T-Brown Takes Red Rocks CX #1

(Golden, CO :: October 16, 2005) : Another 75 degree sunny day of cyclocross racing graced Golden, Colorado where the Red Rocks Cyclocross Series kicked off. The course was similar to last year's, but also included a quadruple barrier section, tricky off-camber sections, mud-pit, and the long false flat uphill to the finish. This course challenged every rider in both fitness and bike handling skills...this certainly was not a course for strongest man, but instead the strongest man who can also handle their bicycle. The Pro men's race started off again with a huge field of nearly 40 riders. From the gun Jonathan Baker (Pro-Peloton) raced to the front with Travis Brown and Mike Hall (Carolina Cross) hot on his wheel. The first few laps kept the 3 together at the front and going into the third lap Hall dropped back and Brown and Baker took pulls at the front of the race.

Brown rolled his mountain bike complete with 2 bottle cages and front suspension over this tricky course whereas Baker rode a traditional cyclocross bicycle. After 30 minutes of hard racing the leaders of Brown and Baker stuck together, but the top 5 was rounded out with Jeff Wardell (Excel Sports), Jason Tullous, and Chuck Coyle (Vitamin Cottage). Bike changes were the norm during most of the race with goat-heads lining most of the course and the top 5 were no exception.

Going into the final lap of the race, Travis Brown layed down a paralyzing attack to Baker on the false flat uphill to the finish and quickly put nearly 30 seconds into Baker. Coming in third place was Masters National Mountain Bike Champion Jason Tullous who continously gained ground on the leaders thoughout the duration of the race. Fourth place went to Jeff Wardell, fifth to Chuck Coyle, and sixth to an early member of the lead group; Mike Hall of the Carolina Cross Team. Hall is hot off of a successful first weekend of the USGP of Cyclocross and is now ranked 23rd in the series. The Red Rocks Cyclocross Series picks up again on November 22nd.