Redline Bicycles has supported our series from the beginning in 2004, and this year, they stepped up their sponsorship in a major way making us a part of their Redline Cup o’ Cross Series. Redline has a long history in the bicycle industry and traces its roots back to 1970 and BMX racing. However, in recent years, the company has been making waves with their line of cyclocross bikes and support of grassroots cycling.

At the awards ceremony following the 6th and final race. Jake Braswell took home a 2007 Redline Conquest that should fit him in a year or two (it’s a 54cm). The Conquest features a double butted aluminum frame with disc tabs, S-bend seatstays for great mud clearance, and a replaceable derailleur hanger. It has a responsive U6 aluminum fork with disc tabs, a shimano 105 rear derailleur with Tiagra STI shifters matched up with a FSA 46 x 36t crankset, and a 9 speed 12×25 cassette. The Gruppo is rounded out by a Ritchey Comp wheel set with Maxxis Raze tires that are ready to give you a great ride over any terrain. The Conquest is available in 7 sizes (44cm-60cm) and retails for $1000.

Pure and simple, our series would not exist without our great sponsors. If you enjoy the MSG Series, please take a moment to email them with your appreciation of their support. Please be sure to mention our Mud, Sweat, and Gears CX Series! Contact info can generally be found on the various company websites linked down the right side of this page. Thanks for taking a few minutes to take this simple and free action that will help Dwayne and I as we plan for 2008 (and yes, we’ve already started….).

MSG #6 Results - 12/8/2007

The results and photos from MSG #6 are posted. Finally, the weather was nasty, and the wet conditions turned the course into a slippery and sloppy mess. This was classic cyclocross, folks! Hopefully, the racing was fun for everybody, and the chicane before the Hammer Heed runup leveled the playing field and forced racers off their bikes.

After the race, we had our usual final race cookout/awards ceremony at the Meredith Pavillion. Jake Braswell took home a 2007 Redline Conquest that should fit him in a year or two. Congratulations to all of our Series winners, and we hope you enjoy your custom homemade trophies. Extra special thanks go out to the Lang’s for their grill expertise. How many other series offer low entry fees, great prizes, and a free lunch?!? Not many.

And like that, the 4th annual Mud, Sweat, and Gears Cyclocross Series drew to a close. Thanks for making this the biggest and best season yet, and we hope to see each and every one of you back again next year.

2007 MSG Overall Points Standings

Some sports drinks are not much more than artificially colored sugar water that does little to aid your performance and even less for your health. Hammer Nutrition’s HEED’s all-complex carbohydrate formula goes down easily and supplies you with consistent, long-lasting energy and the electrolytes you need to keep pushing the pace. HEED (High Energy Electrolyte Drink) has no citric acid so will not burn your throat or stomach no matter how long you drink it. HEED’s sweeteners - stevia and xylitol - are actually good for you, xylitol being especially beneficial for helping promote oral health. The full-spectrum, all chelated mineral, electrolyte profile helps satisfy your body’s mineral requirements. L-Carnosine and Chromium Polynicotinate help to buffer lactic acid and support stable blood glucose levels. If you prefer sport drinks over energy gels or like to use the two together, try HEED and find out what a sports drink done right can do for your athletic performance.

MSG #5 Results - 12/1/2007

The results and photos from MSG #5 are posted. Despite a low turnout due to other races going on in the region, the weather and racing action were hot! Unseasonably warm temperatures and bright sunshine seemed more appropriate for early fall rather than the first day of December. Thanks to all those racers who came out and pinned a number on. We’ll see you next week for the 6th and final race!

One notable course feature this week was the Mefford Molar, so named after the tooth-like shape when seen from the Goodyear Blimp overhead. This outstanding (and new for 2007) feature was marked by fast, swoopy curves that allowed racers to test the limits of their tubular tire glue as they dropped in at high speed. From there, the course at Winged Deer Park felt similar to that of a snowboarding half pipe, and racers sailed back and fourth throughout the race.

POD results are updated. If you placed outside of the top 6, you were eligible for the POD. If you won, you may pick up your prize at registration next week.

Finally, we raffled off some sweet schwag after the SS/Jr’s race at MSG #5. Congratulations to Alan Sparks, the winner of the Redline Conquest Pro frame and the rest of our raffle winners. The Redline Conquest Pro features double butted aluminum U6 tubing with S-bend seatstays, extruded chainstay at the chainrings, flattened top tube, teardrop shaped downtube, and a replaceable hanger for the ultimate in Cyclo-Cross performance.

Please note that next week is the 6th and final race of the 2007 MSG Series. At the conclusion of the last race of the day, we will have a cookout and awards ceremony recognizing our 2007 MSG Overall Points Winners. The ceremony will culminate with a series ending raffle in which we will clean out some great prizes including a 54cm 2007 Redline Conquest complete bike.

See you on 12/8/07 at Winged Deer Park.

Winged Deer Park Race #6 [12/8]

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That Hammer Heed Runup sounds wicked….

We have so much schwag laying around MSG headquarters, that we need to unload some of it. What better way than with another raffle! At the conclusion of the day’s racing on 12/1/07 (MSG #5), we’ll raffle off some great prizes including a 56cm Redline Conquest Pro frameset! As usual, you have to race to be entered in the drawing (make sure you get a raffle ticket when you register), and you must be present at the drawing to take home the loot.

Feelin’ lucky? Come on out this Saturday and get entered to win.