04-08-2018, 07:12 PM
Today was the inaugural race in Cycle Waterloo's stable of races, the Steaming Nostril. This was my first year racing it, and it lived up to its name, with cool temperatures highlighted by a northwest wind, but temperatures close enough to the freezing point to make a mess and make some of the off-road sectors very challenging.
The race is a true gravel grinder, 65 km with most of it over gravel roads, with a few small sections of pavement and three significant off-road sectors: the Mill Race Trail from Three Bridges Road into St. Jacobs, 8 km of the Rail Trail from Posey Line to Chalmers Forest Road and "The Hardest Kilometre" (really the hardest 2 km this year) through the farm just north of Durst Rd. and Hawkesville Rd. The rail trail was a tough slog due to muddy conditions and some rutting on the trail. There were a lot of crashes in this sector, and even for those who made it through unscathed, it took a big bite out of their energy.
The hardest kilometre was particularly rough, and right near the end of the race when willpower is waining. This tractor trail through the field was a thick sticky mess of mud that gummed up the forks and seat/chainstays of the bike and eventually made it impossible to move at all. This meant most riders ended up having to shoulder their bikes through the worst sections. There is a relatively easy section of single-track (except for that fact that racers are exhausted at this point), and then finally racers encounter people handing out shots of maple syrup before facing a steep hill up the embankment of the Conestoga River. Fortunately spectators were out cheering us on and giving us a hand up the steepest bits before we hopped back on the bike, thankful that the end of the race was in sight.
Spectating this race isn't particularly easy, and the weather isn't terrible great to be standing around outside, but there are some fantastic opportunities for some great photographs!
![[Image: WEB_Steaming_Nostril_-_from_Ines2___Super_Portrait.jpg]](https://dynamicmedia.zuza.com/zz/m/original_/e/4/e4b73a9f-ded2-49b2-bb3b-5b192cb1d0cf/WEB_Steaming_Nostril_-_from_Ines2___Super_Portrait.jpg)
Cycle Waterloo has several other races coming up that are more spectator-friendly and hopefully some on here might find their interest piqued. The next one will be the KW Classic road race on June 3, which is also the provincial championships this year. It normally runs over a loop through Hawkesville, which means that spectators have many opportunities to see racers go by.
Probably the most spectator-friendly events are the KW Twilight Grand Prix in Victoria Park on July 27, and the Fieldstone Criterium in downtown Galt on July 28 - the Region's Speed Weekend. Criteriums are run over short loops around 1-2 km long. They last about 1 hr and are therefore very fast with speeds in excess of 50kph. Prime laps are interspersed throughout the race for riders to race for smaller prizes and encourage aggressive and exciting racing. It's a great way to spend an evening in the summer in downtown Kitchener or Cambridge, so hopefully some of you will come out and support the events.
As for me, I was thrilled with the race, although I crashed near the end of the rail trail and lost the group I had been with. I look worse for wear, but the smile doesn't lie!
The race is a true gravel grinder, 65 km with most of it over gravel roads, with a few small sections of pavement and three significant off-road sectors: the Mill Race Trail from Three Bridges Road into St. Jacobs, 8 km of the Rail Trail from Posey Line to Chalmers Forest Road and "The Hardest Kilometre" (really the hardest 2 km this year) through the farm just north of Durst Rd. and Hawkesville Rd. The rail trail was a tough slog due to muddy conditions and some rutting on the trail. There were a lot of crashes in this sector, and even for those who made it through unscathed, it took a big bite out of their energy.
The hardest kilometre was particularly rough, and right near the end of the race when willpower is waining. This tractor trail through the field was a thick sticky mess of mud that gummed up the forks and seat/chainstays of the bike and eventually made it impossible to move at all. This meant most riders ended up having to shoulder their bikes through the worst sections. There is a relatively easy section of single-track (except for that fact that racers are exhausted at this point), and then finally racers encounter people handing out shots of maple syrup before facing a steep hill up the embankment of the Conestoga River. Fortunately spectators were out cheering us on and giving us a hand up the steepest bits before we hopped back on the bike, thankful that the end of the race was in sight.
Spectating this race isn't particularly easy, and the weather isn't terrible great to be standing around outside, but there are some fantastic opportunities for some great photographs!
![[Image: WEB_Steaming_Nostril_-_from_Ines2___Super_Portrait.jpg]](https://dynamicmedia.zuza.com/zz/m/original_/e/4/e4b73a9f-ded2-49b2-bb3b-5b192cb1d0cf/WEB_Steaming_Nostril_-_from_Ines2___Super_Portrait.jpg)
Cycle Waterloo has several other races coming up that are more spectator-friendly and hopefully some on here might find their interest piqued. The next one will be the KW Classic road race on June 3, which is also the provincial championships this year. It normally runs over a loop through Hawkesville, which means that spectators have many opportunities to see racers go by.
Probably the most spectator-friendly events are the KW Twilight Grand Prix in Victoria Park on July 27, and the Fieldstone Criterium in downtown Galt on July 28 - the Region's Speed Weekend. Criteriums are run over short loops around 1-2 km long. They last about 1 hr and are therefore very fast with speeds in excess of 50kph. Prime laps are interspersed throughout the race for riders to race for smaller prizes and encourage aggressive and exciting racing. It's a great way to spend an evening in the summer in downtown Kitchener or Cambridge, so hopefully some of you will come out and support the events.
As for me, I was thrilled with the race, although I crashed near the end of the rail trail and lost the group I had been with. I look worse for wear, but the smile doesn't lie!
![[Image: KDDIJzJbdWqafgB1s4O7jCi5rWhyel6wcl2l8yW4...5x2047.jpg]](https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net/KDDIJzJbdWqafgB1s4O7jCi5rWhyel6wcl2l8yW4IlI-1155x2047.jpg)