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CJ and Kennedy

This is a story of teammates, of respect, and of sportsmanship.

I’ve had the pleasure of sponsoring the Women’s CX Project cyclocross development team in this their first year of racing and they have been an inspiration all season long that’s for sure. None of the lessons I’ve learned this season from them however have been as powerful as what happened in the 35+, Cat 3, U19 Women’s race that occurred at the Derby City Cup two weeks ago.

It was a hard fought race made muddy by a broken underground water pipe that created a swamp of deep mud at the base of the hill right after the starting stretch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Women’s CX Project riders CJ Karas and Kennedy Adams were racing well as each made their way to the front of the field through concentration and effort.

Kennedy Adams would eventually take the lead of the race and continue to open a gap while CJ Karas was riding second wheel with a gap on the third place rider as well.

Both CJ and Kennedy continued to separate themselves from the pack with Kennedy building a 45 second lead over CJ.

Readers who are familiar with the Louisville course will know that as you come out of the woods by the river there is a steep punchy climb up onto the paved road that makes up the start/finish.

As CJ crested this climb for the final time to finish her race she saw that disaster had struck.

After leading almost the entire race, much of it by almost a minute and with only meters to go, Kennedy had had a mechanical and was running with her bike down the LONG finishing straight away.

It would have been a simple thing for CJ to ride down the finishing straight and take the win. The third place rider was coming fast but was still a little ways back.

Something just didn’t feel right though about doing that. Kennedy had earned this win and if it wasn’t for freak luck she would have it. If the mechanical happens almost anywhere else in the race Kennedy would have been able to get to the pit in time, trade for her B bike and still have time to win. It didn’t though it happened right here on the finish straight.

In a show of absolute sportsmanship, instead of just riding past her running teammate, CJ choose to ride up next to her and encourage her to run faster and give it her all and get the win!!! CJ knows she is getting close and can still maybe win and might just run that much faster with her friend encouraging her. Hoping there is time for her to do this and if Kennedy can’t make it she will, CJ waits a second too long as the third place rider is coming fast and with momentum. CJ has to abandon Kennedy and tries to get the win for the team but is just beat out at the line.

At the time that this happened there was a buzz around the team tents about it. Other racers and other teams knew that something had happened but weren’t sure what. Many said “Oh that’s too bad that she couldn’t have still won” and I thought I agreed with them.

Upon reflection though the altruistic feeling wouldn’t have been as complete had CJ gotten the win. It’s the fact that she was willing to loose the race and encourage her team mate until the last possible second and beyond, that makes this a great moment in my mind.
I’ve seen a lot of behavior in people this cyclocross season that has made me cringe with disappointment, sadness and embarrassment and blurred the image of what bike racing in general is about in my mind. This one act of sportswomanship however has brought things back into focus.