Lake Geneva CX Race Report- by Derek Slates

Geneva CX- Post by Derek Slates

This was my favorite course last season, and it did not disappoint this year.  They added an extra over under.  Removed the rollers, and one barrier that was at a 180 hairpin turn.  It was supposed to be cool fall day which turned out nice and warm.  Glad I did not pack the long sleeve jersey.

The course is held at a youth camp.  The start is “downtown”.  You went up a paved road and turned right into some fast flat trail with plenty of turns.  In the morning the lines were not as smooth/run in.  As the day went on the section got faster.  After those turns came a long false flat on a gravel/pavement mix (false flats, looks flat but are a gradual uphill pedal).  Once you made it to the top of the false flat it was back to low cut fast riding grass.  You took a left turn with maybe 75 feet to sprint up to the next turn.  The upcoming left turn was perfect, flat on top, with a small dip to the outside.  You could find a great line in that corner.  It would set you up perfect for the 3 foot roll down to the under part of the over/under. (over/under is just as it sounds. You get to ride under a bridge, and over the top of a different trail.) 

As you pass through the under portion there is a buck statue waiting to greet you with music blasting.  On the other side you had to climb back up about 5 feet and circle around a white building.  On the back side you had to be careful as there was a water main cap sticking up.  It was only 10” wide, but stood up almost an inch above the trail.  One wrong place wheel and you were going to be running to the pits to replace a flat tire.  You had one more left turn, and you had to climb up the “Over” section of the trail.

Once on top you had a great view out to the lake, bungee tower, and most importantly the AMR tent.  You cruised down the back side into a long straight sprint.  But, you had to make sure to look right to see Shimano hanging out.  You had a ton of speed near the end of the straight away, but had to be careful.  There was a quick left right turn that took you from perfect grass trail on the left.  As you leaned back over to go right it dipped down about 6 inches onto pavement/gravel.  All between some pine trees.  100 yards worth of pavement to one of the more technical parts of the course.

At the end of the concrete there is a sharp 10 foot downhill.  It was perfect for cross.  Tore up and muddy!  You came into it with plenty of speed, but needed to weight the front wheel the moment it dropped so you were not caught in a mud rut, and taking a bath.  At the bottom of the hill was a sharp right turn taking you past the pits.  After the pits there is a long straight damp section leading to the next bridge over a ravine.  There was an option to ride through the ravine.  Although they had built up the sides more, and it rode like a dirt up.  If Bobby was there he would have gone for the double.  The bridge was the faster option.

After the bridge was a tough muddy “spline” or like riding over a berm.  Off-camber on each side.  It was wet, muddy, and very greasy.  The line through it seemed to change every lap.  Once on the other side, you had a long steep climb up a gravel road.

Once you made it to the top, you are back on pavement trying to gain as much speed as your lactic filled legs would let you get.  You went around some beautiful camp houses, shot down and up a ravine.  Coming back up you had a ton of speed.  Pushing the big ring, but have to be careful.  A sharp left turn that faded away.  Leading into a 10 foot muddy drop.  It was a fun roller coaster.  After you hit a 180 turn, and the only set of barriers on the course.

Why do they have to put barriers at the bottom of a hill?  As if a super steep hill is not bad enough to try to ride, they force you into a run.  At the top of the hill you remount.  Head out on a speed way of concrete.  Into some more fun twisty off-camber trails past the pits and back into the trees.

You can hear the heckling, you can hear the cheering, the cow bells, and you can hear the laughing.  You push through the up and down of an off camber hill side to climb up to the sand pit.  Now you attack the sand push as hard as you can, and hope they do not end up laughing at you.  Once out of the sand, you circle around the trees, and gun it up the pavement to the start finish line.  Thank god, I finished the lap.  Wait, did that sign just say 5 laps to go…

-Derek Slates
Angry Monkeys Racing


Other Results for the day:

Shannon Mortimer raced the early race and earned her podium place 2nd in CX Womens Masters 35+.

Brandon Andrews & Derek Slates raced in the Single Speed Category placing 24th & 28th out of 36 Single speeders.

Shannon & Laura Andrews raced in the Women’s Cat 3 Group placing 9th & 11th.

At the end of the day three AMR racers Brandon, Laura & Derek jumped into the CX4 race as a second race to the day to finish out in 31st, 38th, & 39th respectively out of about 45 riders.

 Photos below are of Shannon and Laura: