EuroCrossCamp IX Roster

EuroCrossCamp IX
2011-2012

5 Clif Bar Devo Team Riders!

Juniors (14)
Andrew Dillman; Fairdale, KY; Bob’s Red Mill Cyclocross Team
Zane Godby; Louisville CO; Clif Bar Cyclocross Development Team
Curtis White; Duanesburg NY; Clif Bar Cyclocross Development Team
Tobin Ortenblad; Santa Cruz CA; California Giant-Specialized
Logan Owen; Bremerton WA; Redline Bicycles
Jordan Cullen; Hudson WI; Clif Bar Cyclocross Development Team
Cypress Gorry; Payson AZ; Whole Athlete-Specialized
Lionel Rocheleau; Waukesha WI; Team Geargrinder
Luke Haley; Louisville KY; Red Zone Cycling Team
John Francisco; Louisville KY; Red Zone Cycling Team
Sam O’Keefe; Baltimore MD; C3/Athletes Serving Athletes
Nate Morse; Cohasset MA; cyclocrossworld.com
Stephen Bassett; Knoxville TN; Bob’s Red Mill Cyclocross Team
Spencer Downing; Boulder CO; Clif Bar Cyclocross Development Team

U23 (4)
Yannick Eckmann; Boulder, CO; Pearl Izumi/Shimano
Zach McDonald; Bainbridge Island, WA; Rapha-Focus
Dan Gerow; Grosse Pointe Farms, MI; Wolverine/ACFSTORES.COM
Kolben Preble; Forest Grove OR; Clif Bar Cyclocross Development Team

Elite (2)
Ryan Trebon; Bend OR; LTS/Felt
Jake Wells; Avon CO; Stan’s No Tubes Elite Cyclocross Team

Jingle Cross Rock

Jingle Cross is one of my favorite racing weekends all year, especially the Friday night race!

I had a pretty good start on Friday. I was able to hit the front early on and had a pretty good gap going up Mount Krumpit. With the gap growing the rest of the race, I was able to come in solo for the finish. I was super happy to have won the night race and I was really looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

One of the major changes to the course on Saturday was they threw in a tricky decent that everyone had to run down. The rest of the course mostly remained unchanged. I had another good start and got to the front early. I opted to ride up Mount Krumpit on the first lap while Jeff Kluck ran. Running seemed much quicker and on the way down I also ran. I got a small gap running down the hill, and I attacked hard here and got a gap of about 20 seconds for the next 2 laps. Jeff kept me super close up until 2 to go when I ran up and down Mount Krumpit as hard as I could. Once I got a comfortable gap I was careful not to push it too hard on certain parts of the course. I was able to solo in once again and I'm really glad I was able to win again!

Sunday's race was solidly muddy. I was planning on switching bikes often not only to get a clean ride, but because pitting was faster than riding out of the pit. I had a very good start and I was able to get the holeshot. I rode one of the muddier sections that most people were running and got a solid gap there. I continued to ride tempo while switching bikes every lap. I was able to solo in for the finish once again today. I am beyond pumped to repeat as a triple winner this year! I can't wait to come back here next year!

Cullen Repeats his 3-peat at Jingle Cross Rock

Jordan Cullen (Clif Bar Development) swept all 3 Cat 2 Men's races at Jingle Cross Rock in Iowa City this holiday weekend. It was a repeat performance from Thanksgiving weekend 2010. "Sandbagger" was a common cheer heard on Mt. Krumpit, but the 16-year old is not eligible to race the UCI elite race until 2013.

Conditions were warmish and dry on Friday night "under the lights". Saturday was cold, rainy, and slippery muddy. Sunday was cold, clear, and sticky muddy. Jordan rode clean races all 3 days, ridding himself of some of the minor bad luck he had last year.

Next up is the final USGP in Bend, OR in 2 weeks. Good luck Jordan!

Jordan signs with Chipotle Junior Development Team

We are proud to announce Jordan will be riding for the Chipotle Junior Development Team on the Road, starting next season. Headquartered in Texas, this is the premier Junior Development Team in the nation, boasting several past and current junior national champions. The team is run by Christian Williams, and is affiliated with Slipstream Sports in Colorado, which runs Pro continental Team Chipotle, and the ProTour Garmin/Cervelo Team.

For the past 3 seasons, the MBRC/Flanders team has been Jordan's home, and they were instrumental in helping him develop as a road racer, allowing him to reach this next level of racing. For that, we are very grateful.

Jordan's new team has big racing plans for next season which will include trips to USA Cycling Road and Track Nationals, and major races in the US, Canada, and Europe.

Congratulations Jordan! Great to see your hard work and dedication paying off.

Minnesota State Championships

I went into today's race hoping for some snow and crazy conditions. My wish was granted about mid-way through the day when it began to snow quite heavily. The snow wasn't heavy enough to make the course muddy, but it definitely made it slick.

I had a pretty good start and I was in the lead by the end of the first lap. The race quickly separated into a lead group of 2 consisting of myself and CJ Faulkner with Jesse Reints chasing.

Mid-way through the race, CJ got away from me and Jesse began closing in on me. With 3 laps to go Jesse was right behind me and CJ was 20 seconds up. I intentionally rode the next lap easy in preparation for an attempt to chase CJ down in the closing laps.

With 2 to go, CJ still had 20 seconds on me, so I began chasing really hard. I was taking a ton of risks in the closing laps trying to gain time anywhere I could. With 1 to go, the gap was still at 15 seconds. I started chasing even harder and at the top of the "Stairway to Heaven" CJ had 10 seconds on me. I shredded the decent after the run-up, hammered the road section, and took the barriers at full speed and I was able to catch CJ and barely hold him off.

I am really glad to have won this race, especially since I've been doing it since my first cross season. Kudos to CJ for the awesome competition at States!

Post MN State Champs Interview

Winner, Winner, Tofurkey Dinner

Jordan comes from behind to win the 2011 Minnesota State Cyclocross Elite Men's Race. Read all about it here: http://www.mcf.net/index.php/news/cyclocrossracing/131-wisconsonite-wins-faulkner-and-rinehart-are-mn-state-cx-champions

Invited to Europe!

This past Tuesday morning, Jordan got the much anticipated e-mail invite from Geoff Proctor to attend the exclusive EuroCross Camp in Belgium this December.

While Jordan's performances have been rock solid so far this year, he had angst due to poor performances at this past weekend's USGP in Louisville, KY, since they were key selection criteria.

While the official roster for Eurocross camp won't be released until next week, Facebook status updates have given a good indication of the other juniors across the nation that have been invited. They include 2 of Jordan's Clif Bar Devo teammates Zane Godby and Curtis White, as well as team manager, Mitch Hoke.

According to Facebook, at least 11 juniors have been invited to EuroCross Camp including: Jordan Cullen and Lionel Rocheleau (WI), Zane Godby (CO), Curtis White (NY), Drew Dillman and Luke Haley (KY), Logan Owen (WA), Nate Morse (MA), Tobin Ortinblad (CA), Sam O'Keefe (MD), and Cypress Gorry (AZ).

Congratulations to Jordan and the rest of the American Juniors for achieving such a major milestone in their cycling careers!

Louisville USGP

I went down to Louisville this weekend for the Derby City Cup. I was hoping to have good results, but I knew that being sick would make that very tough.

On the first day I had a decent start, but no top end, so I quickly slipped back in to around 15th. I decided to just try to make the best out of this race. I began chasing. With two laps to go, I was in a group of 2 going for 9th and 10th.
We were evenly matched. With one lap to go, I switched to a bike with much higher pressure in the tires, in the hopes of having a sprint finish. Once I had switched bikes, I accidentally let a small gap go. I was unable to close the gap so I ended up 10th place. I am pretty happy with having had a result like this because I am sick.

The next day I knew I would have to be super conservative because I knew I hadn't fully recovered from the previous day. I had the same kind of start today. I started chasing again slowly so I wouldn't blow up super early. With one lap to go, I was sitting in 11th with a small gap to 10th and a small gap to 12th. I tried pretty hard to try to catch 10th, but I was unable to. I stayed ahead of 12th place.
I am a little disappointed with my performance this weekend but, I know with some rest, things will be back on track in no time.

Cincinnati Weekend

Clif Bar Devo Jr 17-18 Team - Cullen, Downing, Godby, White, and Gould
Dave Towle and Me

I headed down to Cincinnati this past weekend, where the UCI races were being held. I was really hoping to get some UCI points. These points would help me get a call up at other UCI races and nationals.
Saturday's course was pretty cool with quite a bit of technical features around some trees. I did not have a great start so I started chasing. Half way through the first lap I was taking the inside line of a turn and clipped my hand on a tree. I continued to chase and with 2 laps to go I was in a group of 4 contending for fourth place.
I attacked on the finish stretch with 1 lap to go. I was able to maintain my gap all the way to the finish. I am really happy that I was able to get some UCI points today.
Sunday's course was much harder with several muddy sections, lots of off-camber, and tons of elevation change. I had another bad start today, but I was able to chase up to the top 5 within the first lap.
I started to fade a little with two laps to go. I was riding in fourth place with Cypress Gorry, when I nailed a rut in a muddy section and went down. Cypress slipped away from me here and I rode the last two laps at a hard tempo and rolled in for fifth place.
I am super happy that I was able to get UCI points this weekend! I am really looking forward to racing in Louisville this weekend!