Koppenberg Preview

My favorite race of the year is this Sunday.  The Koppenberg Circuit race in Superior, CO.  This course is just down the road from me and the race is usually held in spring around the time of the best single day classic races (Ronde von Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix) in Europe.  Unfortunately, this year we had terrible weather on the days preceeding this race and the course was unridable.

1/2 of this course is on a gravel/dirt road.  It can be very loose and bumpy and there is a small 60 meter or so section of 18+% grade.  The race is named after the famous Koppenberg climb that is typically included in the Ronde von Vlaanderen race.  This section is usually pretty trenched out and when it rains, the terrain turns to mud and is unridable.  Well, this third attempt to hold the race this year is going to happen regardless of the weather.  If it snows, hails, rains, etc., then the race will still go on and everyone will be running up the hill.

We're doing 8 laps of the 5.5 mile course.  Last year I raced this as a CAT 3 and broke away from the pack about two miles from the finish and held on for 4th place I think.  This year will be much tougher in the P/1/2 category.  Either way, this race will be sweet and I won't even have to drive to the course.  excellent.