Had a good day at Sloper Cross yesterday. I did the Cat 3 race.
According to the promoter: The Camp Sloper course will be mostly flat with short climbs. Grass, wood chips, berms, quick downhills, a stair run up, a beach ride and a sand court. There will be no man-made barriers.
The first steep climb came after about 200 meters on the grass and. although the approach was pretty quick during warm up, the grass/mud got tackier as the race progressed and it was hard to carry much speed up the hill for the U-turn at the top. There were 3 sections of sand; 1 pretty easy to ride, the other 2 were a little sketchy, but still rideable. A couple tight turns on loose wood chip that I struggled with-actually brushed the big tree on the inside several times with my shoulder several times.
About 25 starters. I took the hole shot up the steep climb and one guy got by me before a long section of technical corners with short straights where it was almost impossible to pass. I was still in second after 2 laps, but had guys go by me until I was in 6th when we got the bell. I had just passed a guy who went into the pit & he repassed me on the uphill. I held him close and then got back on his wheel after the stairs. I jumped him at the bottom of a steep climb just before another technical section. Got a bit of a gap and held him off to finish 6th.
Got the new LS skinsuits this week so that was worth at least another 10%.
Fun day. Pretty low key race and a fun course.
Ciao
-Dave
Nerac Earth Cycling 