Donnelly Pro Team News: Rochester Cyclocross

Lance Haidet and Laurel Rathbun rolled in to Rochester, New York looking to shake off the cyclocross race cobwebs and break in their new Donnelly C//C race bikes. It was a dry and dusty weekend at Genesee Valley Park which made for some fast racing and close split times. It also meant that any little mistake could cost you valuable seconds.

It was a solid weekend or racing for Lance Haidet. "It felt really good to get the first UCI races under my belt. Each year there is always so much anticipation leading into Rochester, so it was awesome to redline the engine for a couple of days," said Haidet. "All in all I feel good about the weekend and am super happy with where my fitness is at."

Lance had solid starts on both days and was able to battle with a lead group of heavy hitters including Stephen Hyde, Kerry Werner and Gage Hecht for most of both races. With two big days finished and whole season ahead, Lance knows what needs to be done to reach the podium. "These races are so tough and I need to dig a bit deeper for better position," stated Haidet. "Too often I found myself near the back of the front group, which meant I was having to close gaps after almost every technical section. I need to commit mentally to do whatever I can to never be on the last wheel in a group."

Lance would finish 6th on Saturday and 8th on Sunday. He will be heading home to San Luis Obispo to prepare for Reno Cross and the upcoming U.S. World Cups.

After a summer of solid road racing, Laurel Rathbun was ready to hang up the road slicks for the weekend and roll on some low pressure tubulars. "I felt really positive going into the weekend and knew I had good form," said Laurel. "Unfortunately on Saturday I did not get a great start and was involved with a lot of first lap shenanigans."

After a lesson learned, Laurel had a much better start on Sunday and was rolling in the top ten before an untimely crash spoiled a satisfying result. "The course was very fast and technical with lots of little sections to gain or lose time depending on your skill level. Now I know what I need to keep working on."

Laurel would finish 18th on Saturday and 22nd on Sunday. She rolls out for her final Collegiate Track Nationals in Colorado Springs on 9/13-15 with Marian University. Then it's back to cyclocross racing at Jingle Cross in a few weeks.

Rider Tire Selection, Pressure and Course Conditions
Rochester Cyclocross course conditions report from Head Mechanic James Sullivan.

It was dry dusty and fast. LAS was the obvious choice, but slick corners had some riders thinking about more bite from a front tire. This led Laurel to chose the MXP for her front tire.

Rochester Cyclocross Tire Selection and Pressure

Laurel Rathbun
Saturday:
Front: MXP / 25 psi
Rear: LAS / 26 psi

Sunday:
Front: MXP / 25 psi
Rear: LAS / 26 psi

Lance Haidet
Saturday:
Front: LAS / 25.5 psi
Rear: LAS / 26 psi

Sunday:
Front: LAS / 26 psi
Rear: LAS / 26 psi

Full Speed Ahead equips the Donnelly Pro Team with Handlebars, Stem, Seatpost, Bar Tape, Cranksets and Vision DB Wheels
Article provided by the Donnelly Professional Cycling Team. For more news on the team, be sure to visit their website HERE