Boulder Cyclocross Series Race #1 - Louisville CX

Saturday was the Louisville cyclocross race of the Boulder Cyclocross Series.  This is not a BCR/BCT race, but usually gets a very large turnout and although I had been traveling in San Jose the whole week, I had to do this race since it's local (even though I kinda hate it because it's so freakin' bumpy).  Anyway the brief course description goes something like this.  There is a long gravel straight at the start to organize the riders before heading uphill on a bike path to a sand pit.  Through the sand pit, then down an off-camber bumpy hill to a quick right hander and climb in the granny gear.  Then it's through more bumpy open-space type ground, down a sketchy and super bumpy descent to a lap around the inner field where it's a little smoother.  Through some barriers, then up a run-up.  The laps after the first use more of the bumpy open-space type ground after the gravel straight.

I got a call-up and was slotted in the 2nd row at the start.  There were probably 30-40ish riders in our cat 3 race.  Anyway, I slotted into about 6th through the first lap, but wrecked on the off-camber turn.  My front wheel washed out and I went down.  I got up quickly, but I bent my derailleur hanger and it took a little time to assess the damage and continue riding.

I couldn't get the chain into the smallest gear or biggest two gears and there was a lot of friction and noise from pedaling.  Unfortunately, I had to deal with this for the remaining 40 minutes of the race.  After I started going again, I was in around 12th or 13th.  I started feeling really good after a couple laps and worked my way up to probably 5th.  Then, with 3 laps to go, my legs decided to quit and just like last race, I proceeded to make my way backwards through the pack.  On the last lap, I hopped on my bike after the barriers and heard air leaving my rear wheel.  I took the last few turns gingerly and got passed by more guys.  I finished in 11th.  Here's a photo of my rear wheel.

I actually got a small rock lodged between the rim and the tire bead.  I was amazed that I didn't go flat.  I'm running the tubeless setup which consists of a normal non-tubeless tire with non-tubeless wheels and going with the Stan's kit.  Amazingly, the tire held on and I finished the race and even rode home with this rock in my rim.  The Stan's kit is a proven winner in my book!

Photos of the race course:

Barriers near the finish line.

The off-camber climb where I crashed on the first lap.

The short steep run-up near the start.

The chicane with barriers before the run-up.