TJ Woodruff ONLINE

It’s been some time away from the blog, but if anything since the last post has been especially ‘blog-worthy’ it has got to be the WORS Subaru Cup ProXCT weekend.  It was a race that I really looked forward to and it certainly turned out to be a memorable experience since it’s not every weekend that you get to race against North America’s best while having all the local fans out there willing you on with their cheers.  Not that there’s a home-court advantage in mtb racing, but I was certainly a little extra motivated for this one.

Having raced Mt Morris the past three years I had a good understanding of the course and what to expect.  This time around the competition would be much more so accordingly the short punchy climbs became all that much more critical.  Being that the race was six laps with a fair amount of vertical there was little opportunity for recovery.  Exactly my favorite kind of course to race on!

The number 40 plate made for a mediocre call up position, but in a matter of  just 30 seconds or so I was able to maneuver up to 15^th or thereabouts as we crested the initial climb.  Definitely one of the better starts I’ve had and it put me in the mix right from the beginning.  Lap one was fast but manageable and during the second lap came the challenge to somehow recover from the start while settling in and not backing off the pace too much.  I was able to manage this alright and sought to keep steady lap times.  Much of the race I went back and forth with Tristan who was riding the main climb a litter faster while I was able to lead for most of the decending and  punchy uphill stuff.  By the time lap five came around the heat/humidity was getting too me and I gave up a little bit of ground as a matter of self preservation.  The final two laps were a delicate balancing act of not overheating (any more than I already had) while trying to maintain position.  I ended up losing a couple of spot before the finish, but 18^th on the day was still a great ride and something that I felt happy with.

2010 has been a strong(er) season thus far and I hope to continue the trend.  The Trek Bike Store in Boulder has helped out a bunch with the Superfly 100, a race bike that I’m really loving.  It’s not only fast, but also a lot of fun to ride.  The Bontrager tire crew stepped in big time to help get me setup for the conditions so a big thanks to them for the help.   WORS put on a top-notch event just as I knew they would.  Having a pro race come to WI was a long time in the making and it was awesome to be a part of the action.  Hopefully it was just the start of what will become many more pro level events in WI.  WORS is a great group of people that make racing fun and exciting, so thanks again for making the ProXCT happen.

Up next will be the UCI stage race in Colorado Springs which serves as the proxct series finals July 9-11.  That weekend ought to be a good tune up for the National Championships which are just one week later at Sol Vista, CO.  I’ll be better acclimated and ready to give it a good run this year so I’m looking forward to challenge.

Got things started right with a win at the Tour of the White Mountains. The 60 mile MTB race was the longest I’ve ever done and it turned out to be a great time. The course was super rugged, one of the rockiest that I’ve ever raced on. Held near Show Low, AZ at a base of 6500 feet it was awesome to race in the pines and enjoy some fall-like temps. With one final MTB now out of my system I can go back to refocusing on cyclocross. This season is shaping up to be great, thanks in part to the support of my CX team, Pioneer Racing.

13th place in my 13th Chequamegon weekend.  It was a good day, but certainly not a great performance on my part. I was close, but not 100% on top of my game out there. The racing was fast and I found myself on the receiving end rather than the serving end of race. A bulk of the day was spent trading pulls as a group of us were going from on the back of the front group to chasing the front group.  We were all together at the base of fire tower but 12 guys got over faster than me  so the last 10 miles were spent riding solo to the finish. Certainly not a ‘bad’ day, but sort of frustrating to miss out on the racing those final 10 miles. As always it was awesome to have so many family and friends at the race. A big thanks to everyone who makes Chequamegon all that it is!

Up next will be a transition into CX racing with the USGP races in Sun Prairie this weekend. It’ll be the biggest CX stage I’ve raced on so letting it rip ought to be the natural thing to do.  See you there, -TJ

https://www.usacycling.org/rankings/index.php?org=mountain&disc=xc&cat=PR&msj=SR

All systems go for Saturday! See you at the starting line. -TJ

(USAC’s ranking system is a bit fuzzy, I’ll be the first to admit, but there’s certainly some novelty with it…)

this photo and more: skinnyski.com

PRESS.

Labor Day weekend at Maplelag couldn’t have been much better. As usual it was two and a half days chocked full of good friends, food and accommodations.  We did a little bit of bike racing too, but what makes this weekend great is package experience that other races have a hard time offering. The bunk houses and dining hall make it a unique Maplelag experience. It was cool that my dad joined in on the trip and was able to do ‘support crew’ for me too.

Saturday’s morning Time Trial is always a tough opener. It’s short, but at the same time long enough that some pacing has to be exercised.  I was the first rider on course and came in with a new course record.  I felt good with the ride but wasn’t sure how it would stack up. Brendan did the course one second faster to claim the stage win and the new course record at 9:36.  Each of the past three years he’s narrowly edged me out like this so it’s crazy to think how close we’re matching each other. Doug was 3rd just a couple seconds back. In comparing our gps files neither of us was ever more or less than a couple seconds ahead or behind at any given spot on the course.

The afternoon STXC was fast and tactical near the end. The pace kept mostly honest and I did some work to keep it that way. Brendan made some charges and 18 year old Jack Hinkins was in on the action at the front end of the race.  On the last lap Doug went wide around the fast grass sweeper turn that led into the super steep climb. We came into the base together but he carried more speed to the top and got by.  With tight corners from here to the finish there wasn’t much real estate left for passing. Luckily I kept things upright and held on for second after nearly rolling/burping my rear tire in the last corner.

Going 1-2-3, then 3-2-1 in the two stages, we all had equal amounts of time bonuses so the GC would ultimately be determined by the XC on Sunday. With the race slated to be 3.5 laps it was sure to be a physically tough course. The tight rooted trails require a constant focus while the ski trails beg for speed.  Early on all three of us were in the lead group, but eventually Doug was exchanged for Sam O. After the half lap and first full lap I was doing alright but for some reason found myself getting dropped on the second full lap. I could no longer see Sam or Brendan, but I kept charging knowing that the last lap could make all of the difference. While chasing I even managed to take a good spill over the bars. Putting the adrenaline to good use I got back to chasing and eventually went by Sam.  Brendan wasn’t far up the trail and I was gaining time.  In what was perfect timing I caught him right at the base of Suicide hill and figured that would a good place to really go for it. By the top of the climb 35 seconds later I had a gap and was able to maintain it the rest of the lap all the way to the finish.  It was scrappy, but a great feeling to get the win while securing the overall at the same time.

Some interesting tech notes from the weekend: I ran the Marathon 29er Hardtail and found it well suited for the terrain although I’d love to try a full suspension 29er on those trails for the XC.  A Stans Raven was the rear tire of choice with a Kenda Small Block 8 up front.  Minimal tread, but over the long haul they proved to do the job.  While cleaning/lubing my chain the morning of the xc I discovered a broken roller. Luckily I was able to remove this link and use a second quick link in its place.  It undoubtedly would have broken in the XC so I was lucky to have spotted it (and finished the STXC with it).  I’ve never seen a roller break on a chain like this before… I severed the rear derailleur cable ferrule in the crash and didn’t shift very much during the final lap since the shifting was all over the place when I tried.  I used just a couple gears in the back and shifted more with the front in order to keep going without mishap. Also I snapped off one of my beloved Easton EC90 bar-ends in the crash.  So for now I will forgo bar-ends with just Chequamegon left on the radar…   See you there!  -TJ

Thanks to Tom Gaier and his team of volunteers for putting on an excellent edition of the Pre-Fat race. He’s got an amazing race going on in Seeley and this year more people than ever before turned out to experience it first hand.   I was able to successfully defend my ‘08 win after battling all day long with Jeff Hall. Last year I rode in solo, so to have it come to a sprint was awesome.  Nervous, but awesome.

PRE FAT PRESS

Shortly after the race and a whirlwind of unpacking, packing and bike washing I was en route to Green Bay in Muraski’s big rig.  Four and a half hours in a vehicle is great recovery right? At least I was fortunate enough to lounge in the back seat while Mark crushed the drive, nearly doing in one shot with only a dinner stop along the way.  With some nice Adeventure212 accommodations and a good nights sleep it was game time for the 11:30 wors start.

Fifth place on the day was alright considering the circumstances. I was comfy for the first 2.5 of 3 laps and really it was only the last 20-30 minutes where it was crunch time for our lead group of seven. Brian and Jesse got off the front while I got caught out with Mark and Chris. With heavy legs, a too narrow finish chute, and lap traffic in the way I sat up to roll across while Chris and Mark did the sprint for third. It was close between those of us in the front group and I’m confident with how things are shaping up for the rest of the month.

At just 16 days away Chequamegon will be here before we know it. And for those of you that need to know, Miss Pronouncer can help you.  Next up is Maplelag – one my favorite race weekends of the year.  See you there, -TJ

With September nearly here it’s the eve of my favorite season for MTB racing.  Not sure what it is about the month of September, but it’s fantastic for racing bikes with other fast guys.  In what has become somewhat of a tradition, I’ll be doing the double-header this weekend with the Seeley Pre Fat on Saturday followed up with the WORS Reforestation Ramble on Sunday.  Since a similar Chequamegon build up has worked in recent years, I might as well stick with it. Really I just love to ride fast and choosing between races is often too challenging so I figure why not just go fast two times in one weekend?

It’s a combination of the venues, the history, and the weather that make September racing all that it is, but really without the tight competition these ‘races’ would simply be rides. The mix of racer personalities and generous promoters make these experiences possible and also addictive.  Thanks to everyone who helps make it possible. See you at the races, -TJ

skinnyski.com captures the action

Yes, I realize it was nearly two weeks ago, but I might as well throw out a couple lines to reminisce about the River Falls WORS vs. MNSCS race. It was really fast from the start, probably one of the most intense starts of the year with the hill climb there serving up plenty of lactic euphoria. It didn’t take long for a lead group of five to establish on the first lap. Marko, Jesse, Brendan, Mikey, and Myself all exchanged turns at the front but the speed and tightness of the course meant that getting away from the bunch was more of a challenge. Patience worked out well and on the last lap I was able to let loose up the climb with only Marko in tow.  Exchanging the lead in and out of singletrack he drew the right card and led into the final stretches of singletrack. It was close and we were both riding fast, but he got the best of the finish line. I was pumped to have raced a good battle even though a close second place never sits too well. Looking forward to more racing soon to come. And plenty of it!

CyclingDirt.org recaps the race in full detail

TJ

Having placed 2nd at last year’s Ore to Shore I was really motivated to improve on my result. I knew that I could be in the mix and with some great training rides within the past couple of weeks I was feeling good and ready to give the race my 100% energy.  Traveling to Marquette with Chad made for an old school road trip and we got in a great pre ride on Friday with the company of Matt and my 212 bros Chris and Mike.  Flying through the final 20 miles of the course was a great refresher as to just how much fun this race is and fast the trail allow you to go. Overnight rain showers had the course in perfect condition and I was ready to go. All of the MI, WI, and MN riders were there with only two notable exceptions so it was sure to be an intense race.

Mike did the leadout on the pavement and the 212 train was rolling smoothly until I was forced to exit the front group with a rear puncture. It was one of those flats that you knew it happened right away. I kicked up a softball-sized rock with my front wheel and it went squarely under my rear wheel. It was enough of an impact to put some small cuts in the sidewall just above bead on either side of the tire. I used my CO2 to seal off one side and Sova graciously supplied some more air to get me back and rolling down the trail two minutes after stopping.

I was in full chase mode, trying to negotiate my way back to the front end of the race, passing what must have been 100 riders in the process. Inspired by Brian Matter’s ride from ‘08 (he flatted in just about the same spot and chased back to finish 7th) I was still racing and more focused than ever. My goal was to contact the fast guys near the front and get myself back into some sort of contention, whether for the win or otherwise I wanted to be in the mix.    After 50+ minutes of solo chasing I was caught by Doug, Marko, Jeff, and one other rider to my suprise since these were the guys that I thought I was chasing. It turns out that they had taken a wrong turn so poor luck for them made for good luck for me since I now had riders to share the workload with. Jeff and I did the bulk of the pacemaking and if any of us would catch the leaders I would have been happy with my efforts. We rode hard across the paved section and were still charging once in the woods.

At twelve miles to go I felt my rear tire getting soft and before I knew it I was dismounted and scrabling to put in an inner tube. This time I found a two-inch long square headed nail lodged into the tread. This was likely the source of the slow leak and with the low pressure before I stopped I managed to put another cut into the tire too. This time the tire was more or less done for so installing the tube was the only option. I got the tube in and the wheel back on the bike only to discover that I had nothing left in my CO2 but the white cloud that exits once the canister is empty. Eventually Nathan Guerra stopped and offered me his CO2 cartridges so that we were able to ride in to the finish together. At this point we weren’t so much racing, but rather enjoying the trail and finishing off what has been an adventurous race. I was completely drained at the finish, happy with my riding and bummed about my luck. Such is racing on occasion and I’ll be more motivate for the next one…

Thanks to Adventure 212 and Specialized for the support and to Justin for the late race bottle handup.  Chad’s help allowed me back into the mix early on and Nate’s help allowed me to ride it in instead of walk. There’s an awful lot of great people in this sport and I’m thankful for all the help along the way.  See you at the Border Battle on Sunday!

July was a busy month, full of a lot of good times on and off the bikes. It included a WORS race, a National Championship, and a MNSCS event. Off the bike there was camping, birthdays, and even a wedding (well the wedding was actually August 1st) all spit between WI and CO.

The biggest race highlight was finishing 2nd in the Singlespeed Nationals race. I’ve done limited riding on a single before so it was something not necessarily in my element. This made for some awesome pre race nerves, but by the race started it was largely business as usual. One gear or not bike racing is largely the same in that whoever focuses and works the most usually wins, this assuming that you show up with good fitness.  Using a 32×20 allowed me to sit on some of the climbs to finish out the three long laps of racing. I was with JJ for 1/2 a lap, but he got away near the top of the climb while we struggled to pass Expert racers in the singletrack.  For the most part I rode the race solo and the time gap to JJ stayed at roughly a minute for the bulk of day. I was having fun with the course and figuring out just how hard to go on various climbs.   JJ is a CO guy and we’ve got back and forth in previous races when I’m using gears and he’s on the single.  The Tucson Daily Star even did a little write up: here.

Prior to Nationals, the Eau Claire crew put on a good WORS showdown with the Fireracker race. I was recruited to race with a fork mounted camera, but so far none of that footage has surfaced. If and when it does, there’ll be a couple good crashes and plenty of chasing to be seen since I was off the lead group for most all of the race before finishing fourth.

And to close out the racing for the month I got over to Elk River, MN for the Singletrack Attack last weekend. It was my first ride back from Colorado and unbeknown to me my front tire hadn’t fully sealed itself prior to the start of the race. About 10 minutes into things I was forced to stop and add CO2 from the Big Air. This did the trick, but several riders were able to go by so I had some passing to do and it didn’t take much for the lead trio disappear and I wasn’t able to join in. Another fourth place was the result.

Up next will be the Ore to Shore. I’m excited for this one and hope to have another good go at it after finishing 2nd there a year ago.  I’ve been able to get in some solid training for it, so if all goes well it ought to be an interesting race at the front end.  Over and out,  -TJ