Weekend Forecast: Nittany Lion Cross
Nittany is here! It’s flat, it’s fast, it’s a nice weekend day with friends.
This course hasn’t changed much in the last decade, so while we don’t yet have a published course map, we can assume it will look pretty similar to the below. It’ll be run in either of two directions: clockwise, as they typically run it on Day 1 of a full-weekend event; or counterclockwise, typical of Day 2.
The Day 2-style start is pretty fast and straightforward, compared to Day 1’s hard left-hand corner, whose roots will definitely take out a handful of people in the larger fields. Reader: stay wide and don’t panic.
Continuing from the Day 1 start, you’ll cross under the start-finish banner and head immediately up a sharp rise into a right-hander before…
Clem showing us where to dismount: early
The Extremely Turny Section™. This is laid out differently every year, but count on a bunch of flat grass turns, and at least two off-camber turns that are dicey when wet and fast rippers when dry. I recommend a super early unclip and coast into the stairs. Snag some rest here, and if you’re driving the bike well, this can be a good place to catch your breath – or to push on your rivals that aren’t turning as well as you are.
After all those turns, you’ll have two straight grass segments that are long enough that it’s worth letting someone else tow you around. What follows are three tricky right-handers in dirt/mud/roots/wood chips, so take note of how well your windbreak is managing through here – you might want to sneak ahead of them in the second straight. For whatever reason, the first corner – the one that isn’t really in the woods, by the ball field – is always the trickiest. In quite a few tries, I’m not sure I’ve ever gotten to the point where I feel like I’m carrying the right speed in and out of the corner.
I expect that most people will find this little down-and-up the trickiest bit of the course, but as long as you keep it rubber-side-down, I don’t think it’s one of those that can create a big loss of time (see Extremely Turny Section™ for that, where bad lines lose time and result in more time on the power). On lap one though, it’s one you want to have at least a couple ideas in mind for how you’ll approach it.
High line, shown in pink: probably the more challenging turn-in, but you’re rewarded with fewer pedal rotations and a few more choices on exit.
Low line, shown in blue: generally easier and allows you to carry more momentum, but if you don’t carry much speed out of the corner…it’s kindof a long slog up the hill and the exit is going to be tight.
Be ready for both, pre-ride both, and especially on the first lap, be ready to get off the bike.
If the course is set up “Day 2” style, the little ride-up (yellow line, from right to left in the image) will be super chaotic on lap one, but uneventful as the field spreads out. There was once a log at the top of the ride-up that hasn’t been there for a few years. If it’s there: don’t be a hero.
This section starts off fast – you’re coming down off the hill, left-to-right in the image – and sends you straight into a hairpin that is a bit of a puzzler, especially as your speed increases or after you can’t see straight. The very tall barriers tend to follow, and especially in “Day 1” setup, these are barriers that you can take at speed. Be unclipped as you coast into them – pedaling hard into the barriers is sure to jack your HR, and it’s a waste of watts. Prioritize exit speed on the next two corners and head out to…
ALL THE PEDALING!!!
The first two long straights are especially bumpy, with the third generally a bit smoother. If you’re with people, you can definitely afford to let them come through and take the wind. I recommend the wide line for both of the hairpin corners – more momentum, less pedaling… you get the picture.
If you’re in a pack with some people you want to beat on the last lap, this is where you do it. Waiting until the final downhill sprint to the line is a recipe for disaster, and there are usually 5-10 challenging bits in this area where folks can come unglued. The first corner is especially fast – start wide, hit the inside stake, turn into the next stake, exit wide. No brakes.
The hairpin around the tree tends to have acorns, or something? under it that can be tricky. Don’t look at the root. The next left down doesn’t have much of a speed limit (but is tricky in “Day 2” setup; if there’s a rut, go with it) and the next two right-handers are on-camber, so keep off the brakes. The next stretch tends to be boggy, sewagey mud. Keep your mouth closed and your hands off your downtube, and definitely pre-ride (or at least scope out) what the exit is like. Early and late in the day this will usually be trickier, due to dew or ruts, respectively.
Put the hammer down on the rise past the pits and and back toward the finish, and you’re home free.
Weather
Friday and Saturday before the race will be dry and 70s, so… the course shouldn’t be too soggy by the time Sunday rolls around.
And for raceday: 69° and light winds. Nice. We’ll see you there!
Gear
Don’t you dare run filetreads. You’re not that good.
I mostly like cycling because I like stuff, and I like tinkering. The title for all of my posts here should be, “I made a bunch of mistakes so you don’t have to: [Topic] Edition.”
I’d love to review your product. Say hi: clay@tobedetermined.cc.
The famous grass crit racing at Nittany Lion Cyclocross returns for the first time since 2019