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SSCXWC

Por Jeremy Dunn • 22nd November 2011 07:46am • Publicado en Team

Photo by Steven Nereo

What does it take to be a world champion? A nod from the UCI helps in most cases and with the growing popularity of the sport of cyclocross it seems a safe bet that nod is surely on the way. If the bids were based on enthusiasm, fan participation or even costume choice, one could bet that the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships which took place yesterday in San Francisco, California would make the cut. Until that happens we are just going to assume that the entry is pending and that the two wins from Team Rapha-FOCUS will be entered into the official history books just as soon as it goes through. With Julie Krasniak taking the top prize in the Women's Category and Chris Jones doing exactly the same an hour later with the Men they solidified their place in the race's short, but colorful history. Hopefully their "I Heart Wieners" costumes will find a way into the record books right along with them.

The day started with a grey cast about it, the tall trees in Golden Gate Park dripped with rain from early morning rains and turned the course into something closer to a Slip-n-Slide than a traditional Cyclocross course. Whereas some courses contain simple barriers, this one sported a "Barrier of Unusual Size" (two giant sized logs laid across the course) and a dunktank of great proportions (see video here) which both helped push the atmosphere more towards fun than anything else. Even the H-Van from the Rapha Cycle Club was out to dole out piping hot dollops of Bob's Redmill Oats from the back. And then there was the racing.

Photo by Steven Nereo

The thing that helped separate Julie and Chris from their competitors and their bulky costumes was their respective starts. The Le Mans style start proved to be a good thing for these two as they were quick to grab their bikes and hit the course. Julie's being particularly spectacular as she successfully navigated the entire field of bikes in an awesome display of hopping and jumping. Check out the video right here at 22 seconds and keep an eye out for her brightly colored Hotdog on a Stick outfit up near the front of the screen. She hesitates, but only for only a second before deciding that the best way to her Focus Mares bike is straight across the top of all the bikes. The same quick thinking worked for Jones, who chose a path straight through the spectators lining the sides of the run-up and then went off the front of the race.

Photo by Steven Nereo

Another advantage that Krasniak and Jones held over their competition were their outfits. Jones called Rapha North America head Slate Olson earlier in the week with one small problem. Costumes were not required to start the race, but those competitors without them would be relegated to starting positions behind their constituents with appropriate (or inappropriate) outfits. Pulling from the Team Rapha-FOCUS kit inspiration was the only thing to do and a quick google search turned up a Sexy Hotdog On a Stick outfit costumes that would not only pay tribute to their team uniforms, let them move freely and look "sexy," all at the same time. There were costumes of all kinds as well… Human sized cowbells, MASHSF Cheerleaders, "Poler" Camo skinsuits (see Greg Johnson above) a few scantily clad Yeti and even one bike messenger turned up as his hero Tim Johnson complete with Red Bull helmet and Cyclocrossworld.com kit. Anything and everything could be found in Golden Gate park last Sunday.

The racing style, with their costumes and disregard for everything official in the world of cycling was something new for both of the Rapha-FOCUS racers, who were racing their FOCUS Mares bikes with modified rear derailleurs affixed to one gear. Team Mechanic Tom Hopper fixed Chris' bike with one cassette cog, spacers and a short section of brake cable to keep everything in place. The setup worked like a charm and caused more than one spectator to take a second look.

But the real looks came from the smiles at the end of the day. For two racers who are used to the formulaic racing associated with the highest levels of Cyclocross, Mountain and Road racing this was a new adventure. When asked what she thought of the whole scene that the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships set — "totally crazy and totally awesome" was what came from her smiling face. Thanks to Sheila Moon and Co. for putting together a great weekend of parties and racing.

Photo by Steven Nereo

Additional Links:

Cycling News : Jones and Krasniak top single speed cyclo-cross championships

Velonews : Will Matthews Photo Gallery

Comentarios

Jonathan Woodroof

22nd November 2011 09:15pm

one of your most EPIC posts Jeremy. this whole day looked bananas!

Carl Hot

22nd November 2011 10:58pm

Both Rapha riders won and both avoided getting the tattoo. Lame

Slate Olson

22nd November 2011 11:02pm

Carl, I'll pay for you to get that Barney-inspired tattoo if you want it.

Jean-Marie B

23rd November 2011 02:42am

It's great Rapha supported the race and that Chris and Julie competed. Rapha and Co. deserve to brag… a bit. Seriously, though, your post-race PR is overwrought. Julie's win was great-- kudos for the win-- but she didn't even have the fastest lap times. She had a great start, and that sealed the deal. Also, she wasn't the only person who raced single speed CX for the first time, either-- there were tons of men and women on the course who had never competed CX single speed, including all of the women in the top four. Kudos for the win. Chris dominated and that was clear. Your supposedly super-clever, magic rear derailleur setup was by no means unique, so stop making a big deal out of it. Then finally there's the fact that Chris and Julie didn't even stick around for awards, and that's really the biggest bummer of it of all-- it was disrespectful to the race organizers and it was disrespectful to the other competitors. Combined with everything else, Rapha's participation just smacks of opportunism rather than the camaraderie, passion and love of cycling which the Rapha brand is supposedly all about.

Get Real

23rd November 2011 05:57am

Corporate costumes? Boooooooo
No qualifying required like the rest of the field? BOOOOOOOOO

Slate Olson

23rd November 2011 05:30pm

Don't hate them because they're beautiful.

kelly niquette

23rd November 2011 05:52pm

How, exactly, does one affix a deraillier [sic] to one gear? Seems lame to show up without a dedicated ss rig if you're gunning for a W at Worlds… Did the double rings up front stay on too?

Porky Smedlap

24th November 2011 06:22am

Yes, the Focus Team beat a guy with a giant papier mache panda head.

If you're not going to accept the trophy, don't try and win the race.

Pablo Picnostral

24th November 2011 09:28am

With no offense to either Julie Krasniak or Chris Jones, who by all appearances seem good sports, in my book they were D.Q.d as soon as they left the venue without matching SSCXWC ink. Tattoos are the final barrier in single-speed worlds, and neither of them cleared it.

Everyone knows this,and their refusal puts the promoters in the awkward position of trying to negotiate enforcement of a tradition hallowed by usage and consecrated by time. Further, Rapha now has the ignominy of "cleaning up" a dirty little race.

The gracious thing to do would be to concede defeat to someone who was committed to the event and not drag this out Floyd Landis style.

P.S. Derailleur D. E. R. A. I. L. L. E. U. R. Derailleur

Cory Benson

24th November 2011 02:09pm

Again, props out to Julie and Chris for great rides, but..

Seriously, no tattoos? Why finish first if you aren't willing to take the trophy?

Sam Alison

24th November 2011 05:40pm

Pretty poor form not to get the tattoo - surely anyone racing an SS worlds knows that if you don't want the tattoo - don't win?

Joe Hall

24th November 2011 06:12pm

Slate, will you pay for JD to get D. E. R. A. I. L. L. E. U. R. (whatever that stands for) inked on his botty?

It's a tough (French) word to spell, someone should ask Julie….

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer.html

Suck RatBallz

24th November 2011 08:19pm

Great Athletes! they are no joke really. BUT if you want to make a marketing spin of it, make sure they follow the unwritten rules of the rest. They should have both also done the qualifier on Saturday and been prepared to be INKED at the finish. Instead of having to jump on a plane to "france"

Porky Smedlap

24th November 2011 09:03pm

@ Joe Hall.

Yeah but Jeremy (originally) spelled it "Derailler," so with respect to Sheldon, he still got it wrong.

Honestly, do you guys not see that this is not just poor sportsmanship, also bad PR for Rapha? I know you guys are looking for "credibility" and it's kind of backfiring on you here.

Kevin Cunniffe

25th November 2011 08:47am

Good ride's from Julie and Chris but there is only one rule in ss racing. If you don't want a tattoo don't win.

The Giant sponsored athlete's had no problems accepting them in the mtb race a few years ago.

Punkass .

25th November 2011 08:54pm

@Kevin: That was Singlespeed Worlds in Aviemore, Scotland in 2007. It was Adam Craig and Kellie Emmett that won the race, and willingly accepted the tattoos. They grabbed the spirit of the event by the horns, to be sure.

Shame about these two.

Stevil Kinevil

27th November 2011 03:58pm

I'm never buying your wonderful smelling soap again.

Petra Meier

27th November 2011 09:36pm

what a shame… both winners do not deserve the fame without taking the tattoo!!!

Raymond Walker

28th November 2011 05:56pm

Ah, for shame indeed. No tattoos & no partyin is just one more reason for me to continue to not buy overpriced Rapha cycling gear. …and trust me, I waste ALOT of money on overpriced cycling gear.

Thomas Everson

28th November 2011 07:08pm

I hope you know that this will go down on your permanent record…

Not a wannabe

28th November 2011 08:48pm

Weak sauce not getting inked. Weak! All these SS "world champs" need to be amateur only.

Shawn Hatfield

29th November 2011 02:34am

Seems everyone I run into in the Bay Area is talking about how f**ked up this is. After hearing what happened from many of the people at the race, I have to agree.

You've dishonored the history of this race.

steven nereo

29th November 2011 05:08am

This whole tattoo controversy has turned this race into a serious clown car with a stuck door. It's embarrassing to watch, while at the same time mildly entertaining. You can do this, clowns!

The Pudu

29th November 2011 07:18am

Someone should send Jens Voigt's Army over to the Rapha cave and ink those two…in sepia tone and BOLD TYPOGRAPHY of course.

velo shitstorm

29th November 2011 12:35pm

WHO! Who doesn't want to wear the tattoo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY7Zg_dfV7c

Rev Big Ring

29th November 2011 07:29pm

Weak sauce. If you are to good for the prize stay home, fold and press your over priced kit and wait for the next "Gentlemens Ride".

Dont Coast

29th November 2011 07:58pm

Skip the podium = weeeaaak.

And get the tattoos, sandbaggers. Sure, in black and white is fine.

http://images.4chan.org/fit/src/1322596638673.jpg

Thomas Hoeffel

29th November 2011 08:03pm

On one hand, the tattoo thing was co-opted from SSWC. I kinda wish the CX commune would come up with their own "trophy".
On the other hand, they knew the rules going in. Play by the rules, or don't play I say.

steven nereo

29th November 2011 09:03pm

How does someone sandbag a 'World Championship'?

Johhny Foreman

29th November 2011 09:14pm

You're right, SSCXWC isn't a UCI event and i, for one, hope it never becomes that, so stay away unless you want to play by OUR rules (or lack there of). If they refuse the tattoo they can choose the option we had a few years ago and get branded. Otherwise, give up the titles!

Thomas Hoeffel

29th November 2011 09:16pm

On one hand, the tattoo thing was co-opted from SSWC. I kinda wish the CX commune would come up with their own "trophy".
On the other hand, they knew the rules going in. Play by the rules, or don't play I say.

Christian Goldstein

29th November 2011 11:32pm

So, instead of bitching, blackmail. Tattoos or pull their UCI licenses!!!

UCI's Code 1.2.019 states, "No licence holder may participate in an event that has not been included on a national, continental or world calendar or that has not been recognised by a national federation, a continental confederation or the UCI."

In addition, rule 1.2.021 states that, "Breaches of articles 1.2.019 or 1.2.020 shall render the licence holder liable to one month's suspension and a fine of 50 to 100 Swiss francs."

Are you listening USA Cycling and UCI?

Cam Smailes

1st December 2011 10:32am

Stop wingeing people - go out and spend some more time enoying the mud it should make you feel better and get you away from the computer.

alastair sweeney

2nd December 2011 02:22am

Here's a thought, go ride your fucking bikes. In the meantime feel free to ship me all the rapha stuff you won't be wearing to protest this nonsense. I'll happily wear it while I… get this… ride my bike.

royce fraley

2nd December 2011 11:23am

If you told be that the single speed hipster tatted community was full of a bunch of whiners I would have thought you were crazy, guess I was wrong.

Nick Martin

2nd December 2011 05:43pm

R E S P E C T L O S T

JT Fountain

3rd December 2011 06:01am

I wholeheartedly agree with Royce Fraley, Alastair, Cam Smailes, and Steven Nereo.

Selene Manning

5th December 2011 07:38am

As the 2010 SSWC best dressed champion- designer, creator, fabricator, strutter, poser, poseur and wearer of said fabulous outfit I feel I can safely state that your costumes were weak as shit. Clothing is your scene, and best you could do is a quick google. Shame. As for no tattoo and not having a proper singlespeed…I think you have been berated enough, and for me to add that my respect for Rapha is seriously effected would be wasting finger tip flesh.

jimmy thenudge

6th December 2011 09:58pm

What a massive PR failure this turned out to be. Fortunately I never did order those bib's….the shame.

jonny faggiano

9th December 2011 01:33am

I lost a lot of respect for the Rapha brand and their entire CX team after the SSCXWC.

Patrick Roark

10th December 2011 04:25am

I still like you stuff. I dont like to pay for it. $75 for gloves? I still like a bunch of your videos, mainly because all my friends that dont ride can watch them and go oooooooooh pretty. But fuck a duck for a crew who claim to be so down with tradition ( or just spelling things funny to make a dummy like me feel more "dumber" ) you sure shit the bed on this one. What to do now? Hell I dont know? How bout only making us pay a fair price for your china sweatshop pretty panties and stuff? I'm sure the yuppies will still buy your stuff but stay away from us dirty low-lifes who actually ENJOY scum!

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