Race Report: 2026 Crusher Cup MTB Series #1 XCO - Men’s Cat 1/Expert
Race: 2026 Crusher Cup MTB Series #1 XCO - Men’s Cat 1/Expert Age 19-39
Date: June 21, 2026
AVRT racers: Michael Matthews
Top Result: Men’s Cat 1/Expert Age 19-39 1st/2 (Men’s Cat 1/Expert Overall 7th/20).
Course: True to form, Lake Sonoma delivered its signature cocktail of heat, dust, and bone-dry dirt. Cat 1 riders tackled four laps of a ~3.25-mile singletrack loop, racking up 650 feet of elevation gain per lap. The terrain was a brutal but fun mix: punchy rollers, flowy singletrack, and relentless climbs punctuated by loose, technical pitches. Between the sandy corners and a deceptive, high-speed descent that will happily throw you into the trees if you lose focus (learned that the hard way last year), there was no room for error. The final sting? A short, steep kicker right before hitting the parking lot start/finish line.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/19015299819
Nutrition: Normal breakfast, pb&j sandwich, and ~100g of carbs in a bottle for in-race nutrition.
Event Recap: As it turns out, this race doubled as the District Championships for Cat 1 XC MTB. It wasn’t on my radar or in my season goals, I just showed up for the Crusher Cup fun and some upgrade points. Competition in the M19-39 field was light, with only one other rider showing up. A podium was guaranteed, but upgrade points were off the table.
When the gun went off for the Men’s Cat 1 19+ field (all us "older folks" started together), I got a killer jump, holeshotting the start-finish and leading our group into the first descent. I immediately started picking off younger riders from the earlier waves, but my lone competitor was glued to my wheel. That changed on the first major climb. I laid down a heavy, sustainable pace and snapped the elastic, dropping him for good.
The rest of the race became a tactical yo-yo match with the M40-49 leader. He was the superior climber (a LKHC winner), while I had the edge on the technical descents. Trading blows with him kept the intensity high and the race exciting, even if he ultimately edged me out at the end.