Congratulations to our Iron Cross VII team! Here’s the race report from Le Q:

“In 2007 and 2008 our local team earned bronze in the Iron Cross team competition. The organizer, Mark Laser, is a great guy and has been very friendly with us. He looked relieved yesterday when he was able to tell us we’d finally won.

Half of our twelve-rider squad stayed Saturday night with Jim and Patsy Hartnett in Gettysburg, PA. Jim was my cross country coach at Mt. St. Mary’s College. The Hartnetts have kept a concerned eye on me ever since. They enjoy extending their gracious hospitality to a houseload of Iron Crossers each fall.

Something around 300 riders came out to meet 62+ miles of beautiful Michaux State Forest. During the huge death spiral start Chris D. scored first flop of the day with a quick slide & catlike remount in the slick grass. Otherwise we all escaped Camp Thompson unmarked and dove out into the wilderness.

Andy Guptill and Andy Ruiz took off with the lead group including other famous pros like Jeremiah Bishop, Rob Lichtenwalner, Andy Applegate and Gunnar Shogren. Andy R. double flatted, recovered, then flatted again but still managed a flying ride. He should probably be glad that the pain bus went on without him.

Andy G. didn’t know it but the KOM line was fairly early, at the top of Shippensburg hill. He happened to get across it first. None of us realized this until the award ceremony.

Out in the badlands Andy’s group enjoyed killing each other one by one. By the end Jeremiah B. was away alone (3:41:27), coming in nine minutes ahead of Ross Delaplane from Colorado (Green Mtn. Sports) (3:50:13). Andy G. came home third in 3:54:33. Anything around 4 hours at the Iron Cross is world class. A sub-4 ride is loony.

The rest of us made it across the line with no fractures, only a pint or two of blood missing (Messy Sumner), only one trashed wheel (Gene P.) and some excellent tales of airborne mayhem (Tom B., Sumner, Delisle). Tim H. took our only significant wrong turn but seemed pleased about it. Terry B saw part of the drivetrain dismantle itself during mile 3. He found his small parts in the dirt, reassembled and went on to earn third in the singlespeeders.

Each year the Team Competition is fought out by formidable riders. We earned first place against Tri-Power and several other tough squads. We had an excellent adventure together, earned a little cash, a case of fine beer and the admiration of a bunch of deep weirdos.”

Results:
3 Andy Guptill CBRC – Iron Cross VII 3 M sub-40 3:54:33 15.9mph
27 Mark Sumner CBRC – Iron Cross VII 10 M 40+ 4:23:47 14.1mph
28 Christopher Delisle CBRC – Iron Cross VII 16 M sub-40 4:24:41 14.1mph
39 Thomas Butler CBRC – Iron Cross VII 13 M 40+ 4:33:35 13.6mph
43 Terry Blanchet CBRC – Iron Cross VII 4 M 0-99 (SS) 4:35:25 13.5mph
44 M. Andrew Ruiz CBRC – Iron Cross VII 16 M 40+ 4:35:25 13.5mph
65 Bryna Nestor CBRC – Iron Cross VII 5 F sub-40 4:40:22 13.3mph
92 Jenny Ives CBRC – Iron Cross VII 7 F sub-40 4:55:42 12.6mph
120 Chuck Quackenbush CBRC – Iron Cross VII 10 M 0-99 (SS) 5:10:01 12.0mph
129 Tim Huneck CBRC – Iron Cross VII 45 M 40+ 5:15:00 11.8mph
150 Gene Primomo CBRC – Iron Cross VII 52 M 40+ 5:25:24 11.4mph
178 Ian Briggs CBRC – Iron Cross VII (UK Chapter) 63 M 40+ 5:40:37 10.9mph