Jon Hamblen has kept up a full cross racing schedule and writes the below race report from North Carolina. There are also some great photos of Hamblen taken by Dennis Smith from some New England racing at the pbase.com website here, with a photo of Johs and a crash by Hamblen.

Hamblen 2nd at Greensboro, NC Cyclocross Series, Nov 29th

Cool weather and mud for the Greensboro stop of the NC Cyclocross Series, plenty of rain the previous week left the course at Bur Mil Park sloppy and slow. Fiordifrutta sent lone North Carolina rider Jon Hamblen to brave the conditions and work on his mud riding skills. As usual Jon and Fuji's Charlie Storm took off to an early lead, followed by Andy Applegate (Masters' 35+ winner earlier in the day). Jon and Charlie worked well together to create a big gap between themselves and the other riders. In the final turns Jon sat on Charlie, confident that he could sprint around the MTB'er on the finish stretch. Charlie had other ideas, however, and accelerated hard, Jon could not get by him before the finish and Storm beat Hamblen to the line.

Johs Huseby wrote the following race reports from the UCI cyclocross races in New England. You can also read a great interview with Johs on the Cycle-Smart coaching website here.

Chainbiter 6.0 – Farmington, CT, November 13th

My wife Diane and I made the trip on Friday night to upstate NY to stay with my father as the weather was forecasting 3-6 inches of snow. It was a sleet ridden drive west and slow. My mechanic, Todd Downs, called me on Saturday morning to make sure the race was still on as he had gotten 5 + inches of snow south of Boston. No matter what it was sure to be wet down in CT.

I arrived with adequate time for a good warm-up and took a few laps of the course – it was very wet and slippery – to my liking. I got a spot on the front row and decided that the hole shot was not what I was looking for – just stay towards the front.

I was able to settle in nicely and then began to slowly pick riders off in front of me. The guys up front were really moving so I do not think I was gaining on them at all. There was a nice run-up on one portion of the course, a good sand pit and a long stretch of pavement. With two laps to go I was sitting in 10th and had a good gap on the next guys – I think I was increasing my lead on them slowly. I approached the sand pit thinking – no problem, “I’ve flown through here every lap,” and next thing I know, I put too much weight on my front wheel and boom – I came to a stop all of the sudden in the middle! I had to get off and run the rest of the section and then jump back on afterwards. Before I knew it the two or three guys that were what seemed a fair distance behind me were then right there – maybe 15 seconds back. Uh oh. I punched it on the pavement section and immediately put some time back into them and gave myself a little room for comfort and was able to stay away the last lap in 10th place.

This was the best “big” result I had this year as I finally felt like I had some power and was able to keep it rolling for the whole race. Not bad timing as Nationals is now only a few weeks away.

Cycle-Smart International – Northampton, MA, November 14th

This was a new course this year with a very European flavor – some in the woods, some field sections, railroad crossings like small table top jumps, a steep run-up, a steep ride up – just about everything. I was feeling good as yesterday had gone well and I was hoping I could better my placing in this higher category event(yesterday was a UCI cat II and today a cat I). The field was the same, and the start was going to be scary.

They only could line up 6 wide on the start line (the rule is 8) therefore I got relegated to the second row – the first time I have had to start there all year. I was on the far right hand side of the road and there was a nice patch of ice at the end of the pavement start stretch just before a hard right hand drop-off turn. I warned the riders in front of me to take caution as I was unsure if I would be able to make it to the front in this start.

I was able to have a great start and stayed towards the front (5th or 6th) and rode steadily in that position for the first half lap. The pace was very fast today at the front and I was having difficulty staying there. I slowly started fading back and then ended up sitting in a group of guys between 15th and 20th. I was clearly not feeling as sprightly as I had the day before and was having difficulty holding onto this group.

Nonetheless I was still having a great time on this well designed course. About half way through the race, I came around a sharp paved corner after just exiting a particularly muddy section and I did a two wheel slide for a few feet…I thought for sure I was going down, but somehow pulled off staying upright – phew. I kept going and battled back and forth with the group I was in and then finally got popped and finished just off the pace in 19th – a bit of a disappointment after yesterday.

In the end I had to be pleased with my weekend as I had come up with one of my better results of the season meaning that my form is starting to develop. I am looking forward to this coming weekend in New Jersey for the last two events of the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross. Hamblen and our fearless leader Curt will be in attendance. Curt is looking to tow Hamblen and I around for the first few laps and then settle in enjoying his favorite spot as Lantern Rouge – ready to make a powerful last lap surge!

Hamblen Wins Crossing the Creek, Burlington NC Cyclocross Series, November 14th

The coldest race of the NC Series so far, with temperatures in the low 50's! Riders were bundled up for the cold at the start of the Burlington race, organized by NC's favorite USCF Official, Chips Chapman. From the gun Charlie Storm (Fuji) and Jon Hamblen jumped hard to form their lead group. Through the second of a set of three bobbins on a hillside Charlie bobbled and nearly went over the bars, this gave Hamblen the lead by 5 seconds for the first two laps.

Meanwhile just behind them a big crash took out several riders, including Andy Applegate (Kona-Cane Creek), who would have figured into the competition more had there been a clean first lap. Storm rode hard to bridge up and immediately pass Hamblen in the woods on lap three, taking the lead and slowing the pace to apparently catch his breath. Over the barriers, however, Charlie lost his chain. Hamblen waited for him to get the chain back on and remount his bike but Charlie rode easy and told him to go on ahead. Charlie soon got himself in order and chased while Jon rode steadily and smoothly to a 30 second lead. Hamblen went on to win the race and soon was in his truck with the heat on full blast.

Huseby 4th at West Hill Shop Cyclocross, November 7th

After Jon Hamblen's convincing win last year in Putney, Vermont - one of the oldest cyclo-cross races in New England, I headed up to my home town to try to defend this title for Fiordifrutta. I had won this race several times myself and had been introduced to the sport of cyclo-cross on these grounds. It was set to be a beautiful day, in the sixties, and sunny and the first local race for me in several weeks. Upon arriving and getting kitted up, I got to get quite a few warm-up laps in.

I had decided to race with my Powertap - Power measuring device - so I could look back at the race and pick out areas I might be able to improve. This was the first time I had done this. I also had on board a new set of carbon Cannondale Integrated cranks that Curt set me up with a few weeks ago. Finally, I chose to run the Michelin Jet tire for the rear today - which turned out to be a good decision. The course was incredibly dry and fast except for one section that was added this year where there was a bit of clay. I knew this would present challenging as it would sap a lot of everyone's energy. Putney also has one of the steepest and longest run-ups in New England - a sure place to crack a competitor or two.

The field was a tough one - not much different than the caliber of riders that had shown up the weekend before in Gloucester. Jesse Anthony got the hole shot and I followed close behind. Adam Craig, and Matt White were right behind. We quickly separated from the rest of the field on this giant BMX like course, with all sorts of great banked corners. We kept the pace high and I punched it up the run thinking I might shed a couple of the guys with us - it worked, but I was at my limit. Jesse was not shed and stayed right with me. He attacked just over the top of the run and I was smoked. I did what I could to try and stay on his wheel, but was unable to.

The other two guys caught up to me and quickly rode away from me. This was a little less than half way through the race and there was a solid group of 5 chasing hard behind me. I did what I could to maintain my gap, but could not close the one down in front of me. I held onto 4th and Jesse rode at the front by himself to take the win. The group behind me got close at the end - I could feel them breathing down my neck.


Hamblen 2nd at Boone NC Cyclocross Series, November 7th

The largest field to show up for a NC series race this year, as most probably didn't realize the difficulty of the hilly course. The race started with Charlie Storm (Fuji) taking the lead and putting pressure on Jon from the beginning. Charlie rode extremely well on the hills and through the technical creek crossing, putting the hurt on Hamblen. After about two laps Jon had been dropped by Charlie and found himself riding alone for the remainder of the event. Left to fend for himself in the freezing cold and surprisingly deep creek crossing, he lost time on Charlie each lap and ended up 1-2 minutes behind at the finish.

Jon Hamblen wrote the following race reports and was clearly influenced by some his NASCAR heroes in North Carolina.

Hamblen Wins Salisbury Cyclocross, North Carolina Series, October 30th

Fiordifrutta's Jon Hamblen decided to stay in NC for the weekend and relax his driving muscles rather than complete the fourteen hour training drive to Gloucester, Mass. This was race number two in the North Carolina Cyclocross Series and was held in summer-like conditions, sunny and 81 degrees with a stiff breeze. The course was a long loop with plenty of open power sections, a steep ride up, and a mud section. The race started fast with Charlie Storm (Fuji) and John Deagle (Cycling Spoken Here) leading the first half lap. Hamblen sat on them, quoting after the race, "I was confident that the lightweight strength of my Cannondale cross frame and Time Atac Titan Carbon pedals would save me energy over the length of the race and let me put more power down through my stiff Spinergy wheels and grippy Michelin tires."

Two laps into the race Charlie and Jon separated themselves from Deagle by accelerating in and out of the turns. According to Hamblen, "me an' Charlie were going into turns four and five pretty hot and three wide, until we popped John D, then we settled down a bit." The two worked together for the next few laps increasing their lead over Deagle and the remainder of the field. With four laps to go Hamblen attacked Charlie in the long headwind stretch before the start/finish line.

Jon rode hard for the reaming laps to establish a good lead and take the win. At the finish Hamblen was ecstatic about his first cross win of the 04/05 season, "It's been a while since I won a cross race, about eight months, and that was a long dry spell there. I'm happy to be bringing my Fiordifrutta Cannondale back into victory lane and getting my team a win here was top priority, we were on orders from management to really be a force out here today. I really owe it to my team, the Fiordi frutta Cannondale was dialed in, Time pedals were working flawlessly, Spinergy wheels were holding my line, and the Michelins were awesome in the mud yet again, my Headsweats headband kept the sweat outta my eyes today, which was real nice in the heat."

Hamblen Takes Win #2 at Cary Cyclocross, North Carolina Series, October 31st

Round three of the NC Cyclocross Series was held in Cary under sunny skies and 80 degree temp's. Fiordifrutta's Jon Hamblen showed up with a plan to attack from the start Johs Huesby style, try to establish an early lead, and hold it to the finish.

The race was held in Bond Park on a fun twisty course that included some smooth single track trails and a huge run-up. Jon took off from the line but was beat to the first turn by John Deagle (Cycling Spoken Here) and he had to go through the tight turn two-wide with Charlie Storm (Fuji), "I was a lil' bit worried there in turn one, never seen anyone go into it two-wide before but we hung on and made it through all right," said Hamblen after the race.

Halfway into the lap Hamblen dove around Deagle in the woods and accelerated away, "Yeah, I was surprised that no one hung on me there comin' out of the woods, I knew I was in the clear if I could hit the run-up first and open her up full throttle when I got back on the Cannondale." Hamblen put the pressure on for the rest of the race and won his second of the weekend ahead of Charlie Storm and John Deagle.