For the 3rd annual Gray Duck Grit, race organizers added cyclocross racing to the Saturday schedule. Nicholas Peterson came over from South Dakota to check out the inaugural race. Here he shares about the great course as well as the cyclocross community.
Words by Nicholas Peterson
Photos by Dustin Bowman
As one of a small handful of folks who drove several hours to exclusively race cyclocross, I guess that makes me qualified to report on the ‘cross happenings at Gray Duck Grit.
There was once a long-running CX event that started hosting a gravel ride to supplement the cyclocross festivities of the weekend. Gray Duck Grit is a gravel event that decided to add a cyclocross competition to supplement its gravel rides. The former (Jingle Cross, RIP) was a classic race in the midwest CX scene, and it was evident immediately Gray Duck CX shared some of its DNA. Location alone does not manifest a great cyclocross course, but I can’t help but feel like organizing a CX race at a fair grounds is some sort of cheat code to a making a killer course.
So what makes a great cyclocross event? Free beer helps. Fun…definitely. It isn’t the number people racing, it isn’t necessarily the location either, and certainly not the weather. Did the collective result of the people racing, the course, and general organization result in a memorable event? If yes, mission accomplished. In my opinion Gray Duck Grit CX accomplished this mission.
From the moment I arrived, Gray Duck Grit CX passed the vibe check. Upon suiting up and getting on course, it was evident the vibe was justified. In all, about 57 racers took the line across 5 classifications and it seemed like a good number of us, when not racing, were tape-side cheering others on.
For some reason (perhaps the Spirit of Gravel), I had taken a laissez-faire approach to getting to the start line. I wasn’t late by any means, but the lack of ranked call-ups (not a criticism) had me lining up toward the back of the Intermediate field that I had intended on starting at least mid-field. This realization immediately cured me of whatever casual attitude toward racing I had taken on that day. I had a battle ahead of me if I wanted to salvage any result I could be proud of. This was exactly the kick in the shorts I needed.
A legit run-up, perfectly staked turns, livestock barns providing shade, surfaces of varying traction, big power sections, and an overall glorious flow made for one of the best courses I’ve had the pleasure of riding. The course, the venue, and the people behind it all made for a great day of cyclocross racing that I plan to return to for as long as it stays on the calendar.
Cyclocross is in serious need of love and support at the moment and if you’re even casually interested in the sport, I’d strongly recommend adding this race to your schedule next season.
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