The Flemish are Coming..The Flemish are Coming!!!

Flemish Cross Fans hit the Rep. of Boulder with global warming at full strength...

Boulder Cup Cyclocross, 11-4-07

Euro cross fans have waited since last November to see a UCI-cross race hit the 5,000ft altitude barrier. However, the majority of Flemish fans were probably actually hanging out in Boulder Creek during the races cooling off from the high altitude heat wave. Temperatures hit 75F (let's see what is that in Celsius? subtract 30 and divide by 2..so @ 23C) causing the beer to flow warm up in the beer garden.

The Boulder Cup cyclocross race probably wouldn't qualify as a cross race in the Belgian heartland since there was not cup full of mud, water or cow manure to be traversed. The attire of the day for cross fans was shorts, flip-flops and a picnic blanket, no galoshes needed.

Who's complaining though? I'd rather get a tan and watch cross that frozen toes. Besides the warm weather the race course was incredible to be a spectator at since it allows the fan to see about 80% of the race from almost anywhere on the course. The Boulder Cup is held at the Harlow Platts Park in south Boulder and it reminds me of the Cross Vegas course which is held at a soccer pavilion. The majority of the racing is on pristine grass with a stretch of pavement and sand thrown in for variety. The park also had a nice hill which the riders traversed three times each lap.

This years elite event had little strategy involved since Ryan Trebon pretty much walked away with the title from lap two of eleven. A chasing duet of Tim Johnson and Jeremy Powers couldn't close the gap allowing Trebon to single handedly walk away with an amazing victory by show of force.

Once the top three positions were sorted out the action seemed to shift to who would be fourth through sixth place between Barry Wicks, Pro-roadie/tour de France rider Chris Horner and Geoff Kabush. Horner put on a show by rocketing up through the field the first half of the race and making the pro cross guys earn their keep. Horner, with his hands in the drops and out of the saddle style, looked more like he was leading out Robbie McEwen for a sprint than racing a UCI Cyclocross event.

It is pretty amazing how a guy like Horner can race from February to mid-October in Europe and finish top 30 in the Tour and top-10 in the last Classic of the year in Italy and then come right out into cyclocross racing with a top 5 result. Instead of racing cyclocross most guys would be nursing a dried up pituitary gland if they raced than many miles at the Pro Tour level. Horner has proven time and again he is the work horse of the peleton and earns every Euro he gets.

Ryan Trebon slams the competition.