By Robert Stoneback
The Daily Item
RIVERSIDE -- If there's one thing the crowd at the "Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy" cyclocross race loved, it was the fire.
About two-thirds of the way through the course, a pair of wooden ramps were set up to launch the race's bike riders over small fires. Chants of "fire jump, fire jump!" rose from the audience whenever a racer neared the ramps. Cheers broke out when a biker went over the flames, and boos were given to riders who maneuvered into the lane between them.
Obstacles have 'charm'
For Dave Decoteau, the race's organizer, obstacles like this are all part of the sport's charm. Cyclocross is popular on the West Coast, but this is the first of its kind in the Valley. "The reason I really wanted to bring it to the area is because it combines factors from everything," Decoteau said. Cyclocross takes elements of road cycling, the off-road tracks of mountain biking, and throws in the obstacle-laden courses of bicycle motocross. "It's got a little bit of everything," he said.
Cyclocross takes place on a smaller circuit than traditional bike races, and the winner is the rider who completes the most laps in an hour. Aside from the fire, obstacles on the course included treacherous turns, steep hills and rock gardens for bikers to navigate.
Beginner's race is first
A beginner's race took place at about 9:30 a.m. Sunday and lasted 30 minutes. The main event kicked off shortly after 10, with about 25 racers geared up and ready to leave the competition eating their dust.
The race started on Riverside's North D&H Avenue and continued to a nearby field, where a route was created with yellow caution tape tied to posts. The field was donated by Merck Pharmaceutical to use for the event.
Yellow tape provides guide
Racers would then dart back down D&H Avenue and into a wooded area overlooking the Susquehanna River in front of the Riverside Adventure Co. building. Yellow caution tape was twined around trees, creating sharp turns and guiding racers toward obstacles. A steep hill near the river's bank required the riders to get off their bikes and pull or carry them up.
A few riders took spills near the hills and rock gardens, but after a quick brush-off and a chuckle, they were back on their bikes and pedaling to catch up with the competition. Decoteau shouted encouragement to riders through a megaphone near the end of the circuit, where he and assistants kept track of their laps and the amount of time left in the race. Rock music blared from speakers located on the deck of the adventure company, where onlookers cheered.
It was Dustin Manotti, clad in a black and red athletic suit, who came in first, completing a total of eight laps of the mile and three-quarters course by the time the 60 minutes had elapsed. Manotti, who is from Mifflinburg, said he only started bike racing about three years ago, and this was his first cyclocross. "I just wanted to try something different in the fall," he said.
The race brought out about 120 people, both spectators and racers, said Decoteau.
The cyclocross event was part of the River Towns Race Series, which features races throughout the Susquehanna Valley area.
This year, the race series brought more than 1,500 people to the Montour and northern Northumberland County region to enjoy local recreation and spend money, said Bob Stoudt, director of the Montour Area Recreation Commission.
Considering the amount of rainy weather this year, that's "a very good number," he said.
Information, including coming cyclocross races, can be found at www.RiverTownRace.com.
n Email questions or comments about this article to rstoneback@dailyitem.com
