2024 Orangevale Park “A” Race Recap
The third stop in the 2024 Sacramento Cyclocross Series Presented by Performance Bicycle was at an annual favorite venue, Orangevale Park. What the course lacks in elevation change is made up for in cyclocross features. Two plank barriers, a double log barrier feature, Belgian stairs, and two natural logs in the trees forced riders off up to five times per lap, not including a long sand section with a tricky U-turn.
The Men’s field was aggressive from the start, with a crash in the first corner putting Timmy Bauer (Above & Beyond Cancer) on the ground. Less than half way through lap one, Cody Kaiser (Enjoy Cycling) also hit the deck in a high speed off camber corner which bent his derailleur and damaged his shifter. After some make-shift repairs Cody would begin chasing from about a minute off the back of the field.
Pro Enduro racer Evan Geankoplis hit the front in aggressive fashion and used his MTB handling skills to make quick work of all the barriers on the course, only being forced off by the stairs. Single Speed category leader Cole Kersey also joined Geankoplis at the front, and his 42×17 gearing seemed just right on this fast course. A few laps in, it seemed that the two guest stars to the regular A race roster were might run away with it, but it was Jeffrey Morton (Performance Bicycle) who found his rhythm and chased down both Kersey and Geankoplis. Morton kept his pace, and Kersey was able to hold on to 2nd while Geankoplis faded back to eventually finish 5th. After their early crashes both Timmy Bauer and Cody Kaiser worked their way back to the front of the field in impressive fashion especially Kaiser… working through the entire field, setting the fastest lap, and finishing 3rd with a damaged bike on only three working gears.
The Women’s race also featured two guests to the regulars… long time pro Julie Young (Julie Young Training) and East Coast racer Clem Nixon (Rock Lobster). Their race was much less animated than the men’s, with Young, Nixon and series leader Megan Brinkmeyer (Quodapp) taking to the front and stretching the field from the start. Nixon had a small crash in the chicane before the stairs on lap one, which let Julie Young break away and ride alone at the front the whole race. Nixon was able to pass Brinkmeyer two laps later and ride solo in 2nd unable to chase down Young. The three spaced out with 60-90 seconds between each of them, and no challenger came from behind with 4th place several minutes back from Brinkmeyer.
Men’s A Top 10 Results:
1st – Jeffrey Morton (Performance Bicycle)
2nd – Cole Kersey
3rd – Cody Kaiser (Enjoy Cycling)
4th – Timmy Bauer (Above and Beyond Cancer)
5th – Evan Geankoplis
6th – Michael Dietrich
7th – Ryan Rinn (Radhaus Racing)
8th – Jon Wells (Alto Velo)
9th – David Greif
10th – Owen Gillette (Sonora FBC)
Women’s Top 10 Results:
1st – Julie Young (Julie Young Training)
2nd – Clem Nixon (Rock Lobster)
3rd – Megan Brinkmeyer (Quodapp)
4th – Tenley Ong
5th – Corina Bennett
6th – Emily Funk
7th – Taylor Gorman (Scuderia di Gatti)
8th – Gabriella Domingez (Team Booger)
9th – Rhonda Yaeger (Team Better
10th JT Teerlink (Crosslytizers)
Full Results available at: https://www.clippedinforlife.org/our-races/sacramento-cyclocross/results/
The series resumes on November 3rd and sees the return of Miller Park to the series after a few year hiatus.