With Croton and Rainey Park off the calendar, HPCX is now our most local race. The race has evolved over the years from a 2-day UCI weekend to the current one day race format, but it’s always kept its local, grassroots feel. To quote race announcer, Erin Faccone, HPCX “is the best race you've probably never done. It's insane that this race has gone for 24 years."

HPCX is traditionally one of the first races that truly feels like fall, whether that means rain and mud, or a full palette of fall colors. However, in keeping with the theme established so far this season, the temperature climbed up almost to 80 by early afternoon and many were still racing with water bottles. While the early morning races were cool, this was not the fall weather that we could count on in past editions of HPCX. I remember trying to warm up in the bathrooms in 2021! Sunday’s course was dry, dusty, and fast and tires of choice were mixed or file treads.

HPCX, now in its 24th(!!) year, was presented by Rutgers University Cycling and Highland Park Hermes. As it has been for the last few years, it was also the NJ State Cyclocross Championship and TBD’s Aimee Layton walked away with one of the coveted jerseys. A BBQ fed the racers and spectators throughout the day, and race announcer and former elite cyclocross racer and local Erin Faccone kept the vibes awesome.

It’s remarkable the race has lasted for so long, and maybe even more so knowing that it’s put on by a local collegiate cycling club.

RUTGERS CYCLING

“We had a great weekend setting up for and racing at HPCX! The race has been going on since 2000, and has had some truly bonkers weather in that time, so we were super pleased with the sunny weather on Sunday. It’s always a great time for the Rutgers team and it’s fun to spend the weekend with everyone, as well as stay connected to the Rutgers alumni. My first HPCX was in 2019 and I had very little idea of what cyclocross was. I do know that when I finished that race I was as confused as I was hooked on cross, so it is cool to be here with everyone five years later having a lot of fun!
The course has some challenging features on it which are fun to test ourselves against each year, with the heat being an additional feature this year. At the beginning of last week I said I was looking forward to a race where I wasn’t worried about heat and by Saturday night I found myself making ice socks for my race on Sunday.
This race is fun and important to us, and we are always excited to see everyone on race day. We are grateful to Erin Faccone for being on the mic again this year and to Maurten and Bivo for supporting our race podiums! Thank you to everyone who came out to race and helped make the day special! See you all next year.”

First up for TBD was the Men’s 3/4 race. Yosef, Jacob, James, and Josh lined up in the field of 43. The first feature very soon after the hole shot is The Sand Pits. The sand at HPCX is always loose but imminently rideable, and never fails to be absolute chaos on the first lap. Yosef clearly conquered the sand, and used the feature to make passes. Small groups started to form and Yosef and Jacob animated the front groups, finishing 7th and 10th. James reports that he focused on figuring out the course between the barriers and the pit, linking those sections together, and riding or running (mostly running) the Belgian steps.

Rod gridded up in the Masters 1/2/3/4 race with the goal of beating his local nemeses (and race predictor) and did so in a convincing fashion. He notes “I felt like I raced all race - didn’t get that mid race or last lap death.” From the view on the sidelines it was clear he was having a great race.

(Photo: Rutgers Cycling)

Diane, Leah, and Aimee lined up next in the Women’s 3/4/5 race, giving us an exciting battle down to the last lap for 1st and 2nd between Hannah of Kruiscx and Leah, with Hannah ultimately taking the win. Aimee rounded out the podium after racing like “a bat outta hell'.” Diane completed the wide-angle podium taking 5th. Leah notes the “the downhill sections this year all had wide enough turns that you could fly through and swoop with no brakes which was fun and rewarding.” Aimee had her best race of the season, not only earning a spot on the podium, but becoming New Jersey Cat 3 State Champion, making State Champs a mother/daughter affair after Xenia, representing NJCX, took the W in the women’s junior race.

Diane also nearly went home as the local legend this year, after racing both the Women’s 3/4/5 and the Women’s Elite 1/2/3 field. (After a season relegated to PACX 1/2/3 fields, I couldn’t bear the thought of not spending a little time in the scrub zone. - Diane). Charlie Muller, coach of Shark River Devo ultimately took that honor after racing his second race, the men’s elite.

Finally, there were also multiple reports of a groundhog sighting, and since the sun was out all day, we can only assume it clearly it saw its shadow. Can this mean four more weeks of summer?

Race Reports

Jacob

Much like everyone else, it seems, I started the week leading up to this race with chills, sweats, malaise, and a whole body fatigue. I tried my best to recover throughout the week, but whatever virus came over me left my legs feeling empty by the time my number got called up. To make things more interesting, I botched my attempt at mounting new tires the night before, so I was forced to race on my B wheels. Challenge tires are…a challenge. A first-row call-up allowed me to have a decent start and I was able to navigate the sand without a hitch. The course had been tamed from last year with fewer corners and bone-dry conditions that favored racers with a higher power-to-skill ratio. Nonetheless, HPCX delivered its fun off-cambers and brutal slogs up the hill. My favorite hidden feature was the tiny bump towards the end of the course that gave you a more direct and fun line. Due to a bent hanger, my derailleur skipped anytime I was outside of the extremes of my cassette. Despite the setbacks, I had a blast picking off riders throughout the race and found myself in a three-way battle on the last lap. A few well timed attacks allowed me to pull ahead just before the final paved section, and I rolled in for 10th.

Yosef

Like the rest of the greater tri-state area, I too have been suffering from the tail end of some cold I just can’t seem to kick. Putting out too much of an effort would lead me to start coughing. I went into the race expecting to treat it like a training race and just have fun doing the best I could. Turns out, being unable to rely on spiking power led to a remarkably smooth effort where I focused more on not hitting the brakes than on pedaling strong.
As part of my cross journey of the years, I’ve always admired the folks that could drop me in a section without even pedaling. This past weekend that was me! I closed gaps without a single pedal stroke just by riding better lines. More than anything that’s made me feel like maybe, just maybe, all this training and practice is paying off a tiny bit. Maybe I have learned to ride a bike.