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6 more days till Halloween CX

Officially the final Halloween CX T design. Like it or not you can get one if you dress proper.

Halloween CX Race and Costume Parte

All day long, come early and drink often.

Amenities:

- 2nd Ed EXPO Halloween T: Show up in legit costume, get the T. Street Clothes, Costs $20. Limited quantities so get there early.

- Lakefront on Tap

- 1, 2 or 3 kinds of chili

- Hot apple cider

- Tunes like never before

- Much much moreCome and enjoy a seriously proper Halloween Parte and Cyclocross Race all at the same time. I can not lie. No I can not.

13 Days till Halloween CX

Here is this year's Halloween CX T-shirt design... There may be a few tweaks here and there, but the main idea is here to stay.

How to get one eh?

Hmm...

Stay Tuned.

2010 MTB Nationals Pic Drop #1

Yeah. It is kind of hard to put into words all that went on this past month. Heck, we don't have time. EXPO is looking to throw two Junior Teams into this weekend's Wausau24. www.twitter.com/exporacing

More pics to come!

Pack and Depart

Pack, Cut and try to sleep.




Up early. Trivia: How many Juniors do you see?

Wait to leave.

Windy day on the road today. Trixie was a work horse. Subway ran an EXPO Special - Buy 15, get the 16th free. You don't get what you don't ask for... Lesson learned. We rest in North Platte. Aim for Sam's Club in Denver tomorrow. Then it is into the hills.

My eyes are a burning. Closing computer and getting some sleep. Twitter is where it's at!

Scott Cole! You are the best. Thank for working your magic to keep Myles on his trusty steed.

All the kids have been great! 'Rents all get props.

EXPO Racing Leaves for MTB Nationals

The only cat not pictured would be the Theo Peters. Regardless, Joe Horvath killed it in the EXPO Round 2 Photoshoot. Look out for us folks, opponents beware, we're coming, we're coming, we're coming.

12 kids
16 bikes
3 truck
2 trailers
200 bottles
2 spare wheel sets
10 iPods
...

We are pumped. Stay right here for the latest updates on our quest for XC supremacy.

The (growing) EXPO Juniors List set for Nationals

The rider list is up to 12! These kids are in for one hell of an experience!!

Ryan Oconnell - Oak Forest, IL - 16
Jordan Watkins - Marshfield, WI - 14
Brandon Watkins - Marshfield, WI - 16
Emily Shull - Libertyville, IL - 15
Liz Shull - Libertyville, IL - 16
Myles Beach - Larsen, WI - 16
Kyle Warras - Waukesha, WI - 17
Nathan Labecki - Milwaukee, WI - 16
Theodore Peters - Hartford, WI - 18
Mitchell Bogardus - Kenosha, WI - 16
Gage Rodriguez - Kenosha, WI - 16
Andrew Schmidt - Edgerton, WI - 10

This weekend at the Subaru Cup you will be able to help send our EXPO Juniors out to Colorado for the National Championships. You will see the EXPO Tent within the Subaru Cup Consumer Expo. We will be selling The new EXPO Racing T's, EXPO Stickers, and $5 or 5 for $20 Drawing Tickets. When you buy a Drawing Ticket you will be entered into a Drawing for a SET of Hayes Stroker Disc Brakes. Word on the street is there may be a fork added to the drawing as well... Be sure to stop by the tent to see all the $$$ items that make it into the Give Away.

T's will sell for $10 and Stickers will be $1 and $3.

Every single dollar will go directly into making this monumental trip just that much more possible.

Big Thanks goes out the the Tour of America's Dairyland for donating the sweet set of Hayes Disc Brakes! If you can't make it to Mt. Morris, then be sure to hit up the Downer Ave. ToAD race this Saturday.

EXPO Pre/Post wear: $10

Loved to ok the "press check". This shirt will hold double value. 1) Raw style and, if you have an ounce of desire for one of these bad boys, 2) rest assure every dime will go towards sending our Juniors out to Granby, CO for the Mountain Bike National Championships.

First chance to get your hands on one of these will be at the WORS Subaru Cup this weekend. Of course you can send me an email(left sidebar).

Women's Specific shirts are available as well: EXPO Green shirt with Purple print.

Sunburst preps for Nats...

Andy aka EXPO Prodigy ups the weekly intensity and throws out his first win of the season, and a top 10 overall. Seems to be perfectly timing out his push for a National Championship. Yeah, he is coming with us to Nationals.

I am sure you a wish you knew what the Shull Sisters were doing during the week... Emily won her group and took 7th overall in the Sport Women.

Riley was fresh off the Trek 100 the day before, gets on his first podium of his season: 3rd. I guess some people can handle an XC race the day after a century...

Liz Shull races Jr. X, but goes off with the Pro Women. 15th Overall within the Pro and Cat 1 Women.

It wasn't the best weekend for the EXPO juniors racing in the Jr. X class. However, Kyle was able to keep EXPO on the BOX. So far this season, if Kyle toes the line he gets on the BOX. Consistency will be key in this year's series results. This Junior group this year is just too talented.

What has been going on since Sunburst? Well, the Shulls, Myles(5th in 6hr) and Aris(3rd in 3hr) did work at the 12hrs of John Muir and Nate is working towards a top 5 in the cat4 Tour of America's Dairyland.

Up NEXT: Subaru Cup and the Midwest Regional Championships. Look for EXPO in the Consumer Expo throughout the weekend. We will be selling T-shirts, tickets and decals to raise money to help send our EXPO Juniors out to MTB Nationals in Granby, CO. What are the tickets for? We will throw those into a hat for some legit Hayes and Sram goodies, I mean legit! Much much info and details to come! Stay tuned.

EXPO Sponsored Pasta Dinner

After you pre-ride the course @ Sunburst come to the Peters for Pasta

The Peters Home For Boys
1429 Kilkee Road
Hartford, WI 53027
262-623-2098

Saturday, June 12 – 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Come early or come late – pasta will be available.
World Cup Soccer and Camp Fire

If you want to stay at our house, there is plenty of floor space; or you can set-up your tent in our yard; includes breakfast the next morning!

All bikers & their families are welcome.

A few pics here and a few pics there. WORS #3 - Trek Big Ring Classic was a blast, as it always is.


No fly on the tent always means good things. Buckwheat at least stays when told(when we are watching).

Jordan aka JDubs rode much faster on his new Jay build. Kona, Sun Ringle, Hayes, Answer, and Ergon make this bike scream to be rode fast. Jordan did! Jay built this beauty from scratch on the Friday before the weekend!

Andy aka EXPO Prodigy takes mental notes at the start of the Open Junior (Jr. Cat 1/2) start.

Look closely, Riley had to tumble over a crash before he could even spike his heart rate. Note to self, stay in the front third.

Riley talks about the start crash, while Brandon and Ryan trade stories of their podium trips.

Great to see Brian this year! Sporting the National Champion Jersey of yours truly. He looks much better in it than I would this year.

Liz towards the front in the Women's Elite field. She's 16. Pic by Edge on Flickr.

Another great one by Edge. Finally we get a glimpse of Myles. Caleb was getting ready to test the fields legs in just a few short miles... then Myles said bye to all.

Where is Myles?

Pictured would be all of our EXPO Juniors racing in the Cat1/2 Junior Open Division (Previously Junior X). These peeps are FAST - Liz, Nate, Theo, Mitch, Caleb, Kyle and... Where is Myles?!?!

Off the front is what we can say now. Myles put it down to dominate the Junior field... The entire COMP class for that matter. 2nd Overall! 16seconds back from 1st overall and 2minutes OVER the entire rest of the COMP field.

Other results to boot:

Chris - 1st Overall in Citizen
*Andy - 2nd Cit 10-14
Emily - 3rd Sport 15-18
*Jordan - 2nd Sport 10-14
*Ryan - 2nd Sport 15-16
Brandon - 3rd Sport 15-16
Riley - 7th Sport 15-16
Dan - 9th Sport 55-59
Liz - 1st
*Myles - 1st, 2nd Overall
Caleb - 4th
Kyle - 5th
Nate - 6th
Theo - 14th
Aris - 18th Elite 19-29
Brian - 22nd Elite 19-29
John - 11th Elite 40+

Mitch told the story of the heat which grabbed him a DNF and highlighted the inner beauty of "season". Brayden joins EXPO this weekend, after his 3rd race ever! He is in the right place, because I couldn't name a better group of kids to move him along the right path. Welcome Brayden.

* would indicate a so-far season best result. Pics and Stories to come.

Enjoyed the Memorial Day.

WORS #2 Keeps it Coming

Chris Schmidt, father of the boy named Andy, shows us exactly how he is trying to get Andy ready for the big races coming up this year. Chris took his Gary Fisher to a 1st in age and 1st overall. Chris and Andy both can be considered relatively new to the sport, and show quite a drive and focus of what you would normally see in seasoned mountain bikers.






How fitting that Andy be caught on pic with a Bonty banner behind. As you may have read about Andy's misfortune in a previous post, Andy was in need of some new hoops. What to do? Then, all of a sudden, I get this magic email from a man named Matt Gehling. He made sure there was some Xlite wheels with proper Rhinelander rubber waiting for the Schmidts upon their Saturday arrival. Andy managed a 4th in age to sneak onto the box to make it two trips to the podium in a row. Thanks again Matt!

Caleb Lenss rocked it for WORS #2. Off the front with Nate on his wheel. And after Nate's performance at Iola, one would be worried to have Nate on your backside. Combine Caleb's form and Nate's loose skewer... Caleb was gone! He was gone with a 5th overall COMP time.

John G is rocking out the WORS season this year. Two in a row and is getting closer and closer to crossing the line ahead of some old man trying to manage his rusty tool shed. John took 7th in his COMP age class and 59th overall. 7min off the old man's time.

Ahh! Yes you are seeing it here and now! The Shull family has jumped on the EXPO crew. Emily will rock out her Clif kit until we can rush her some women's specific from our friends at Endura. She will represent in the Sport class at 15. I tell you what, 2nd age and 18th overall... If her sister Liz can be any indication of Emily's potential... Look out.

Liz Shull is EXPO's first Junior Elite woman. She is faaast! To finish inside the top ten of the women's elite field at only 16, is scary. She did it at Iola. Just days after her top ten, she throws on an EXPO kit. To boot, she runs Ergon. Team Editions are on their way!

New faces leaves more room for face time. Liz and Emily will be getting plenty of it. Talks have already begun to have these two come out to CO with us to compete at the national level... Ha, as if WORS isn't that already!

What a pic. The entire podium (4 of 5 EXPO) has times fast enough to make the top 10 overall in the COMP field. Sick, right? Just look how WORS cash hungry err, jealous the boys are of Caleb's winnings.

Could this be the EXPO squad for Moab? What a question... How crazy is it going to be to watch that develop over the summer?

Not pic'd: Who could forget Brandon getting on the box riding his new Trek? Jay shoots him a pre-race strategy talk, wala. Improve something like 80 spots his sport overall result from Iola to Rhinelander and take 3rd in his age... Can't wait to see him at WORS #3. Can't wait to see you all!

***All Pics from the lovely peoples at Flicker and the WORS photoContest.

Rhinelander Pre-race

It is really nice when you cross by a FlickerPhoto that can finally tell the true story. Race report to come...


Photo by WORS Photographer Jared Brodjeski

EXPO bike gets Hurt

So I get a sad sad sad email regarding the health of a teammate's bike. The lesson that can learned here, I don't know...



"Driving 2 blocks away from our house, the wind had blown some tree branches down on some phone lines. These lines happened to be low enough to close-line Andy's bike and rip it and the Thule Rack off the top of the car. Trashed his Race X Lite wheels, hydraulic brake cables, and remote fork cable (not to mention the rack and the top of the car!). We’ve recovered emotionally. Now it's time for Verizon to cut the check!"



To the Schmidt family, We feel your pain and promise Andy will be happy on whatever the steed thrown together for this weekend's race. When your powers combine...

Iola kicks it EXPO Style'

The EXPO Junior cat1/2 peeps at the start of WORS #1, Iola. A huge group of kids that chose to blow each other to shreds after the first section of climbs. I absolutely loved seeing it. Watching them hang prior to start like the crew I know, then once the infamous "GoooOOOOO!" reaches their ears it was go time. Faces went to pro and it was time to see who brought their legs to the start of the mountain biking season. Nate was off the front(and would stay there!) with Kyle keeping the gap within 1 minute for most of the race. Then after those two it was cut-throat. Myles had to fight lap traffic and some fast kid from a team in blue to take 4th. Caleb fought hard to come oh-so-close to getting on the box. To be able to walk into a 7th place last year versus fighting for your life to get a 7th this years goes to show how hot the Junior scene is this for 2010.

Looking at the faces of Nate and Kyle in this pic taken by velogrrl at the finish will always keep you on an even mindset. Once the top two spots were sealed with the EXPO Badge (Nate 1, Kyle 2) it was all smiles. You can tell EXPO is out to have a good year.

EXPO Prodigy, Andy Schmidt, showed everyone he is here to stay. A U14 field that was 15 deep and littered with 12, 13 and 14 year old's was sure to pose a threat to Andy's second year racing and his first Citizen race to boot. The 10year old grabbed the 3rd highest spot on the box and place 26th overall. All I can say is look out Colorado... Andy will come ready to race US XC Nats.

What does 2009 US 13-14 Cyclocross National Champion Ian Haupt do in his off season? Rip up the Sport field as he works his singletrack skills. One thing is for sure, Cyclocross legs easily transfer to the mountain bike. Ian took second in the Sport U14 age and 10th Overall. He is most certainly off to a great start.

All in all the, EXPO Nation threw 12 into the almost 850 racer mix at WORS #1. I think we came out pretty good. And what a blast it was to see a the people that can be associated with a Mountain Biking weekend in WI. 2010 is going to be fun.

My 44 Miles of Trans Iowa

I was so geeked for this year's Trans Iowa. My legs seemed to be healed and my mind was in the right place. I had the proper Endura gear to honestly get me through anything, which it did... However, in not enough time. 4am start meant we had 4 hours to go 44 miles. No sweat, right?


If you look closely, I managed to stay with the lead group for the first 100yards. I was feeling good, really good. I was even in front of strong men Eric Brunt and Cornbread!

Some where between the picture above and the picture below, all hell broke loose. We were able to ride through the most beautiful thunder and lightening storm I have ever set my eyes on. I have never felt so small and so not-in-control. The rain came down quite hard, I stopped and blew 5minutes putting on my rain gear and pulling out the Ergon pack's rain fly. To me it was worth it... However, at the time, I was thinking I was going to have to survive 30hours of this.

The gravel was like peanut butter. The tires felt flat. what would be 15mph on a dry day was 7, 8 and 9mph on T.I. day.

The hills... Close to 2000ft gained in 44miles per my new Timex WS4. Made it super tough to create and maintain a group. So it was a solo yoyo morning in the dark.

By 7am I knew I would have to average 13mph to still make the checkpoint on time. No problem right? Just do it. No joke, I made a turn around the corner and saw THE B Road! Crap. This was going to be the first time in all of my Trans Iowa attempts, that the clock was going to take me out. Going into it, I never even factored time into the mix... I will next year, and I will show with the proper EB type legs.

At least I was able to catch up to the Ari (he has pics too!) and his crew, Dan and Russ. Awesome amazing peeps to ride out the last few stressless miles. The math doesn't lie. Need to average 13mph for one hour was not going to happen when you can only push your 40lb mud bike 2-3mph... Why not relax and enjoy the rest of the way to CP1 with some great peoples.

Even when it looked safe to try, it would suck your tire right in. If you didn't have your shoes on tight, it was sure to eat your shoe.

I wasn't lying. Awesome peeps. Nothing like toasting the B-Road.

Thanks for the pick-me-up guys. I truly was a blast!

The pack after CP1, It was a heave one... I'm going to spread some of the weight to a seat post rack come Trans Wisconsin.

Theo and Trixie waited it out for me all morning... I felt so bad, cause last year I made it to CP1 with the leaders in just 2 hours... It just goes to show you what a little rain and hills can do to a T.I. attempt.

The bike rode flawlessly. It was an amazing ride. The only change to be made for the next endurance ride... new/different map reader, and the addition of a seat-post rack mount(any suggestions?)

All in all Trans Iowa always manages to be the best ride and the most memorable one of the year. I can not wait until next year... I can not wait until Trans Wisconsin... I can not wait to start posting on our EXPO Juniors! Please stay tuned for tons of sweet pics and videos of mountain biking's new pros. These kids are on their way to some unforgettable years on the bike.

www.twitter.com/EXPOracing will always have up to the date postings of EXPO Racing, so be sure to check up on that as well as make your way through my links for T.I. write-ups as well as EXPO updates from this past weekend's Iola WORS #1.

The next post will be the Iola post...

Trans Iowa, I love you.