

Here's a brief recap from Joe K on his race:

"I was 2nd going into the woods and took the lead on the first muddy uphill climb. I was caught mid way through lap 1 and sat in 2nd the rest of the lap. On lap 2 I made the pass on the muddy climb to take back the lead. Realized my front skewer was loose going over the guard rail and was passed back as I was fixing it. Then I flatted on the rocky downhill! Took me like 7-8mins to fix it! I managed to claw my way back through the field to finish 2nd overall and 1st for CT."

CAT 1 

Zac Hawk - 4th

CAT 2

Gregg - 6th

Joe - 2nd!

Sean - 4th 

CAT 3

Dillon - 2nd
Dana - 2nd