Race Report: 2025 Crusher Cup (XC MTB) Race #3 - Men’s Cat 2/Sport
Race: Crusher Cup (XC MTB) Race #3 Men’s Cat 2/Sport Age 35+
Date: July 6, 2025
AVRT racers: Michael Matthews
Top Result: Men’s Cat 2/Sport Age 35+ 1st/9 (Men’s Cat 2/Sport Overall 7th/34)
Course: The Delaveaga Park Crusher Cup featured the traditional UCSC Western Collegiate Championship course. The course had a great mix of fast hardpack with sections of more technical roots and rocks. It was a 2.5 mile lap completed 4 times for Cat 2, with 300 ft of climbing per lap. A couple loose dry corners, steep rocky descents and two punchy “climbs”. Pass opportunities were almost strictly on the climbs.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/15028809158
Nutrition: ~90g of carbs in a bottle for pre/during race nutrition. Consumed two thirds of it beforehand, and left rest to sip on the climbs.
Event Recap: Recon’d the course by completing the back third before lining up. Having raced a bunch already this weekend my goal today was to stay upright and salvage as many points in the series as possible. I was definitely on the back foot energy-wise, but always excited to race XC! Off the gun, I was able to jump all of the 19 to 34 field with my main competitor in the 35+. He was fresh and coming off riding at elevation last weekend. I decided that I would hold onto his wheel as long as I could, and if I had enough in the end, try to jump him for the win. Second place would be okay for me in this race after having taken first in the first two races. Before the first lap was over my main competitor lost it in a loose corner and crashed. He was okay. I had no idea how far back he was afterward, so I rode on at a sustainable pace to try to keep the gap. My lap times told an unsurprising story (I was shedding 20s per lap). I was tired! I hung in there and stayed upright for the win. Coming in a minute ahead of second place!
