If you've attended any Colorado cyclocross races then I am sure you have seen Ben Turner in the pits helping his junior team. Recently 303Cycling caught up with Ben and learned a little about him and the team that he runs.
[303Cycling] For those who don't know give us a little background on Ben Turner [Ben] From New York, began racing bikes in college in Virginia, moved to Boulder for grad school in '99 and started to really get into 'cross then. Masters degree in Exercise Physiology, worked 4 years managing the TIAA-CREF Development Team/Slipstream Sports program. Currently manage a 2 acre organic market garden for the Cultiva Youth Project, part of Growing Gardens, a local non-profit.
[303Cycling] Tell me a little about the Clif Bar Development team
The daily Camera tells of parking problems at Boulder High however lucky for them U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer announced a new bill expanding Safe Routes to Schools for High Schools. So does Boulder High have a parking problem or a alternative transportation problem or more embarrassing for the school is there a lack of marketing for alt transportation?
New venue today for the Colorado cyclocross scene. The race took place in Brighton CO at the corner of 144th and Buckley. The course was interesting. There were alot of 180 degree corners and a nice hill run up that HURT each lap. The surface looked really fast hard packed put it was rather soft and draining. I am looking forward to the second race in the series on November 28th.
NOTE: I will have to say getting to the race was a little more difficult than I thought. Coming from Boulder I thought I could take the Tollway and get off on I76. It was a rude awakening to find out there was no I76 exit and this was my fault. For the next race I will be taking the Tollway and getting off at the 120th st exit. Go right on 120th and another right on Buckley. Take Buckley to 144th.
The School Yard Cross was a mud flinging event, but not like Blue sky velo's race where you couldn't hardly escape the mud, School Yard Cross had a manufactured mud pit that from the tales of the riders it had a different personality in each race, peanut butter in the morning and diarrhea by the final event. The mud pit didn't have too much effect on the outcome of the race but it did add to the excitement of the event, they even had bleachers setup for folks to watch the comedy. In the SS event I heard the crowds break out into a yells and cheers as a rider 1 or 2 places behind me (I believe the one photoed above) goes down face first into the diarrhea. The remainder of the race was fast in typical Colorado field conditions, bumpy and dusty. Huge course, something like 2.4 mile loops made for difficulty to be the most spectator friendly course but running through that mud more often would have up'd my chances to have been racing for Tide Racing!
There were a few photographers out there and one appeared to have gotten too close to the racers in the mud pit and himself was covered with mud. Overall, it sounded like many racers enjoyed the race with good weather, mud and David Towle at the mic. They even had a unique prize, second from last got "something".
Normally Friday Fun is video oriented but today we go just audio. Listen to local folks, Greg Keller and Brook Watts as they chat about the recent Boulder Cup weekend. Get over to around minute 31:30, that is where the love for CX starts and Keller starts around 40 minute mark.
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