Tuesday, January 31, 2012

CommunionCat





We are happy to present the fourth installment of the FGBC nordic cross series; get ready for COMMUNIONCAT!

Today marks the 451st anniversary of Menno Simons' death. As there is a high number of mennos in our midst, it seems only fitting to pay tribute. And pay tribute we shall. You'd be correct to expect GUNS, maybe some BOOZE, and a few other special surprises that you'll just have to wait and see.

Meet at the usual place but at NINE - please note the early start! Also please bring a pen/pencil

Monday, January 30, 2012

CX Pool Roundup

Whoa! That was some show of force by Neils and his boyfriends. Marianne Vos was pretty impressive too.

In the 2011-12 FGBC CX Pool, the winning performance wasn't nearly as demonstrative. In part, because amazingly nobody in the pool picked Albert. Hal and Jay had to share the win. They had 1200 points apiece. King Andy was just 30 points back to finish third.

In the overall race, Andy has moved into second overall. He has 12,830 points and managed to take a sizable chunk out of Jonah's lead. But Jonah's lead was a very big one and he still has a 585 point cushion. Chris O is in third overall with 12,590 points. But I am just 10 points back. The makeup of the final podium is still wide open as we head into the final few weeks of racing. Andrea has reacquired the lanterne rouge.

Full results and overall standings here.

Best Day Ever?

Probably not. But it was still a very good one. So good, in fact, that we have no photos to substantiate such a claim. We were too busy having fun. And doing math. Fortunately, others are better at multi-tasking. The ABES have some photos. The Cycle Chick adds some narrative. And Tom K supplied a few moving pictures. That'll do until the Secretary finishes editing his latest work.

In case you weren't there: the coffee and company kicked ass in the morning. As did Neils Albert and the rest of the Belgians. And the Cricket kicked ass in the afternoon. As did Mike and Tomek, albeit in a different sort of way.

It all continues tomorrow night with the fourth round of the Nordic Cross series. Lyle and Mark think they've come up with something good. Stay tuned for more details.

Arrowhead goings on

So It looks as though some of our pals are well on the way, down at the Arrowhead 135.

Good luck fellers.

here's the link...http://www.arrowheadultra.com/index.php

Thursday, January 26, 2012

World CX Championships at Parlour



This sunday our good friend Nils will play host to the FGBC by opening up his cafe, Parlour Coffee, for the second time outside normal hours. At 8am, the World Cyclocross Championships will be projected on a wall for our viewing pleasure. In addition to the finest espresso in town (FGBC tested and confirmed..), he is also going to pickup an order of pastries from Stella's Bakery on the way. Please invite your friends and help show our appreciation!


***Please note that as we will be using his Ethernet cable to run the video feed, debit/credit payment will NOT be an option - cash only!

Parlour Coffee - 468 Main St, next to the Woodbine Hotel.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Barn Cross Details


What is it? It is an indoor cyclocross race. But really, it's just another excuse to get together and have some fun.

When? This Sunday, Jan. 29, from 1pm to 5pm.

Where? Misty River Ranch, just outside the city on Hwy 59. For directions and a link to a map, look here.

How much does it cost? Cost is $10 to help cover the cost of the rental.

Why? Because it will be awesome.

Who? All are welcome. Feel free to invite others.

Other pertinent info: BYOB. Champions will be crowned. There will be hardware.

Any questions? Drop a comment below.

TNR Report

The River Trail is back! It was awesome.





Tuesday, January 24, 2012

TNR


According to the WFP, the river trail is set to open today. It's pretty clear what we need to do for the ride.

9:30 pm at my place. With a pit stop at the Junk-shon shortly thereafter.

Later on at the klubhaus, we have an indoor cyclocross race to plan. Bring your best ideas.

Monday, January 23, 2012

CX Pool Roundup

There were three races this weekend. The field was split between Zonnebeke, Belgium and Rucphen in the Netherlands on Saturday. But everybody came together for the last World Cup race of the season in Hoogerheide, where Stybar and Pauwels proved they are the power couple of the moment and Marianne Vos showed that nobody is even close to being able to compete with her. She has now won 15 consecutive races. Not bad.

Brad and Hal tied for the win in Zonnebeke. With 150 points each, they finished ahead of a group of six who tied for second. Terry narrowly beat out Andrea for the win in Rucphen. Ian grabbed the final podium spot in that one. In Hoogerheided, Jay had a pretty good day with 740 points and a big win. Hal was second again to squeeze his way into the top 10 overall. Too little, too late. Vic finished third and now looks to have an outside shot at grabbing a piece of the final podium.

The J-Train continues to lead the overall race. He has a 855 point cushion over me. But the next three spots are pretty close. Andy, Chris O and I are separated by less than 200 points. So the makeup of the final podium still looks to be pretty wide open. Chris O has his work cut out for him though. In addition to Wellens, he lost Sophie De Boer yesterday when she got tangled up in a nasty wreck with Caroline Mani.

The World Championships are up next Sunday! Remember, there are 500 points for the win in this one. If ever there was a race to show up at, this would be it. We will be gathering to watch it live with coffee and pastries at Parlour Coffee. The race starts at 8am Winnipeg time.

Full results and overall standings here.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Thursday Anticipation

We have some exciting news to pass on, boys and girls. The Good Times Syndicate otherwise known as the FGBC/RRR has once again teamed up to bring you a very special event:


Brad the Impaler has secured a venue. And we are busy working on the details for how the event will unfold. It will likely involve several shorter races in a heat format. More details will be rolled out in due course. In the meantime, how about a few videos?

The original inspiration came from the indoor cyclocross race held in Hasselt, Beligum. It looks a little something like this:




Our event--though it is a championship event--will be run on a slightly smaller scale. You can expect something a little more along these lines:




Attentive readers will no doubt be aware that Jan. 29 is also the same day a few other cyclocross champions will be crowned. The CX Worlds go down earlier in the day. The Hipster and I are working on a plan to secure an appropriate venue so that we can gather to watch that together. Stay tuned.

In other news, we have chosen the weekend for the annual winter 24 Hour Race and Film Festival. 24 Hours of Bill Murray will take place on March 3-4. It looks like the venue will shift back to the Secretary's place.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

TNR Report

It was cold. But we rode. Straight to the klubhaus. We talked about some stuff. Listened to some tunes. Enjoyed some Darkness. Told some stories. Recited a few lines from the Big Lebowski. Made some big plans. Dreamed some big dreams. Talked some trash. Watched a little tennis. And hockey highlights. It was good.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

TNR


Between the partying and the racing, it's been a while since we just rode our bikes. Let's get back on track tonight.

9:30 pm at my place.

Monday, January 16, 2012

CX Pool Roundup

There were two races this weekend. I took the win in Lebbeke with 235 points. Brad and Hal tied for second with 150 points apiece. On Sunday, at the world cup race in Lieven, Ian had 685 points to take the win. Radomir Simunik's surprising third-place finish helped Jonah continue his run of good form. He had 660 points to finish second. And Terry took the final podium spot with a 600 point day.

In the overall race, Jonah's lead is now up to almost 1000 points! I have moved into second place ahead of Chris O by 95 points. King Andy remains fourth, but seems to be drifting further and further away from the top three spots. He is now 270 points from the final podium spot. Matt continues to hold the lanterne rouge. But Andrea is still lurking close by.

Full results and overall standings here.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Otegem

In the US, the National Championships represent the conclusion of the cx season. In Europe, it's just another race in the middle of a busy season, albeit a pretty important one. While only a handful of US CXers travel to Europe to continue racing, everything continues as usual the other side of the pond. And they don't waste any time getting back to the regular grind either. A good chunk of the men took to the start line in Otegem on Monday, the day after they competed in their respective national championship races.

Kevin Pauwels got back on the winning track, after a streak of less than impressive races. That was good news for Jay, the only team in the 2012 FGBC CX Pool to have Pauwels on his team. Jay wins the vicarious version of the race in Otegem with 150 points. Miriam was second, with 125 points. And King Andy finished in third place. He had 90 points.

In the overall race, Jonah picked up 80 points to pad his lead over Chris O, who came up with a big fat goose egg. The J-Train now leads by 560 points over Chris. I remain in third place, 80 points behind Chris. King Andy is another 80 points behind me.

Full results and overall standings here.

Up next, we travel to Lieven, France for the 7th round of the world cup series on Sunday.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Gluttons Cross Report

I can't commit to any words that might describe this. But here are some photos.

Daniel overshot the 500 g minimum on his first plate. By almost 500 g.



The Impaler participated by phone this time around:



All of a sudden, things got rather quiet:



Signs of a cheater?


The BF was declared the winner. But some were concerned that he may have cheated. Jonny G, in particular, threatened to file a protest concerning a post-finish line bike lockup. Others raised questions about some unfinished business with the Darkness, pictured above. It is unlikely that any of this will go anywhere, however. That would require too much work. And that is not really what Nordic Cross is all about. So congratulations Lyle! We can't wait to see what you throw at us in the next race.

The mighty Juan Eppstein finished 7th! We have entered a new era.

Results:

Lyle 25
Mark 22
Chris 20
Jonny G 19
Andrea 18
Darryl 16
Dave E 15
Vic 14
Graham 13
Daniel 12
Vanessa 11
JP 10
Brad 9
Craig 8
Bill 7
Penner -3


Overall Standings after 3 races:

Mark 66
Chris 65
Jonny G 58
JP 49
Darryl 41
Lyle 41
Graham 39
Vic 32
Luke 30
KK 25
Craig 23
Andrea 18
Dave E 15
Kelly 14
Daniel 12
Vanessa 11
Brad 9
Penner 8
Bill 7

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Gluttons Cross: The Rules

Less than 5 hours, boys and girls. No more snacks from here on out. Unless it's chips. Chips don't count.

8pm at the East India Company.

Some have asked about rules. Here they are. But that's not to say there won't be amendments and/or new rules created while we eat.

1) A plate is defined as 500 grams of consumable food. No, this does not include the plate. Bones, shells, or anything else not consumed must be weighed out before a plate is deemed official.

2) If your plate comes in under the minimum weight, a two samosa penalty will be applied. The samosas are small there. And you still have to go back and make sure your plate is over the minimum. If you go over 500 grams, it's your own damn problem. 1000 grams of food still only counts for one plate.

3) The first plate and the first pint of Darkness represent your entry into the race. You are not racing until the plate is finished and your glass is empty. Note that some alternatives to the Dark might be deemed acceptable. Little Scrapper, for instance. But not just anything. Best to ask before you order.

4) Every subsequent plate gives you a three minute credit at the start of the riding portion of the race. So, for example, eat 3 plates and you get to start riding 6 minutes before someone who only finishes one.

5) Each additional pint gives you a one minute credit at the start of the riding portion of the race.

6) The route will be the same as last year. It will include as much river trail as possible between the restaurant and the klubhaus. Hal and I rode it last night on the way back from the MCA meeting. The trails are in good condition, except for the presence of some very big cracks that could perhaps swallow up someone such as the Cricket. The route will not be marked and there will be no maps or cue sheets. We will try to explain it the best we can at the restaurant.

7) The finish line is represented by the bottom of the glass of the first pint of Darkness you consume at the klubhaus.

8) If you can't hold your food down, you are out of the race. If you hurl and fail to clean up after yourself, Brad the Impaler will punch you in the face. Puking at any point in the evening (yes, even after the finish-line pint) constitutes a disqualification.

9) Fat Bike penalties will be applied. How much? We don't know. But it will be more than the amount of time those silly things will save you during the ride over to the klubhaus.

Finally, in case you have managed successfully to block it from your memory, here is how things played out last year. It was easily the best edition ever.

For the record, the Nordic Cross standings after the first two races look like this:

Chris 45
Mark 44
Jonny G 39
JP 39
Luke 30
Graham 26
Darryl 25
KK 25
Vic 18
Lyle 16
Craig 15
Kelly 14
Penner 11

Sunday, January 08, 2012

KFC, J-Pow and the J-Train

Those were your winners today at the US National Cyclocross Championships in Madison. Compton and Powers won their respective real races. Compton won for the eighth time while Powers picked up his first Stars and Stripes jersey with an impressive victory over Ryan Trebon. The wins by Compton and Powers helped Jonah reach the top step of the vicarious podium. To say that he won, however, is almost an understatement. He destroyed the field as if he were Sven Nys racing against the Cat 4s. Not only did he get 250 points each from Compton and Powers, Jonah swept the entire women's podium today. He has Antonneau and Duke on his team as well. And last but not least, he had Travis Livermon chip in 80 points courtesy of his 9th place showing in the men's race. Not a bad day at the office. It all added up to a 1005 point day for the young J-Train. Kim was a distant second. She had 710 points today, thanks to Compton, Powers, Page and Studley. And Ali rounded out the podium with 700 points.

Jonah's big day launched him from 4th place into a rather commanding race lead. This marks the first time someone whose name is not Andy or Chris has led the 2011-12 FGBC CX Pool. Jonah now leads Chris O by 480 points. I am in third place, another 160 points back of Chris. King Andy is still within striking distance of the podium. He is 90 points behind me.

It seems like a big lead. But with the World Championships coming up and 500 points up for grabs for both the men and women in that race, there is still opportunity for some large point swings. There are a couple more World Cups left as well. It doesn't help Chris O's chances that Bart Wellens very nearly died this weekend with an infection that seems to have gone after his heart. Thankfully, it sounds like he'll be okay. But the likelihood of him racing his bike again this season appears to be rather slim.

Full results and overall standings here.

Friday, January 06, 2012

Gluttons Cross


Nordic Cross resumes next Tuesday with the only race to appear in every edition of the series. Vic has reserved our usual spot at the East India Company for 8pm. The rules will be more or less the same as they were last year. But there will be a few small changes--lengthening the gap per plate by an additional minute and applying the fat tire penalty we adopted at the Nordic Cross planning meeting. And of course, we always reserve the right to make changes on the fly.

Who is bringing the scale?

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Kickoff Party Report

If 2012 is even half as good as the party that served to mark its official launch, it is going to be a very, very awesome year. Good job, boys and girls! That was fun. We should do it again in about a year.



Toward the end of the evening, the Hipster received an email from our man Lawrence with photos of the first new FGBC wool jerseys to roll off the production line. To call it super sweet would be far too modest.




Tuesday, January 03, 2012

A Very Special TNR

How special? So special that the usual Tuesday Night rules and regulations have been suspended. The President says we need to party more. So tonight we will party. We're calling it the FGBC/RRR 2012 Kickoff Party.


Good times guaranteed. See you tonight.

Typical Group Ride...



Imagine if they still made top tubes like this??

See you all at the kickoff tomorrow!!

Monday, January 02, 2012

CX Pool Roundup

Two races in Chicago and one in Belgium. Chris O won the two Chicago races and I won the GP Sven Nys.

Chris O continues to lead the overall race. But the next three spots got shuffled around once again. I've moved into second place, 165 points behind Chris. Andy has moved back into the top three. He's 65 points behind me, but just 10 ahead of Jonah.

At the other end of the standings, Andrea has passed the lanterne rouge back to Matt.

US Nationals is up next. That will count towards the CX Pool. But the European national championships will not.

Full results and overall standings here.

Finally, if you haven't already seen it, check out the latest video from the women's world cup series. In addition to the usual sweet footage of the racing, it features the coolest flyover I've ever seen--downhill structure built into the side of a ridge. Altona?

Sunday, January 01, 2012

New Year's Eve CX Report


Well done, boys and girls. That was very, very awesome.

Some were faster than others. But in the end, we were all winners. Because we were racing cyclocross on New Year's Eve.