Race Report: 2026 Crusher Cup MTB Series #3 XCO - Men’s Cat 1/Expert
Race: 2026 Crusher Cup MTB Series #3 XCO - Men’s Cat 1/Expert Age 19-39
Date: August 2, 2026
AVRT racers: Michael Matthews
Top Result: Men’s Cat 1/Expert Age 19-39 1st/5 (Men’s Cat 1/Expert Overall 4th/22).
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 5.5 times for Cat 1, with ~375 ft of climbing per lap. A couple loose dry corners, steep rocky descents and two climbs. Pass opportunities were almost strictly on the climbs.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/19575300444
Nutrition: Pancakes for breakfast! ~100g of carbs in a bottle for pre/in-race nutrition.
Event Recap: Competition in the M19-39 field was high this time around. Strong local riders and a few from out of town meant this was not going to be a gimme. The 19-39 field started with the 17-18 boys. In the long double-track start it was key to position well. I got to wheel-two within the first hundred meters. Through the first single-track section I was tight on the lead’s wheel. I dropped him and all the other riders (except one) on the first climb, setting a hard but sustainable pace. The UC-Davis rider in my age group and I were alone. He overtook me on a silly mistake and he quickly out descended me and I lost sight of him.
For the better part of lap 2 I assumed I would just need to hold off attacks for a 2nd place finish, and just be consistent hoping for a mistake from the leader. Luckily, he ended up with a mechanical and I was in the lead again before the start of lap 3! For all of laps 3 and 4 I push a strong, safe, consistent pace, checking over my should once in a while. There was no sign of a threat, until the 2nd half of the last lap when I started to hear the whir of a cassette on the descent!
Reggie, in my age group, had caught me on the last of the single track descent. I was hurting but held my lines through to the double track where I laid down some power to distance him. Got a gap… that he then closed again in the last little singletrack. The final hundred meters or so is a steep grade double track. I got to it with him on my tail and unleashed the sprint as soon as I hit the doubletrack and got the job done.
I’m proud of my pacing while alone, my sprint when threatened, my recovery when a technical section didn’t go perfect, and I just might be a little lucky with the UC Davis rider’s mechanical. Should be primed for series result if Stafford Lake goes to plan in two weeks!