Following the Jingle Cross World Cup weekend, the Donnelly Professional Cycling team had a busy week zig-zagging across the country. First stop was the bright lights of Sin City for what might be the last Cross Vegas in the city for which it was named. With Interbike relocating from Las Vegas to Reno next year this famous race will be moving along with it. The Donnelly team had a strong showing with Laurel Rathbun taking 14th in a stacked women's field and Lance Haidet finishing 9th, both earning valuable UCI points.
"Man, that was fast. I felt good in the main chase group for a few laps, but the pace along with the thick grass was tough. This was my first Cross Vegas and it was a blast. Glad I got to do one in Vegas before it moves to Reno." said Lance.
With the race ending at 10:30 at night it makes for a busy evening (or should we say morning) for team mechanic James Sullivan. He had to pack up four bikes after midnight so he and all the riders could take the bikes on their early morning flights. While Laurel and Lance went home to prepare for upcoming races, James was on his way to meet Jamey Driscoll for the World Cup in Waterloo, WI.
For this coming weekend, Laurel will be joining Jamey Driscoll at the KMC CrossFest in Thompson, CT. Lance will attending the West Sacramento Grand Prix in Sacramento, CA.
If you had asked us several years ago if there would be two World Cups on U.S. soil in one season we would have thought you were crazy. However, after a couple years in a row of two U.S. World Cups it looks as though high-level stateside international cyclocross races are here to stay. Let's hope so!
With temps soaring around 90 degrees riders and the best riders in the world in attendance, World Cup #2 in Waterloo, WI was quite literally a barn burner! The course was super dry and fast, and the pace was blistering.
"I've raced in Europe when it's dry, but never this hot. I'm looking forward to some cooler temperatures and mud. I tend to race a bit better in those conditions," stated Jamey Driscoll. He would finish 38th on the day.
When asked about the U.S. versus European World Cup courses Jamey said, "It really comes down to the weather. Any course can be tough and challenging when it's muddy. I've raced on dry courses in Europe and it's the same as here (in the U.S.). Rain and mud make all the difference. Let's hope for more of that for the rest of the season."
Next up for Jamey is the KMC CrossFest in Thompson, CT., a race he placed second in last year.
Course conditions report from Head Mechanic James Sullivan:
There's not much to the Cross Vegas course. 95% grass so the riders want a fast tire, but the corners can get slick so front end traction can be important if you're not careful. Most riders go for our LAS tire at Cross Vegas.
The World Cup track in Waterloo was rock hard and bumpy. With some exposed rocks and rough transition Jamey was bottoming out the rim with lower pressure.
Tire Selection and Pressure
Cross Vegas
Laurel Rathbun
Front: MXP / 24 psi
Rear: LAS / 24 psi
Lance Haidet
Front: LAS / 24 psi
Rear: LAS / 25 psi
Telenet UCI Trek CXC World Cup
Jamey Driscoll
Front: MXP / 27 psi
Rear: MXP / 29 psi
Donnelly Professional Cycling Team Sponsors
Pivot Cycles
Team Schedule
Rochester Cyclocross – Rochester, NY
Jingle Cross World Cup – Iowa City, IO
CrossVegas – Las Vegas, NV
Trek CXC World Cup – Waterloo, WI
KMC CrossFest – Thompson, CT
West Sacramento Grand Prix – Sacramento, CA
Charm City Cross – Baltimore, MD
US Open of Cyclocross – Boulder, CO
Derby City Cup – Louisville, KY
Pan Am Championships - Louisville, KY
Major Taylor CX – Indianapolis, IN
CXLA – Los Angeles, CA
Ruts N Guts CX – Broken Arrow, OK
USA National Championships – Reno, NV
UCI World Championships – Valkenburg-Limburg, NED