Cross Crusade 2, Horning's Hideout another success.
River City Bicycles Cross Crusade's Second Event Continues Success

Portland, Oregon - The Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) announced today another successful Cross Crusade Cyclocross Race. 910 hearty riders or "Crusaders", including over 160 women, descended on Horning's Hideout in North Plains, Oregon this past Sunday. While not exceeding the previous week's record numbers at the Alpenrose course, the event attracted some of the nation's top riders.

A mixture of long descents and equally long up-hill sections, this race favored the power rider. Both Adam Craig and Patty Buerkle rode away from their competition.

Elite Women
Patty Buerkle, Webcyclery.com, Bend, OR
Emily VanMeter, River City Bicycles, Portland, OR
Alice Penningeton, DeSalvo Custom Cycles, Hood River, OR
Alalia Berry, Gentle Lovers, Portland, OR
Dani Dance, River City Bicycles, Portland, OR

Elite Men
Adam Craig, Giant, Bend, OR
Carl Decker, Giant, Bend, OR
Mark Blackwelder, Gentle Lovers, Portland, OR
Sean Babcock, Team S&M, Corvallis, OR
Kevin Hulick, Gentle Lovers, Portland, OR

As with many cross races, there were many spectacles, including a rider on a very heavy cruiser bike, Adam Craig bunny hopping barriers, a racer in a Hello Kitty speedo, a unicycle category and plenty of beer. This festive atmosphere made for an enjoyable race for racers and spectators alike.

Footage and pictures can be found at:
http://snowcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/
http://bikeportland.org/2007/10/15/cross-report-hornings-hideout-brings-on-the-hurt/
http://www.photofaction.net/g/2007_hornings_hideout
http://photos.oregonvelo.com/g/cchh
http://www.crankmychain.com/2007/10/breath-of-fresh-pain.html

The long-running success of the River City Bicycles Cross Crusade - this is its 16th year - has firmly established the Northwest as the country's most popular region for cyclocross. Each round of the Cross Crusade offers 16 classes of competition, from elite men and women to masters and junior categories. Races vary from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the class. The series, sanctioned by the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, will pay out more than $20,000 in prize money and merchandise.

Cyclocross bike racing is a specialized form of cycling competition, one that requires riders to race on a closed-loop circuit, over grass, pavement, gravel, and mud, with barriers and steep run-ups mixed in for additional challenges. The pace is frenetic, with little time to rest and less opportunity for "slipstreaming," as in road races.

The remaining River City Cross Crusade schedule is as follows: Race 3 - October 21, Rainier High School; Race 4 - October 28, Halloween Cross Festival, Clatsop County Fairgrounds; Race 5 - November 4, Barton Park; Race 6 - November 11, World Single Speed CX Championship, Estacada Timber Park; Race 7 - November 18, Hillsboro Stadium; and United States Grand Prix on Cyclocross 5&6 - December 1-2, Portland International Raceway.

The Cross Crusade is organized and promoted by Club Vivo, 4409 SW Dosch Road, Portland, OR 97201, 503-806-6943. For complete information on the River City Cross Crusade, visit www.crosscrusade.com. Learn more about the Cross Crusade and all types of bicycle racing in Oregon at www.obra.org, site of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association.

The Oregon Bicycle Racing Association is the official bicycle racing organization in Oregon and is responsible for issuing permits for bicycle races. The major responsibilities of the organization are to ensure the ongoing safety and development of the sport. With a membership of over 3,000 annual members, Oregon has the highest number of racers per capita in the United States and is second only to California in the number of cycling events. In addition, Oregon was ranked 3rd in the number of amateur racers behind Colorado and California. (Velonews 2006)