Christmas Cross Results

[Bike/zzflyertop.htm]

Christmas 'Cross and Mountain Bike Follies
Belmont Plateau, Philadelphia, PA
December 20, 1998

Race Report by Rob Palachick

35 riders lined up in cool, overcast conditions for the A race. As per usual, the race began using a "Le Mans" style start: riders have to run 200 meters uphill to their waiting bikes, jump on, then ride around a tree and plunge back down the hill and into the single track. Bicycle Therapy had the hole shot with Alex Mills, Carlos Rogers and John Strain entering the single track in the top three. When the riders emerged after the completion of the first lap, the race had begun to sort itself out.

The lead group consisted of Rob Hacker, Squadra Venezia's Stephan Kincaid, Alex Mills, and Shaklee's John Walrod. Close behind was a group with Strain, Rogers, a Guys rider and another Bicycle Therapy, Mike Riley. At the end of the second lap, Walrod had been dropped by the trio of Mills, Hacker and Kincaid. A few laps later, Hacker left Mills and Kincaid and was soloing. With three laps to go, Mills blew. It was now Hacker in the lead, Kincaid chasing, and a flip-flop battle between Riley, Walrod, the Guys rider and the hard-charging race promoter, Carlos Rogers.

Let's cut to the chase: Hacker wins, Kincaid gets second, Rogers gets third and a bunch of other people finish after that. I forget the order so I won't even try to guess. But I do promise to send results ASAP.

Thanks to everyone who came out.

--- rob palachick