Wicks, Williams win Single Speed ‘Cross Worlds
by Matt Karre
November 13, 2007
What happens when you combine a World Championship event, 6 kegs of PBR, a limitless supply of Oregon made microbrews, 110 men and 30 women, a heckling contest, a Tequila shortcut and a golden Speedo? You get the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships (SSCXWC) in Portland, Oregon. What else?
Adam Craig let the powerful spirit of Portland cyclocross overwhelm him in the finishing straight of the SSCXWC. With an apparent race winning lead, Craig stopped to take a beer hand-up a couple hundred meters before the finish line. In his celebration of Single Speed Cyclocross, a charging Barry Wicks snuck by Craig before he could get clipped in. Wicks pipped him at the line, taking the coveted inaugural golden World Champion Speedo.
“The ‘Cross scene in Portland is the best. I’ve raced all over the world and nothing compares. I always come back for Portland,” Wicks said after the race. The action at the finish, however, pales in comparison to the rest of the event.
Saturday saw perhaps the first ever time trial qualifying event for a cyclocross race. While the promise of mud never materialized, the residual tackiness and challenging run-ups made for exciting racing. Perhaps even more exciting were the festivities surrounding and during the race including karaoke, a Best Heckler competition, a Single Speed lounge with food and drink and a PBR beer tent. Ryan Trebon posted the fasted time for the boys and Wendy Williams won the women’s time trial.
Later that afternoon, Carl Decker and Adam Craig took to the Karaoke stage and performed a rendition of Britney Spears’ classic Hit me baby one more time that will not soon be forgotten.
Sunday saw the big race and while the top three might not be a surprise to some, the antics on the course were truly unprecedented. As usual, the time trial placing determined each racer’s position at the start line. But when race promoter Dani Dance said “everyone turn your bikes around!” the hierarchy was quickly reversed. Trebon, Wicks, Craig, Carl Decker and many other top qualifiers now had to make their way through the 100-strong field from the back.
On the first lap, Decker, Trebon, Craig and Wicks found the front and created a gap followed by Matthew Slaven and Ian Brown at 10 seconds. Things seemed to be pretty run-of-the-mill cyclocross race until a unique shortcut presented itself. Go through the River City Bicycles Tequila shortcut and skip a good 20 seconds of the course. The only caveat is that if you pass through the shortcut you must take a shot of tequila. If you don’t take a shot, a World of War Craft expertly trained paintball sniper would quickly execute the consequences. The end result: everyone cheated. Only a few were sniped with paintballs.
“The tequila shortcut is by far the best addition to a cross race ever,” stated one mid-pack racer. The shortcut was removed for the final few laps.
Throughout the race, the heckling competition was blowing full steam even resulting in an impromptu and definitely unwanted game of dodge ball involving the unknowing racers. No one was safe. The crowd was massive; some industry folks say the turnout surpassed that of Cross Vegas, if not in number than certainly in jubilance.
“The crowds were a huge factor in getting up that run-up,” claimed top qualifier Ryan Weaver of Portland. “I thought I was winning! The louder it was the less it hurt.” Others agreed, and for a first time event the turnout was staggering.
“This is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen for a cross race,” Dave Guettler of River City Bicycles said. “It’s bigger than the Interbike race.” Many congregated in the Bike Gallery Beer Garden, which, unfortunately, ran out of beer after six kegs and several dozen cases.
Many racers donned non-traditional kits, including Adam Craig’s track pants, no shirt and a helmet from the early ‘90’s, Tina Brubaker in not much more than underwear, Bridgette Stoick wore a tube top made of inner tubes, a member of the band KISS, a Team BEER mascot and numerous other ridiculous costumes.
At the end of the day in the Eclectic Home sponsored Single Speed Lounge, the first ever World Champion of Single Speed Cyclocross was crowned, or Speedo-ed, and awarded his custom SpeedVagen from Vanilla Bicycles. In true shameless ‘cross fashion, Wicks changed into his Golden Speedo with World Champion stripes while on the podium. Women’s winner Wendy Williams did the same into her World Champion bikini and receives a custom cyclocross frame from Ahearne Cycles. (Don’t the rules state that World Champs must wear their respective “tunics” during next season’s single speed events?)
Very notable performances came from local racers Tim Jones, who placed 4th and Ryan Weaver in 5th, who did everything to hang with the pros and round out the podium. Both have been dominant this season in the Cross Crusade single speed races.
The general vibe from the all who participated was one of gratitude toward the incredible crowd. This was likely the most crowd interactive cyclocross race in history and Portland truly lived up to its infectious ‘cross obsession. If you missed it this year, start planning for next November.
Results Saturday Time Trial:
Women
Wendy Williams- River City Bicycles
Sue Butler- River City Bicycles
Megan Weaver- River City Bicycles
Bridgette Stoick- River City Bicycles
Laurel Gitlen- Gentle Lovers
Men
Ryan Trebon- Kona
Barry Wicks- Kona
Shannon Skerritt- Vanilla Bicycles
Steve Wasmund- Cutthroat racing
Ryan Weaver- River City Bicycles
Results Sunday 60 minute cyclocross race:
Men
Barry Wicks- Kona
Adam Craig- Giant Bicycles
Ryan Trebon- Kona
Tim Jones- Web Cyclery
Ryan Weaver- River City Bicycles
Women
Wendy Williams- River City Bicycles
Emily Van Meter- River City Bicycles
Sue Butler- River City Bicycles
Laurel Gitlen- Gentle Lovers
Melissa Sanborn- Wenzel Coaching
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