[Scot_Gore]

The course poped up onto shore for a couple of short hops over the embankment. It then brought riders back onto the lake for a sprint section. Straight across the lake shore to shore, no turns.
1) Back onto the ice.
2) Sprint section
3) Keep it steady.

 

[Scot_Gore]

Last Sunday Salsa Cycles sponsored the 4th Annual Chilly Chilli Bike Race. It's a low key crit on a frozen lake in the middle of Minnesota's winter. It takes place a couple of miles from my house and is part of my towns winter celebration event. There's 3 races, a kids race, a 30 minute race, and a 50 minute race. I had window of time and poped over and shot some pictures of the 30 minute race.

a) The rough drawing of the race route.
1) The riders lining up for the start. There were 56 riders in this race. I didn't see a single rider that didn't have studs. It was mostly mountain bikes, a few crossers, and a smattering of fixed/SS in the mix as well.
2) And they're off. This years course used alot more of the lake than previous years I'd come out.
3) The course markings on the first half almost never went straight. The course had riders making turns almost constantly for the first on lake portion of the race. We haven't had much snow of late so many sections were glaze lake ice.

 

[Scot_Gore]

After the sprint section, the course brought riders up a pretty challenging snow covered hill through the woods. I saw two riders throw chains and take falls. Only egos were bruised and the riders were back up and going in seconds.
1) CRANKing it
2) CROSSing it

 

[Scot_Gore]

After the first climb, the riders get to take a snow covered descent, then another hard climb on the grass through the park picnic area.
1) Wheeeeeeeeee
2) The race leader came by me on the first lap and says, "I hate this hill"
3) The bunch up on the climb

 

[Scot_Gore]

After the ride up through the picnic area, a tricky descent back onto the ice, around the final hairpin and back over the start/finish line. Repeat 5 times, and don't let anybody get past you.
1) Back to the lake....
2) Nice of them to sweep this turn clean
3) Our winner coming in.

Hope you enjoyed the race report. If it looks fun, they're doing it again tomorrow. It been 30 degrees warmer than normal all week, it will probably be a totally different race. I'm at a Chinese New Year celebration, so I won't be there. Geardaddy, ASB, or Dan...go take some shots and add on.

Scot

 

[bonkmiester]

Fun.........

That looks like great fun...........thanks for the post!

 

[zooog]

Great report and photos....looks like fun..

 

[Dereck]

Fantastic - thank you for the photos and words indeed!

You must excuse me if I don't come up there for next year's edition - I have a doctor's note excusing me from going out when the weather needs shovelling off the drive first - but that event looks like a blast!

Regards

Dereck

 

[maddog]

I've said this many times. If there are folk who have more fun than those from the twin cities, I have yet to meet them.