Preseason - Hammer Nutrition

FROM OUR ATHLETES
Cyclocross
2012
Squeezing the last drop
out of the shoulder season
BY PHIL GROVE, Hammer staffer and sponsored MTB/'cross rider
Imight be behind the times in saying that cyclocross is a great
way to stay fit “in between” seasons. One look around the
pits at a Seattle ‘cross race this past fall confirmed that for
a lot of racers, this is their season. Eager riders show up by
the hundreds with their Belgian Abbey-aged tubular tires
mounted on flashy carbon wheels, B-bikes, stickered-up sprinter
vans, and an intensity rarely seen at an August road race.
Cyclocross—once the off-season folly of many road and mountain
bike racers—has taken center stage in America and especially in
the Pacific Northwest, and it is here to stay.
Above: The author appreciates a new, lighter weight Cannondale ‘cross
bike and the effects of Hammer Gel Espresso during the Washington State
CX 2012 Championships. Photo : Dennis Crane Photography
Below: Chaos ensues on the course, but Hammer-fueled Miles Frank stays
calm, cool, and collected at Rolling Thunder CX. Photo : Leah Prickett
The proof of this explosion can be seen all across the map, with
800 dedicated amateurs showing up on Sundays in Seattle,
more than 1,200 in Portland, and hundreds more in dozens of
other cities across the U.S. Within each crop of young riders
coming up through the ranks, a few have mastered the local
mud and moved on to great success on the national and even
international scene. One such group of youngsters that we have
been honored to work with is Hammer Nutrition-sponsored Rad
Racing Northwest; they’ve been in the business of getting young
riders on the podium since 1998! Several of their riders have
- continued on page 37
36 Feb/Mar : Issue 83