LARPD And CXSR On Saturday- BASP Final On Sunday- Plus Photos From Veronika Lenzi

The final race of the B.A.S.P. Series will go off at CCCP CycloCross- Coyote Point this Sunday. Many of the divisional series points battles are going down to the final race. Personally, I have been in many points battles for final rank placing in different series over the years. I know the pressure of a series long points race coming down to the final event of the series. It is like a shoot out in the Wild West where only the victor is left standing. I can imagine that some riders are taking things very seriously when it comes to that final podium call and ones name etched in stone forever as B.A.S.P. Series Champion. Here is a look at some of the points races that are coming down to the final race & which rider crosses the finish line first to propel themselves into immortality as a BASP Series Champion. Please read on...

Cat. A Men- This division will come down to the final race between HRS Rock Lobster riders Josh Snead & Chris McGovern. These two riders are dead even on points, so which ever one of the two crosses the finish line first should win the overall. McGovern has the head to head series lead topping Snead in 3 out of the 4 races. However Snead has positioned himself even on points going into the final, and all out race warfare between the two seems to be in order. The big question here is will Rock Lobster head honcho Paul Sadoff make the call who he feels should claim the overall, or does Sadoff let the two talented riders fight it out themselves. My opinion is it will be a dog fight on course to decide the Elite Men's champion.

Single Speed A- Timmy Cannard(Buy Cell.com) looks set to claim the series overall. Cannard is the man behind Buy Cell.com and he has a team mate right behind him in points. I look for Cannard to control things on course and have his team riders escort him to the finish to wrap up the BASP Single Speed crown.

Cat B Men- Isaiah Rapko(Team Oakland) has dominated the B division from race #1 and looks set to stand on the top step of the podium in this division.

Single Speed B- Sheila Moon's Evan Sarna has owned the top spot of this division all season long. I do not see this fast rider faltering on the final day.

Cat C Men- Oh No! Doug Aldrich(Team Sys Group) & Alex Wick(Davis Bike Club) are all square on points going into the final. Stay out of their way and let them decide this between themselves on course please!

Junior Women- Madeleine Myall(Cal Giant Inc.)- enough said!

Juniors 10-14- Team Roaring Mouse has a keeper in Ryan Grant. This kid is fast and is locked in to win the overall.

Juniors 15-18- Brandon Chan(Sycip) & Julian Eisen(SERT/Sho-air) have been going back and forth all series long in the points rankings. Eisen needs to make up a few spots on Chan or the Sycip rider is set to claim top honors in this division.

Master 55+ John Elgart(Webcor) is undefeated. Can he run the table?

Cat C Women- Jamie Schoenborn(Roaring Mouse) has been unstoppable this season. My money is on Schoenborn to be called to the top step of the final GC podium.

Cat A Women- Sarah Maile(Ventana) is 5 points down to Karen Brems(Webcor) going into the final. I think these two talented riders will be marking each other very heavily during the proceedings. It is up to Maile to get a few riders in between her and Brems at the finish. Yet Brems will surely go down swinging to claim the overall!

Cat B Women- The Siamese Twins of the Women's B division are Michelle Monroe(Joselyn's) & Courtney Shipman(Bike Station Aptos). These two strong riding Women have been virtually neck and neck all season long. Who ever gets to the line first could be the overall champ. It is going to be a cat fight for sure!

Master Women 35+ A- Linda Elgart(Webcor) has been very consistent all season long and is set to win the division. I look for Elgart to ride a very controlled race and roll into the overall title. Or she may simply throw it down on the other 35+ Women and go out with a win in the final race to prove she is number 1.

Master 45+ A- Rob Meighan(Cal Giant Inc.) and Brett Lambert(HRS Rock Lobster have been the story of this age group all season long. I look for a fierce fight on course to decide the division champion. Meighan leads by a scant 2 points, so who ever crosses the finish line first between these two warriors will most likely be series king.

Master 35+ A- Don Myrah(IBIS-Buy Cell.com) should claim this division because he has about a 20 point lead over 2nd place ranked Steve Reaney(Cal Giant Inc.). Myrah has been awesome in 2009 and this is a rider who knows how to close the deal.

Master 35+ B- Chris Donahue(Vertical Pandas) has a 8 point lead over Mike Morgan(Sycip) & Ian Moore(Berkeley Bike Club), will it be enough??

Master 45+ B- Zachary W. Beekler(Pen Velo/Pomodoro) has used his MTB Bike to dominate this division. I look for the hard charging Beekler to be on a proper Cross bike very soon.

Full points of the BASP Series can be seen here- http://www.pilarcitos.com/results/CrossResults/2009/2009_GC.html#Cat%20A%20Men

Veronika Lenzi has a awesome collection of photos from the Nor-Cal Cyclocross racing scene, please have a look at her great work. And here are a few that caught my eye from GGP last Sunday-

Lenzi link- http://www.veronikalenzi.com/index.html