Jeremy bestowed an afternoon of conversation upon us while he was fighting a head cold as he prepared himself for a new season on the road with the Jelly Belly squad at the team camp in California. He was not in a malaise but in a surprisingly chipper mood as his congested but clearly jovial tone permeated my cell phone. His energy was clearly present and his humor was what we have come to know through his ‘Behind the Barriers’ webisodes – wry with a professional wit. He eloquently made his way through a wonderfully passionate conversation about his thoughts on the cyclocross scene in the US, Nationals, and even Worlds. Conversing with the US National CX Champion was akin to listening to Superman talk about how flying is fun: he’s as charismatic as he is a straight shooter. Here are some of his thoughts of what it is to fly as the observer, racer, and professional of our sport.

Jeremy Powers - USA Cycling Cyclocross National Champion

“Every year cross grows so much: it’s a great community of people, and has excellent support behind it. All of this attention, every media piece and blog post, is great for the sport!” – Jeremy Powers

Did you expect that Nationals would unfold the way that it did – not just your win, but with such a powerful performance from your team with Zach McDonald?
As much as the race looked very tactical, especially after Zach’s first lap, I didn’t expect for him to be in the race. Zach rode great. Before the event, I tried to guide him, in terms of tactics. The pro race tends to go off in spurts, one rider up front, then the next, and back again. We let Ryan [Trebon] take the initiative to attack, and it worked out. Zach rode an excellent race and he came back from a big crash, and he benefitted from us playing games. Overall it did make it [the racing] less stressful. Zach rode the race of his life to come back to where we were.

Do you feel that you and your team represent the proverbial ‘changing of the guard’ from the Jonathan Page, Ryan Trebon, and Tim Johnson era?
You look at every ten years and you see the changing of the guard, you see that in every cycling generation. I’m 28 and you see the gap ahead of me – one group finishing, one group ahead, and one generation behind. Jonathan [Page] himself may admit he is part of the group that is a generation behind. He is part of the history of this sport and people are going to remember that he went to Europe to live there and be part of the sport. There is a ton of respect that everyone has for his level of accomplishment. You look at Zach, and he’s racing ahead of his generation, he’s a bit beyond that gap, ahead of his time. I’ve got a lot of great years left and I’m focusing on those greater goals.

Jeremy excuses himself as he has a minor coughing fit, and then expounds on the idea that the younger generation is coming out in full force and showing some extreme talent – his admiration for his teammate is apparent. It was a natural segue to ask him about his thoughts of the state of cyclocross for the newer generation of U23 racers.

How do you feel the sport is progressing for junior racers into professional cyclocross?
There is a lot of work to do – it is certainly growing and becoming more popular. It has a long way to go. There are lots of guys switching to road [racing] after the season is over. There needs to be awareness, amateur programs, and a clear totem pole – you start as an amateur, then to a national program, and then to a European program. There has to be an awareness to work on the next generation of riders, and look at the races on the calendar and how that plays into their progress.

Current pros aren’t challenged by the majority of [CX] courses in the US. It’s our version of cyclocross and I don’t knock it in any way, but for the younger generation, we need to continually challenge them. We have to make the courses more difficult. Spectators come to watch something very difficult. I am so grateful for what we have and what we do for US courses, but I am looking at the future of the sport.

Mountain bike racing is the greatest thing in the world, but it cannibalized itself. It didn’t grow with TV – who knows what led to that downfall, it didn’t go out on good terms. Cyclocross grows with web streams, it must have another baby step towards, like the totem pole analogy, towards more mass media like TV. It has to make that progression. I hope it doesn’t eat itself.

Aggressively taking the lead for the ultimate winning move

What were your thoughts about the Nationals course? Was it worthy?
Definitely a difficult course! The climbing made it very hard, the ruts made it difficult. It was a medium course – had it been colder or muddier, it would’ve been much more difficult. It wouldn’t have been as challenging as some other courses. Everybody’s legs suffered on those two climbs though. It was plenty hard and had a lot of features that a lot of cyclocross courses should have. Did it have some sections with room for improvement? Sure, but it didn’t have a lot of risk versus reward sections.

Jeremy explains that he prefers to have a course where he knows there is a great risk that rewards greatly in terms of finding the fastest outcome out of a risky situation. He gets into the tactical part of his ability to find the Achilles’ heel of a course to take advantage of it when most others won’t risk the line, corner or obstacle, thereby turning it into a reward when he can capitalize on a gap that wouldn’t have existed without taking the risk no one else could.

The best still came to the top on that course. You want a course that challenges the riders’ fitness as much as their technique. I was happy with what I had. If it was icy and nasty, that could have been worse, and the corners would’ve still been rideable – they did well with not knowing what type of weather they would get.

Why has cyclocross become such a great grassroots attraction?
Because it’s fun! I think, overwhelmingly, people have a good time at CX events. The atmosphere is exciting. At a road race there isn’t a bonfire or a beer tent – ‘cross is more like tailgating. You finish your race and it’s an event more than it’s a race. “Man I can go hard for an hour and then have fun!” If you want to race your category you have that option to race and then see the pros. Road racing is a different beast and it attracts a different person. It’s the expectations that people have – people want to have a good time, it’s not reinventing the wheel – it’s awesome.

How is your experience with the prolific sponsorship of both Rapha and Focus?
Everyone cares about the program – that is key. They have a sincere interest in the program, and that is the best type of relationship you can have. If someone owns a local business, and they have that excitement and pride, and then they leave it for someone else to run, it’s not as exciting. The president of Focus USA and the General Manager of Rapha are hanging out in the pits at these races! These are the people running these companies and they make the decisions, and they are a part of it the team. When you see the autograph signing, the ‘Behind the Barriers’, the pre-race, the race, the win or the upset – you can really justify your investment.

Jeremy receives congratulations from Focus CEO, Scott Rittschof

Focus and Rapha have a passion for racing. They are showcasing what cycling is about and they really bring that out, keeping it fun, and they instill that value into the company. That’s why they reached out to me in the first place – this is who we are as a company and we want a racer that’s serious, but has a passion of the sport. Being serious in racing and enjoyment of the sport, they go hand in hand.

We are obviously biased towards SRAM, being a Chicago contingent and all – what professional feedback do you have?
I love SRAM! I look at their dedication to the sport, specifically cyclocross, and I love being able to ride such a solid product. SRAM as a company is amazing, I love the ability I have to…

At this point in our conversation, Jeremy has a “WTF?!” moment as a cat apparently freaks out around him while he’s on the phone. He laughs it off and I’m on the other end wondering exactly what the heck just happened. He explains his mom’s cat saw a neighbors cat on the porch and went crazy, and with that, he gracefully goes back to SRAM talk.

…improve the product through feedback. They bring a lot to the table. I have not broken a shifter or derailleur all season long! No broken frames either! The Focus Mares Is a really great bike and overall a solid machine. The equipment’s ability to shine in awful conditions – it says a lot about the products we’re using and it’s a real testament to not just SRAM but all of our sponsors.

What is your favorite Rapha gear?
The Classic Softshell Jacket. It’s the most versatile piece of clothing I own. You can use it in a twenty degree variation either which way. Which is very useful and of course just looks great too. Everyone should have a great jacket.

What is the best heckle you’ve heard?
I don’t really love heckling. When it’s an insulting thing, or gets personal, attacking integrity – then it is not acceptable. I’m all for free speech, we want the cross clash, and have a rivalry and have a real sport. I’m just a regular guy that races cross bikes, if you know you overstepped the boundary in a heckle then it’s a line not to be crossed. If I get heckled about my girlfriend or called a doper… That just crosses the line for me. I’m adamantly against doping and about clean racing and that’s just an attack on my integrity. People should be creative and heckle funny stuff. Feel free to heckle, but when you go for personal attacks, that’s going too far. There have been so many [bad heckles] that it soured my taste. I hope that it doesn’t make me sound like a jerk, but where does the line get drawn? Sometimes when there is something funny, if I can hear it and identify with it, I’ll laugh. Sometimes you only remember the ones that hit home that left such a sour taste.

Do you get star struck moments when you meet some of your racing heroes?
I have a lot of respect with all the guys I race against. I know the realities of the sport, and I don’t have a lot of ‘oh my god’ moments. That was a huge mental change for me in the last couple of years. I used to be mentally beat before the race, but I gained a level of confidence from racing in Europe. I have enough palmares to remind myself that I belong there. I don’t get fanned out, but we don’t have a real relationship (with the racers in Europe). US cyclocross is different than European cyclocross. I have a lot of respect for what Europeans do, and I hope that they give a lot of respect [to us].

As a DJ – who would you like to open for?
Ahh man, I don’t know! There are so many DJs I’d love to open for! I think it would be fun to open a really big cyclocross race up with music and a superstar DJ – who knows when cyclocross in the USA will get to that level. but If I could be on the turntables before I started my event, I think that would be one of the coolest ways I could ever represent my sponsors!

Determination of a winner

I stepped carefully into the next question about Worlds. A week after Worlds, I felt shy about asking the almost obligatory question for an interview like this about Jeremy’s experience. It was shyness out of respect for someone who I could only assume to be as introspective as I am after any performance that could be scrutinized. The World stage was both huge and personal at the same time.

Do you feel you were best prepared for Worlds?
I did train a lot for it. I did a lot of specific training – intervals in the middle of intervals. An interval with 20 second max intervals inside of an effort to get a taste of that type of intensity that was specific to that event. I took 30 seconds off my lap time as a result. I lost a majority of the time in the first few laps. Unfortunately, the trip didn’t go that well. I had a head cold, and in general my trip to Europe this time around was hard.

I want people to know that I wanted more than what I put out and I looked at it [the results of the laps and all] and I was pissed. I analyzed it [my performance] with my coach. They [UCI race officials] pulled me, and did so when it wasn’t true or real to what happened out there. You see the time gap, and the leaders took 3 minutes and 30 seconds out of me, and they pulled me?

Jeremy has a somber tone and definitely reflective of the true competitor of the most elite level. He pauses after his last statement, and with such a professional aplomb, led into this next statement.

It’s up to me to do a better job. I want to be the best ‘crosser I can be. I’m 28 and I analyze everything. I learn from my mistakes, my coach, and I have the opportunity with Louisville [UCI Worlds 2013] that I can make a big leap for US cyclocross racing. I put that pressure on – we all put that pressure on, we should all be expecting more from ourselves – it’s not just racing for ourselves but for our country.

Will you keep the ‘Behind the Barriers’ webisodes going during your road season?
They were cool to keep it going but it’s [road racing] really not the same type of event. In cyclocross you have to really walk around and keep the vibe of the event. It’s a lot easier than a road race [where] it doesn’t have the same type of excitement. I don’t see myself going down that same type of release with ‘Behind the Barriers’, but we may have some irons in the fire. [The episodes] are dependent on the sponsors and if people are interested in seeing them.

We had a laugh about Bart Wellens and his reality show. Jeremy says that a lot of European racers are watching his [Bart’s] show, and that it’s even cooler that some Europeans have said they watch the ‘Behind the Barriers’ webisodes. All ‘ten Europeans’ he states and has a good laugh at the great divide of the public interest in reality TV on Wellens in Europe versus US cyclists.

It really has served its purpose, more people are looking at cyclocross results and racing. If people have gone out and bought a cyclocross bike and raced, as a result of watching the show and if that happened to five people, then it was worth it. It helps build momentum, it’s a fun thing to showcase. The stuff you see is real. You putting yourself [out] there and people want to see it.

What are you final thoughts before you head to Jelly Belly camp?
It’s about having a good time, and keeping it fun!

How sweet it is indeed - JPOW!

We thanked Jeremy for his time, especially given the coughing circumstances – he was not only professional about it, but genuinely spirited to share his insight and feedback on the sport that our friends participate in as amateurs seeking the same qualified glory. The sport is slowly gaining recognition and traction as a legitimate professional cycling avenue, and it is because of riders just a few generations before Jeremy that have paved this route for him to carry the challenge. He has proven equal valor in continuing the journey on that route all the while reminding us to keep it as enjoyable as we can, and along with him, we hope to keep the tradition of fun alive in cyclocross. Many Chicagoans who have met, worked, and supported Jeremy at the races have all shared the same thoughts – he’s a true champion of the sport, and an absolute blast to be around. Here’s to 2013 Jeremy!

All Photo Credits: Amy Dykema

We have come to expect that the off-road racing scene has a more lax atmosphere, thereby, making it a more accessible arena to get up close and personal with our cycling heroes. In spite of the meteoric rise of the cyclocross sport across the country, the pro level has remained consistently approachable and eager to share the excitement with their fans. There is even a spectacular showing of the younger elite crowd that were once overshadowed by the masters elite group and now forcefully taking the front of the group and perhaps the reins of the sport.

This younger generation is the next bastion of fun and vigor that are taking the sport into new depths of skill and speed. We are confident that soon riders such as Zach McDonald, from the prolific Rapha-Focus Cyclocross squad, will become the bane of the elite Euro cyclocross racer. There is an energy that exists in cyclocross that is greatly exemplified by the youthful spirt and talent from Rapha-Focus, and it is indeed why we line the barriers, toll The Bonebell, and devote our personal lives to the sport – for the glimpse of talents that blow by in front of us in the mud-ladened courses could be the talents we speak of for generations to come.

Zach McDonald - Nationals Race Face

Thanks to the humbleness and grassroots approach of the cyclocross sport – we were fortunate to have been introduced to Zach McDonald through his team management at Rapha-Focus. They had sparked our immediate interest via our love of the elan-inducing Rapha name and its association with a jubilant star and incredible pro talent of Jeremy Powers onboard the Focus rockets that have become a fashion signature in the cyclocross US scene. Zach is not just a young gun on the squad, but an integral team member that showed style with his winning attitude as a U23 class rider, and as a veteran-smashing elite racer when it counted most. Zach is the future of the US cyclocross elite and we asked a few questions to see what is behind it all. Here is the excerpt from a set of interview questions we posed specifically to Zach – we have more questions we will be publishing on a separate date in conjunction with an interview with his teammate.

Tearing into the lead at the start!

After your roller-coaster start in the Elite race at Nats, you torched laps 2-4. Did you think you were going to catch that lead group and be a major factor in the race like you did?
I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen. I knew my legs felt good so I more or less just went hard and tried to see how long I could hold the pace for and how far I could move up. At that point in the race I really had nothing to lose so I put all of my cards on the table and just let it unfold.

You are known to be one of the best bike handlers on the North American cross circuit. Where did those skills come from? Where did you learn the wheelie that is quickly becoming your trademark? And do you have barrier hopping in your bag of tricks?
I think a lot of my handling comes from when I was just getting into cycling. I loved downhill and really wanted to race but we didn’t have too many races in the northwest at that point. I tried to ride as much as possible and got a chunk of days in cruising runs at whistler on a 5 and 5 trail bike. I never really thought twice about running the hardest runs on the mountain with the bike which made me pay close attention to line choice, especially since I’ve always loved going fast. When you’re ripping through a rock garden and make a mistake on a 5 inch bike, you pay for it more than a full blown downhill bike. I was always riding over my head and pushing myself to go faster and be smoother. I think helped a ton with line choice, speed and confidence. Now I’ve mellowed out on the downhill bike a bit but I still get out there and it definitely helps with line selection and just being confident going into corners at speed and nailing braking points. As far as the wheelie goes, my buddy and I always tried to see who could wheelie the furthest when we were kids, and he usually came out on top; I can get him now though, and yes, barrier hopping is in my bag of tricks but I rarely use it, it’s rarely fast enough to justify the risk.

How familiar with a course do you need to be before you can really let go and brake late in the right lines? Do you need a few runs on the course to dial in the tough sections, or is it mostly a fly by wire thing for you?
You just need to be comfortable with the conditions and the corner. How long that takes varies for everyone including myself, if there is solid traction and fairly basic corners than just a lap usually works. The more I’ve raced the less prep time on courses I’ve needed to get them more or less dialed. That being said, there are always places where you can corner faster, the possibilities are endless.

Zach - powering in the back half.

What advice do you give the juniors who look up to you and want to go down the path of professional cyclocross racing?
Well, I wouldn’t really say that I’ve quite made it down the path of “professional cyclocross racing” yet since I’m still a student, but make sure it’s fun and keep an open mind. If you aren’t having fun at some point of it then why bother. It’s important to remember that everyone is different and others might approach their racing and just life in general differently than you, if their approach doesn’t sit well with you and takes the fun out of it then keep doing it your way. The whole time I’ve been racing everyone has told me that my approach to racing won’t work or I need to do this or not do this and yeah, some of it might make me a little faster here and there (and the rest are old myths and the like) but it’s important to be able to be able to decipher what works for you as a rider. What works for one person doesn’t always work for another. I can’t even count how many times people have told me that a line I want to take in a corner or through a rough patch will be slow or impossible until I hit it and they realized it was faster. Sometimes you try it though and it doesn’t work out, but if you never tried you wouldn’t know. That and stay in school, seriously, cycling won’t last your whole life. It never hurts to plan for the future.

We see you are studying Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Washington. How do you balance racing and studies?
I’m currently (possibly only temporarily) out of the Aero program and into the business program due to a handful of reasons. The school and cycling balance is a delicate one but a good one. They each can hurt each other at times but it keeps me balanced and it keeps me on track. If I did just one or the other I would have to fill the void left by the absence of the other with something anyway. Training is no problem as well, the only thing that can get in the way is travelling. In my ten week quarter this year I flew roughly 45000 miles and was on the road 30 of the 70 days and didn’t miss a single class. So far I’m happy with how I’ve balanced it, the only thing that gets me is that I can’t get myself to work on plane flights, I can’t retain anything I read on a plane. More or less any poor grades can be put on my shoulders since for me it’s more of a question right now of finding something to study that I’m motivated to learn about. I’ve pulled 4.0’s in race seasons and I’ve pulled 3.5’s for me it’s really just about being engaged in the subjects I’m learning about.

Here at the Bonebell we are dirtbags – a name we coined for those who prefer to ride off-road. Can you tell me a little about how you think a roadie approaches cyclocross differently than a dirtbag? Does that difference even matter?
A roadie is like a drag racer, tons of power but hard to turn where the mountain biker tends to be more like a rally car where it has the handling but might need a bit of engine work to keep up with the drag racer on the straights.

What is your favorite MTB trail?
I don’t get on the mountain bike too often anymore but I used to run this sequence of trails at Whistler all day when I had my season pass: Original Sin to Goats Gully to In Deep to D1 to Upper Whistler Downhill to Lower Joyride to Heart of Darkness.

What are 5 tracks that you have been listening to recently on your iPod?
5? I tried to narrow it down to 5 and got to around 15ish…it rotates quite a bit depending on how quickly I’m bringing in new stuff but here’s what it’s been recently in no particular order:
I.D.G.A.F.O.S. – Dillon Francis
Blood Theme – DatA
Off to the Races & Video Games (DSTRYD Moombahton Edit) & Blue Jeans (Club Clique ‘Nothing Is Real’ Remix) Lana Del Rey
Fire Hive – Knife Party
Lofticries – Purity Ring
Not So Funny (Indo Silver Club Remix) – Sawgood
Novacane/Nostalgia Ultra – Frank Ocean
Make it Nasty & Rack City – Tyga
Sonata Rabidus III – b.hantoot
Smile Back & Donald Trump – Mac Miller
Dance Yrself Clean – LCD Soundsystem
Mr. Me Too – Clipse
Last Man Standing – Asher Roth
Trouble On My Mind – Pusha T

Zach McDonald - U23 National Champion 2012!

It was apparent that Zach gets into a groove musically as much as he found the groove on the race course ruts of the CX Nationals course – he won the U23 category on Saturday, January 7th in a commanding lead. Zach brings the prowess of downhill mountain bike handler to the powerful speed of CX racing in his own physical mash-up of a pro athlete on a bike. Speaking of which, his team manager made it a point to tell us about his off-racing activity of doing exactly ‘that’ with the music he loves.

We look forward to publishing the next interview finishing up Zach’s input from the CX Nationals course along with his team compatriot and Men’s Elite National Champion Jeremy Powers – Coming Soon!

All Photo Credits: Amy Dykema

That is exactly why The Bonebell is tolling for John Gatto for winning the Illinois State Championship in the Masters 30+ field.

Photo: Rachael Gatto

The Masters fields are littered with incredibly strong riders of every level and the lead roles played in every field, are generally the Category 1 racers from various disciplines. There is no denying that the Masters fields are as tenacious as the Cat 1/2 fields. This entire year the podium has been a rotating shift of Verdigris, The Pony Shop, and one lone privateer from Twin Six, John Gatto. We, at The Bonebell, have been following John’s career closely as by the spring and summer months, he’s tearing up the trails at the WORS and Illinois Homegrown MTB Series. We admire what John has been doing for both MTB and CX racing under the Twin Six Metal moniker representing the dirtbag spirit, but also being independent and supporting small frame builders by way of Form Cycles. John, is not alone in his endeavor as a privateer as his wife is also a fierce top competitor in the MTB scene. Together they have quietly dominated the toughest challenges across the midwest MTB racing scene, while raising a family and keeping to their busy work schedules.

The Twin Six team has provided John friends throughout his racing career, and the national network reminds him that he’s not alone when toes the line against the juggernauts of teams who have established presence and tactics. He takes on his challengers with a quiet and humble attack that hides a steely attitude and incredible technical grace. He is keen on his competitors and fits a training regiment in his schedule that keeps him honed on the podium finish. He appreciates the world of dirt as much, if not more, than we do – knowing that on the dirt, in every race, it’s you or your competitors. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

John isn’t just a fast privateer dirtbag – he’s also a huge advocate of getting younger riders on bikes, excelling their efforts through mentorships that aren’t published grandly, but silently succeeding – as he does – following through on conquering the dirt. He is a selfless individual who appreciates the laid back nature of the mountain biking scene as much as the tortuous 24 hour relay journey of a National Championship. We are proud to share a beer with our friend and are not surprised that our prediction was spot on.

I saw John spinning for his warm-up shortly before the Masters race – I told him that this was ‘his course’. He smiled coyly and agreed that it was a mountain bikers course indeed. I knew at the moment, this championship was his. I didn’t need to say it. All he had to do was come across 1st to fulfill the prophecy, and he did, exactly that.

Congratulations John Gatto – Twin Six METAL privateer – and Form Cycles rider.

Photo: Amy Dykema

Really the only news this week is the Palos Meltdown. We know you signed up, but why didn’t the rest of your crew. Pre reg has been down this year. For all the two wheeled dirt riders out there that know how great the Meltdown is, get out there and twist the throttle. For those that have never ridden the Meltdown course at full speed, this is your chance. Check in starts at 7:30. The course has not been officially released yet. Expect a short grassy loop to begin to string out the field before the singletrack. As we enter the singletrack it should remain that way for most of the rest of the course. Hurray, mas singletrack. Get that big ring spinnig though, you don’t want to loose any positions heading into the first section of trail. The bonebell crew will be out there bonebell in hand reminding you how much fun you are having.

IMAGINATION GLEN

It started all nice and hot, but the rain came halfway into the first lap and turned the perfect conditions into a slip and slide bonanza. No one was able to purchase any traction anywhere. The rain subsided almost as soon as it began, but the damage was done. For the remaining two laps the trail dried out amazingly well. But not well enough to keep the average falls per lap to around 5 times on the ground. I plowed through a corner at about 20mph and slide on the gravel for real nice patch on my calf. No real harm. Hopefully the junk in the cables and brake pads will be gone by next Sunday for the main event. A fifth place finish was a great reward in a race that was quite a victory in itself to even finish.

World Cup History

Aaron Gwin has ridden his way into the history books by becoming the first American to win the World Cup DH Title. There is one more race left on the calendar. However, his performances have been so rockin’, that his lead is insurmountable. The bonebell tolls for Aaron Gwin, he has blasted through the World Cups this year. Here’s to 2011 and many more to come. Check out Universal Sports Channel  or .com if you don’t have the channel. They have a lot of great coverage of most of these races so far. Really cool to watch those guys tear it up in my living room.

It was a beautiful day for a race in Michigan. Cold, but beautiful. Startline temps were not much into the 20′s, and with a significant wind all day, they never really felt like it warmed up much on the bike. The course was dry and fast, Sager Road was all things considered, very dry and very fast with minimal sand this year. El Maya cut 14 minutes off his time last year, and Stiggity  suffered through a crash littered, bottle losing, very hard fought 4 hour slog to finish the 65er. It was a day well spent in the woods with some great cheering sections, slow climbs and ripping fast descents. The Bonebell tolls for Eric Box (Nativo-Pg-Devinci) of Ontario, Canada, and Samantah Brode (Carbon Racing) of Akron, Ohio on their victories in the Elite Race. Chicago notables include our friend Brandon Elliot (Iron Cycles) winning his age group for the 35 miler, and David Sachs (Vision Quest Coaching) for a top 10 in the Elite race. Chicago did well in the races. We represented well with some really great finishes and more than a few podiums. Some of us (or at least me had a harder time on some of the climbs), but man o man is that a fun ride. It’s no joke of a course and it is relentless, so to do well there really means something. We’re excited to see so many of the Chicago contingent got out there for a great time on the bike.

We are already getting stoked for next year. Great job to Rick Plight and his crew for another fine event.

Here’s some great helmet cam footage of Mike Simonson getting the holeshot on Sager Road and what transpired in the Elite Race.

As we all know spring in Chicago can be a tumultuous time for the trails, so we decided to guarantee that we won’t get rained (or snowed) out and are going to kick off the first ride at Ray’s MTB park in Milwaukee! Unfortunately, I  have not had a chance to make it up to Ray’s myself yet, but have heard nothing but good things from my fellow dirt bags (in case you missed it, fellow Bonebeller Amy Weik wrote up an extensive review of Ray’s here). We are still ironing out the details, but for now the plan will be to meet locally by neighborhood and carpool up to Milwaukee for a day of riding. Details up here, on Facebook and the CAMBr website by the end of this week. Hope to see you there!

April 2nd – Ray’s MTB Park in Milwaukee

August 6th – Palos Forest Preserve

Questions? Email me!

]]> http://thebonebell.com/2011/03/16/chicago-womens-dirt-days-2011/feed/ 4 http://thebonebell.com/2011/02/18/have-courage/ http://thebonebell.com/2011/02/18/have-courage/#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:34:30 +0000 The Bonebell http://thebonebell.com/?p=2663 It’s no surprise that off-road cycling in Chicago has taken off in recent years thanks to the participation and focus of cyclocross. The reach and potential that the sport has for competitors is positively growing by leaps and bounds. The thrill of off-road cycling via bandit racing or new forms of recreation make it a great potential for Chicagoans to partake in given the natural landscape that parks and forest preserves have throughout the city. We, at The Bonebell, can provide the public a view into this often not well publicized world of cyclocross, however we also support and highlight local efforts to do the same and perhaps with even greater focus.

We recently caught up with our friends at Chicago.CX – a new venture into the world of cyclocross in Chicago at a passionate level with an eye on the true targets of raising the awareness of the sport. They are aligning their targets to the reality that the nation’s eyes will be on Chicago as the race community prepares itself for national and world class levels of racing. It’s not just writing articles on how awesome the sport is, but also pushing themselves deep into introspection as racers that are putting themselves out into the public eye – for you to view their trials and tribulations in finding success in often unforgiving sport, especially at the semi-pro to professional level. Currently the site is being managed by two local well known racers who are associated clearly with Courage Cycling, Mike Hemme and Jonathan Fairman. They have an additional teammate and representative of their site, now Chicagoan by way of Milwaukee, James LaLonde, of the famed LaLonde Brothers that Chicago dirtbags have grown to admire and aspire to be.


Photo: The Bonebell
Mike Hemme has been the flagship rider for Courage Bicycles in the midwest, racing their skinsuit and steel fury in the local cross races, and throughout the national USGP series, including the National Championship races in Bend, Oregon in 2009. He most recently caught an inspirational glimpse into the world of World Cup Championship level racing provided by the Germans at St. Wendel of what is considered the most incredible CX race of the year. Mike is a true dirtbag, not only excelling in cyclocross but also continually sharpening his skills as an Category 1 MTB racer for Half Acre Cycling in addition to this year, representing Twin Six. He is an affable individual who has an indelible sense of camraderie and is more often than not having fun heckling as much as he does racing.


Photo: Luke Seeman
Jonathan Fairman has a vision that is beyond the Courage skinsuit and bicycle he has been riding through last year. A family man who has found the time and dedication to give it his all weekend after weekend of racing is an individual that The Bonebell understand wholeheartedly. To dedicate himself further to making a brand be more than just a bicycle is an even greater task that he aims to reflect the brand’s title honestly, is courageous. Talking with Jonathan, it was clear that it’s not just about the passion of the bicycle or riding the bicycle that influences the need to create a website dedicated to a team, but to pursue the qualities of why its important to promote the sport and what people find most captivating about the sport. Everyone loves to hear the herculean effort of the everyday Janes and Joes on the weekend, but few can relate to the tantamount effort of the few that beat themselves up at a near professional level while still maintaining a semblance of sanity in their daily lives, not to mention a full work week. In collaboration with Mike, Jonathan sees this as an opportunity to bring more than just a blog about racing but a call to help grow the sport, identify the challenge of representing Chicago in the upcoming National races, and calling everyone out to recognize the looming World Championships over the midwest in 2013.

There will be various articles relating to the many things we already are fond of, and even a more exclusive view of the business and local trades that are currently doing their all to promote the bicycles they serve, build, and love. It is an effort to not be an exclusive race team blog, but a medium for the public to consume and participate in, and encourage further involvement in the sport. The cyclocross sport needs this. It needs focus, especially with the upcoming national and global attention the midwest will recieve, the bell is being tolled early in the year and necessarily to call upon the dirtbags to see the vitality of the sport through a well focused lens. We applaud Chicago.CX and look forward to seeing their efforts grow large and that their own racing endeavors be as successful as their integrity. Have courage indeed.

]]> http://thebonebell.com/2011/02/18/have-courage/feed/ 0 http://thebonebell.com/2011/01/28/the-bonebell-crew-2011/ http://thebonebell.com/2011/01/28/the-bonebell-crew-2011/#comments Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:36:40 +0000 The Bonebell http://thebonebell.com/?p=2527 Few of you have followed us since 2007, we thank you as always for your continued support and interest. For those that are new to us and are part of our growing audience – we’d like to take the time to introduce ourselves and our new additions to The Bonebell Crew. Collectively we will be capturing off-road cycling life, aka ‘dirtbaggin’, in Chicago by way of feature articles, product reviews, editorials, and interviews. We are all approachable and enthusiastic and welcome your opinions and ideas of how to continue to promote dirtbaggin’ in our city. We look forward to giving you great things to read and opportunities to participate with the dirtbaggin’ community.

Paolo Urizar (El Maya)

Photo: Amy Dykema
Paolo has been dirtbaggin’ since he first learned to ride a BMX bike along Chicago’s lakefront in the early ’80s. When he met Brian Parker and Dave Norton, the three of them knew they had to spread the gospel and goodwill of dirtbaggin’ to Chicago lest anyone forgot that riding a mountain bike is one of the greatest escapes available providing more than just a sporty challenge, but renewing the sense of belonging to nature and the outdoors. Notable accomplishments have been creating the Mountain Bike Program for xXx Racing-AthletiCo in 2006 and as Director of the Juniors Development Program from 2008-2010.
Paolo will be racing as a privateer but also in representation of the famed dirtbaggin’ stylists better known as Twin Six for 2011. Paolo will be concentrating on his major love of endurance mountain biking throughout the year culminating into his other love of Cyclocross in the fall/winter season.

Brian Parker (Stiggity)

Photo: Michael Young
Brian raced mountain bikes competitively for his college team at Ferris State in Michigan. Already a fierce competitor with a wrestling background, Brian’s calm demeanor belies his intense racing focus. Brian has been the director of the Mountain Bike Program from 2007-2010 for xXx Racing-AthletiCo. He was a member of the Elite Development Program from 2009-2010, and his hard work has garnered him a spot on the team’s Elite Squad for 2011. In fact, he’s the only dirtbag on the Elite Squad who almost exclusively does off-road races. Brian is known as the ‘human GPS’ for his incredible ability to recollect trail systems and roads with an astuteness matched only by Garmin. Brian will be focusing on increasing his competitive edge to compete as a Category 1 Mountain Biker and as a Category 2 Cyclocross racer for 2011.

Dave Norton (Nevada Dave)

Photo: Mike Campbell
Dave Norton is a seasoned veteran, to say the least, in the world of competitive dirtbaggin’. An accomplished racer at all levels of XC mountain biking from short distance to 24 hour racing, and not a shabby racer at cyclocross in his off-season. His most notable accomplishment also highlights his youthful and adventurous soul, of trekking across the United States by bike on a solo journey. Dave is the fella everyone learns a thing or two about inner peace and hardcore competition in beautiful balance. Dave is taking a break from racing almost entirely in 2011, using his time to work towards preaching the dirtbag gospel at charity rides, group rides, and getting more people involved on dirt bikes by way of example. Look for new feature articles by Dave that will focus on his solo trek across the country in addition to his thoughts on the greatness of life by bike.

Greg Heck (DaDoubleG)

Photo: Nikki Cyp
Greg Heck has been ardent supporter and volunteer extraordinaire for the cyclocross racing community. He has led one of the most successful season starting races in the history of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup by way of thoughtful organization and extensive knowledge of course design. He was the founder of the Cyclocross Program on the xXx Racing-Athletico squad and led the team to continued recognition for involvement in the cyclocross community. Greg will be racing for the juggernaut cyclocross powerhouse Pony Shop team for 2011. In addition to his cyclocross love, he will be participating in some seriously long foot races and events throughout the spring and summer along with his dirtbaggin’ routine to prep him for his goal of CX National Championships this coming season. Greg has a great love of delicious plates and brews that he will be bringing to the site this year in a new feature to bring a different flavor to our readers.

Julia Daher (Julia Goolia)

Photo: Nikki Cyp
Julia Daher is one of the strongest up and coming racers in both mountain biking and cyclocross in the midwest. She took the womens field by storm in her rookie year taking wins and podiums spots handily in every event she entered, all the while focusing on her studies at medical school! Julia provides the interviews and articles for women racers to be noted and to incorporate a diverse viewpoint of female athleticism in Chicago. She is continuing her studies this year and will be looking forward to providing more guidance on the Women’s Trail Days this year, training and racing her MTB in the summer and of course, continuing the dirtbag theme through cyclocross. She will be racing proudly for Johnny Sprockets in 2011.

Amy Weik (A-Dub)

Photo: Luke Seeman
Amy’s roots in cycling are deep, not only through her family, of which founded the Apple Cider Century, but through her own dedication and participation in racing and promoting mountain bike racing in the midwest. She was involved with helping build trails and maintain the website for the DINO race series in the 90s. She has participated in just about every type of mountain bike race and cyclocross race available in the midwest, and now most recently, an indoor MTB bike park. Amy will be providing articles with her added perspective to the dirtbaggin’ scene overall. Amy will be racing ‘The Bonebell’ colors exclusively for 2011!

Amy Dykema (Velogrrl)

Photo: Christine Czarnecki
When Amy first saw a mountain bike, it was knobby love at first sight. She has been photographing cyclocross and MTB racing at the national, regional and local level. For the past few years she has been team leader for the Clif Bar Midwest MTB team. She has been racing the WORS series (several time WORShead), the WEMS series, and events such as Chequamegon, Fall Color Festival, Iceman, and the Chicago Cross Cup. For 2011 she will be racing MTB and cyclocross for Half Acre Cycling. We are proud to have Amy onboard as our photographer at large to contribute her awesome skills to show you great shots of the scene.

]]> http://thebonebell.com/2011/01/28/the-bonebell-crew-2011/feed/ 0 http://thebonebell.com/2010/12/21/usa-cycling-awards-3-chicago-teams/ http://thebonebell.com/2010/12/21/usa-cycling-awards-3-chicago-teams/#comments Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:30:04 +0000 The Bonebell http://thebonebell.com/?p=2477 The number of cycling clubs and teams in Chicago has grown considerably in the last five years. Teams have been born out of each other, have become more focused on specific disciplines or programs, and the City has become better for having these options. The amount of enthusiasm that has been displayed is evident in the growing number of cyclists and the opportunities that exist for cycling participation. It is not too much of a surprise that all these activities and opportunities garnered great honors by the USA Cycling organization recently. Chicago won not one, not two, but three – Club of the Year – awards for clubs that represented the ideals of a solid program that made a significant impact by providing cycling opportunities not only to its members but providing outreach to those who were not a cycling athlete previously. We are happy to see this happen, especially considering that this is a national praise that highlights Chicago as a viable community to represent cycling.

We congratulate xXx Racing-AthletiCo for winning the Division I club honors, Half Acre Cycling for winning the Division II club honors, and Bouledoge Tout Noir for Track Specific honors. Every team that won – also have participants, usually fervent, in the dirtbag community. Including ourselves in The Bonebell crew. Paolo Urizar has cared for the Junior Development Program for xXx Racing for several years and has learned a lot about the skills necessary to congeal a successful bond between children and bicycles. Brian Parker has been a prominent dirtbagger (who first coined the phrase in fact) on the xXx Racing-AthletiCo team ensuring that strong development programs don’t forget about dirtbaggin’ as a serious sport. Greg Heck has kept the torch lit for cyclocross for many years on the xXx Racing-AthletiCo program, making it the most successful and profitable race campaign in the history of xXx Racing-AthletiCo. Julia Daher has represented Johnny Sprockets with her keen dirtbaggin’ abilities by also being a conduit and proponent to getting more women on bikes by collaborating with Half Acre Cycling in achieving those goals. It is obvious we have close ties with the clubs we praise, but make no mistake – we support every single team in the city that moves towards the same goal of increasing opportunities for cycling athletes of all levels, especially dirtbaggin’.

Teams are necessary to the growth and vitality of the cycling community – they present opportunities to their members and in turn, become a resourceful group to provide means to promote racing, volunteer efforts, and enhance the community they represent. We, at The Bonebell, have walked a fine line in representing the teams we ride for, and showcasing Chicago’s dirtbaggin’. This is made easier by reminding ourselves the reason why we dirtbag – we love to. Period. Everyone at The Bonebell has an immeasurable love of off-road cycling that most of us can’t be swayed in the least to attempt a true road race. There are teams and other news outlets for that – and we praise them much the same because again, our objective is the same. Increase the opportunity for someone to swing a leg over a bike.

This is a good segue to the following closing thought. People in the racing community talk about the upcoming changes to the rosters, switches in teams, alliances, new team formations, etc. We are glad to see it no matter the change – change is good. The Bonebell crew has been quite introspective in the past few weeks of who is racing for who and for what reasons and if some of us will ever race again. All of it ends like this – we don’t care as much for who we ride for as long as we’re having fun doing it and can unequivocally and unabashedly support ‘any’ team that promotes dirtbaggin’. The only alliances here, are with dirtbags and people who aren’t dirtbags yet – which is everyone.

We’ll give more details soon enough about The Bonebell crew, for now, have another beer and pat yourself in the back for being a dirtbag in Chicago.

You are all superstars in our book – seriously.


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