The second race of the 2014 Knobby Time series at South Hills Park in Glendora. Knobby Time is a MTB XC series more for the beginners to experts in the old systems or cat 2-3 in the new system of all ages who have just started racing. Pro / Cat 1’s tend to race the Experts due to their lower turnout. It is grassroots racing from Masters 60+ down to elementary age kids. In its fourth year, the series started and put on by Omar of Team Redzone and Cycle Events Company racing and sponsored by The Cyclery Bike Shop is running a three race series this year.
Photos & Report by Kenneth Hill / Light & Shadows Photography
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The South Hills course is 3.3 miles with 600+ft per lap with mostly hard pack and some pavement. The start is on the north side of the hills with a short straightaway to the single track hole shot before coming out onto sidewalk leading into a long fire road climb before a steep semi technical single-track descent on the south side the hills by the 210 Freeway. The course goes up the steep service road to the top of the ridge, before dropping to a trail that contours on a narrow single track through the trees before dropping down on switchbacks to the start/finish area. The laps finished with a flat to rolling loop along the base of the hills.
About 90 people started in total for the classed age groups in a mass start with about a minute between each class. In the under 35 Expert class, Alfred Pacheco of Buena Park Bicycles, winner of the last race on May 8th, took off and did not look back. With all classes racing at one time it was a race of fitness, skills, and strategy when to pass as the down hills were hard to pass on and easier to pass on the uphills with more room. In the bigger classes, it allowed positions to swap around a bit if racers close to one other faltered on a part of the course. Michael Sanchez of Pro Bike Supply rode away in the Singlespeed age 17 category and was one of the fastest racers on the course for the day. For the women it was all solo racers in all of the classes, so for of each them it was just mountain bike time trial and workout for later races in the season.
