2010 Aspen Lodge CX Cross Race, Estes Park
Posted on 19. Oct, 2010 by Jordan in Jordan, The Gear Movers
Amazing view of Longs Peak from the Aspen Lodge at 730am, unfortunately it was 730am on a Sunday...
Even though getting up at 6am for a Cross race that your not even racing in on a chilly Sunday morning was miserable, what was to follow at this fantastic event was amazing! The Aspen Lodge CX Cross Race in Estes Park put on by our buddy Chris Grealish and DBC events was an inspiring, and tough event. Held under picture perfect conditions just off of South St. Vrain Road below the looming Longs Peak, Colorado’s most ominous 14er, the event catered to exactly what cross riders were looking for. The weather was perfect, the course was gnarly, fast but also super technical, the promoter did a great job showing his love for cross and of course The Gear Movement was on hand to give all the local riders a chance to use our free warm-up tent!
Free warm-up area here...Its trainer time everyone, get on em and get warmed up cause TGM is here for ya!
Can you ask for a better setup? Not really, right on the start line and look at those beautiful turning Aspens. Fall and CX is here folks!
One of our buddies Jerry Greenleaf hanging with us at The Gear Movement, the warm-up tent is full!
Our buddy Jason Sumner hanging in the tent and warming up for the dominant Velonews crews!
That would be a "thumbs up" from Jordan. Yep with his approval this will be sweet!
After chatting with Chris a few weeks ago Ben and myself with his suggestion created the idea for a free warm-up area for all amateur and pro competitors at the Aspen Lodge race and the Boulder Cup, Oct. 31st. Something we have not seen before is a warm-up area right next to the start line in a perfect location for riders of all categories to warm-up for their impending race. Quite possibly gone are the days where you have to warm-up at your car in a parking lot 2 miles away from the start. Now each rider can feel the benefits that the pros get, they can warm up right next to the course and get to see all the action, then get to jump off the trainer and your already at the start!
#1 TGM fan Nicole Duke hanging before the start of here Pro Women's race with Sonya Looney, sizing up the competition, go Nicole!
While everyone is racing Jordan was hanging with the ol' UBikes crew, Kris Lathrop!
Deep fryer extroadinare Steve Illes chilling with Jordan...
Are you freaking kidding me? A portable deep fryer! Best thing ever, thanks Illes for cooking up some mean fries!
Check out The Gear Movement on Facebook for up to date announcements and at the Boulder Cup at Flatirons Mall for a great time and good spot to warm-up at. If you have any suggestions for us on how we could do this better or improve the idea, let us know…
Ladies and Gents the CX season is here. As we leave for the day, the storms come rolling in over Longs Peak, game on!!
Colorado State CX Championships
Posted on 08. Dec, 2009 by Nicole in Nicole
Nicole Duke flying though a corner at CO CX State Champs. Photo by M. Woolcott
Down and dirty, just the way I like it!! Cyclocross State Champ race that is. The day was cold and windy, the course technical, sloppy and sometimes frozen. Thank God because my legs haven’t been feeling so fast lately so I needed to fall back on my skills, you know those ones that used to pay the bills. I’m a cheeseball…
Nicole Duke rode smooth and finished in third for the day
This is how it went down. Lisa Strong, Karen Hogan and I jumped the start and hung together for a while. Strong being the great rider she is slowly started to inch away from Karen and me, bye bye. Karen and I battled for a good lap, me passing in the technical, her powering past on the flats. Finally she pulled away and I let her go. The rest of the race i just tried to hold my podium spot. A few battles ensued with some of the 45+ men, shoulder to shoulder around the corners and various other frustrating encounters. Us Pro/Open Women don’t have our own race, so we also race the 45+ men. Some of them are very gracious but some will do anything not to get “chicked”. Now the last lap and for the life of me I can not get in my frozen, muddy pedals!! Ahhhhhhh!!!! Kristal Boni is gaining on me. Then she passes, I hang on and shoot past her at the entrance of a technical ditch section. Over the barrier, back on the bike and silence. What happened to her I do not know but I am thankful. Still I cannot get in the pedals and it’s slow going. Last gnarly downhill(which I love) and the finish!! Glad to be done and happy with 3rd. Felt like a great prep for Nationals in Bend, OR which I am hoping will be muddy.
Loving husband Ben Duke cleans Nicole's bike in 5 deg weather. Photo by J. Schware
What a great season I’ve had with all the girls! Made some great new friends and fell in love with Cross even more!! Nationals for me this year will be about the experience and time away from Boulder with my good friend Becca Blay. My body is done, time to rest and drink some yummy Belgian beer! Cheers and wish me good luck in Bend!
Back in The Game!
Posted on 17. Nov, 2009 by Jordan in Nicole
Nicole Duke of The Gear Movement Pro Team - hitting the barriers
Here I am, and I find myself back in the game. The racing game that is. After taking some time off to have my second child Canin , I am energized, recovered and ready to hang with my girls on the cross course.
My career started back in 1995 as a Professional Downhill and Dual Slalom racer. I raced for teams such as Giant, Mongoose, Intense, and others. In 2000 I decided to retire as I was broken and tired from all the expected downhill racer crashes. For years I didn’t ride—burnt out!! I started a new career as a hairstylist and eventually met my husband Ben. Then came Ryder our first child—the wild thing. I found myself missing the chase, the race, and time with the girls. In 2007 I decided to give cyclocross a try.
My first race was on the only bike I had, a hard tail mountain bike. I really had no idea what to expect and to my surprise I finished 3rd in the Womens’ Open field. All right, game on. I headed to Boulder Cycle Sport to talk with my friend Brandon Dwight. I knew he had been doing this for years and could show me the way. He hooked me up with a bike, jersey and I found myself now racing for their local team.
A sand pit - Nicole Duke on her way to a sweet 5th place finish in the Woman' Pro Race
The season went well and I was making friends fast and racing well. My only problem was I never watched the lap counter. Yes, I was passed several times at the line and left wondering. My lesson for the season, yes I know its obvious, but I wasn’t used to racing on a lap count. Racing DH, it was always the fastest one to the bottom.
Excited now and ready to get serious for the next season I started talking to a few local teams about sponsorship. I had decided to go with Mafia racing, ready to represent. I mean they were sponsored by PBR, they had to be fun. Two weeks later, we learned baby Canin was on her way. Racing had to wait.
Canin was born on October 30th 2008 and I wasn’t sure I would be able to race again. Two kids, a part time job, and not a lot of free time wasn’t conducive to training or racing. I approached the next summer with no expectations of racing and wanted to ride just enough to keep up with my friends. My friends are mostly professional athletes, I had to try pretty hard!
Now, I find myself racing the 2009 Cross season for our new company The Gear Movement and I’m giving it another go. No expectations, I entered the first race and much to my surprise finished 5th. Every race I have gotten stronger and cross-race wiser. I’m now consistently finishing 3rd and sometimes find myself hanging with the likes of World Champion Allison Dunlap and National Champion Allison Powers. Every weekend the family (thanks to the hubbie) looks forward to cowbells, bouncy castles, kids races and sticky mud. A retired racers’ family dream. I’ve found a way to integrate family with racing. My son now “cyclocrosses” his bike over every curb, I am so proud!
Nationals are in my sights. Sounds like fun and I could use a little girlfriend time away from laundry, diapers and screaming kids. Cyclocross, I’ve discovered is actually 45mins of painful freedom!
Mud Time!
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