#‎0of30‬ Volume 12 Issue 5: Riders to Watch

The 2nd Annual Buckley Slough Kermesse is Sunday July 24th. As you get ready to line up for 30 miles of suffering here are the top 3 riders to watch of the confirmed start list.

1. Ludo Max, current Cascadia Gravel Champion. Max has proven to be a gritty rider. Generally favoring a road bike laced up with Gatorskins his specialty has been to weather the attacks thrown down by riders using gravel-specific set-up and then take advantage of the extra speed his ride gives him in the last few laps.

2. Michael Brazel, current King off Sectors and 2013 Series Champion.Brazel is an aggressive rider who can sit in for the win but is more happy throwing a grenade into the field and seeing what shakes out. He will be rocking the red jersey of the current leader of the King of Sectors, our version of the most aggressive rider competition.

3. Alfredo Ramirez, current series leader. Ramirez is riding for the series win and he isn't afraid to let current series champion Pruitt know it. He has already provided the promoter with his jersey measurements and is racing to win. So far he's taken advantage of his superior sprinting ability to take points in every race.

Keep and eye out for these riders -- you probably don't want them in your group when you're coming into the finish.

Register for ‪#‎BSK‬ now at https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=74714&owner=1

Cheap SEO Grab: 2013 Mashel Nisqually Kermesse Edition

I am digging the whole Facebook events page approach except its extremely lame SEO.  So this post is a cynical and cheap way to get the 2013 Mashel Nisqually Kermesse indexed on google so you can find it.  #MNK.

Also too here's the page link:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northwest-Kermesse-Cup-Series/413705772059276

3 Questions: Kermesse QA w/ Benjamin Storrar.

Ben Storrar started racing Kermesses last year and ended up the Cat 1/2/3 Kermesse Series Champion.  How'd he do that?

What was your first Kermesse race and what was the biggest surprise about it?

My first kermesse was the Mashel Nisqually Kermesse in February 2012. The biggest surprise was how out of shape I had gotten during the Holidays, I’m sure mostly do to my love for any dip that has mayonnaise as the main ingredient. The second surprise was how well a road bike can ride through a small, muddy stream.

If you had one piece of advice you can give to someone trying a Kermesse for the first time, what would it be?

I have two things.

First, don’t get all wound up about your bike needs. You don’t need a special bike to do these races.  A road bike or cross bike with some large 25’s, or preferably a 28c, works just fine. Race whatever road-ish bike you have just put bigger tires on it.

Second, go fast. The faster you go the less bumpy it is. 

Why do you even do kermesse races?  I heard they are super hard!  Are you crazy?

I do them because it's fun to do something with a road bike that it wasn’t really designed to do.  I also think the kermesse series this year will be a great because it fits perfect between the road season winding down and the cyclocross season almost starting.  

Yes, they are hard.  All racing is hard if you do it right, but that’s not a reason to not to do it. And lastly, I hope not.

2012 WA Cup Standing after Round 3

After three rounds of the 2012 WACup (Andy Salmon, Mashel Nisqually & KR Road Race) here are the standings.  The final round is Ronde Ohop.

Cat 1/2 Men

Cat 3 Men

Masters 35+ 1/2/3

Masters 50+

Women