Why These Cyclocross Stars Had to Eat an Entire Pumpkin Pie During the Race
When your race always has the same three winners, the outcome can get a little stale. But what if there was a way to even the playing field?
That’s the question that arose from the Manitoba Cycling Association’s cyclocross races.
“We had a few riders who were riding at a level above everyone else,” said MCA head coach Jayson Gillespie told Bicycling over the phone. “We always knew the outcome of the race so it wasn’t a challenge. They would be out in front and no one would ever catch up. We had to think of ways to make them really try to win.”
This all started in 2016 when racers Danick Vandale, Mitchell Ketler, and Ness Dalling were winning the races by nearly five minutes. Even with three divisions-A,B, and C-the riders were in a league of their own.
“We called in the A-plus category,” Ketler, who races professionally for Applewood Garneau, told Bicycling over the phone. “So our coach thought we needed more of a challenge.”
Since these were training races in the road offseason for the riders, their coach Gillespie devised a plan to even out the competition. The solution: giving the top riders a handicap.
And that’s where it got creative: At first, Vandale and Ketler simply had to start out a few minutes behind everyone else, or they were told to switch bikes mid-lap. Then it evolved last season when Gillespie added physical challenges for the riders, including burpees, pushups, and other muscle-exhausting tests in the middle of a race.
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But this season, Gillespie decided take it even further. During the first race, Gillespie took Ketler’s bike minutes before the race, removed the tires and hid them in a bush, and forced Ketler to find them and reattach them before continuing.
“We once had to run a full lap with our bikes,” Vandale, who rides professionally for Silber Cycling Team, told Bicycling over the phone. “Running already is not an easy task for a cyclist, and then throw in hills and running with your bike, and your legs are sapped the rest of the race. But it’s to push us, and it makes it fun for everyone, and everyone can compete.”
However, the physical challenges are only part of what has gotten a rise out of the crowds. It’s the crazier challenges that keep the fans on the edge of their seats.
For example, on Canadian Thanksgiving (October 8) this year, Vandale and Ketler had to consume a Costco pumpkin pie in the middle of the race.
“I crushed that pumpkin pie,” Ketler said. “I love pumpkin pie, so it was ideal for me.”
A post shared by Christel Leclair (@christel_andree) on Oct 6, 2018 at 8:51pm PDT
Fans admire the antics and creativity, always anxious to know what is going to happen next. Often, Gillespie, who picks the week’s handicap, doesn’t have any idea what it will be until he gets to the race.
“It depends on the course and when I get there,” Gillespie said. “I’ll talk to the organizers and see what they have around. Last weekend, they were doing a bonfire and they had a bunch of firewood, so we had them chop firewood during the race. It really is a spur of the moment decision.”
The last race of the season takes places this weekend. The handicap has not been announced yet, but, as it has all season, it surely will not disappoint.
“We have no idea what the handicaps are this weekend,” Ketler said. “He loves making these things up and he just wants the best out of us, so we’ll see what he has for us.”
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