My job, my job, please stop outsourcing my job

In the fine DDCX tradition of outsourcing roles, here's one we didn't even have to ask for.

Roving reporter Paddy Oliver has put together a race report for the Prologue:

The weather gods were right on cue in Melbourne last Friday. They knew that the Melbourne Cross season, brought to us by Dirty Deeds CX, was about to start. The heavens opened around midday and closed about two hours later giving the 800m course in the hallowed Brunswick velodrome time to dry out before the first race of the DDCX Prologue…an aside being the rain forced a considerable number of CXers to forgo the Hawthon CC Good Friday Appeal crit at the much feared Teardrop. Priorities were right.

A new format greeted the 160 competitors across three Mens’ grades (A, B, C /Open), Women’s Combined, and Kids. A 20 minute race was the format and how the competitors relished the challenge of between 8 to 10 laps of the tight and twisty course, with a barrier, a double barrier, and a sand pit thrown in as well. The  bunny hop barrier was demolished during the B / C grade races so didn’t make it to the A race. Also demolished were a few shoulders and considerable pride.

You can read the rest at auscxmag

It's Friday, Friday, Gotta get down on Friday

DDCX Special Ops Crew would like to extend thanks to the following groups and individuals who helped us make Good Friday the #BESTFRIDAY.

• The Morgan Family, for everything, every time. First to arrive, last to leave. Next time you see them, thank them yourself too.
• All the volunteers who rocked up at 1200 to work in the rain and setup the course so that we were ready to roll on time, those sitting on the rego, licencing, timing desks, ensuring it all ran smoothly and those that didn't leave once the race was over, instead helping us pack it all up. 
• Nath, from Metarace, his system is BOSS and he is a timing pro. What other non UCI events have live internet race results?  
• Nick at Saint Cloud, our apparel printer extraordinaire and operator of a fantastic little bike shop.
• Sime of Livinspire Design Co, who continues to deliver artwork that we're stoked to wear.
• Jona and Zombie Espresso for keeping us fuelled with sweet sweet braaaains, err, espresso.
• Brendan "New Timer" Bailey, who rocks the mic like a vandal
• Beatbox Kitchen, slinging burgers and fries to hungry racers
• Chris from SRAMatMonza. Free and excellent neutral race support, whether you're on a $10K bling machine or a balance bike.
• Col "SuperSunbury" Bell, without whom we wouldn't even have pre-reg yet.
• Trailer Trash skips, for a very last minute delivery

Don't forget to tag ya instagram photos with #DDCX, then they'll show up here

Dirty Deeds is for the children.

Last Friday night, we went streaking in the park

How would you, like to help us, help everyone have the #BESTFRIDAY of their lives at the DDCX prologue?

We're looking for volunteers for roles including but not limited to:

• Course setup (1200 - 1500)
• Rego / licencing desk (1500 - 1700)
• Marshalling and general helpering (1700-2000)

If you can help out, drop us a line at ddcx.volunteers at gmail dot com with your availability window, tell them Steve "Grey Poupon" Duggan sent you.

hasta el fondo

Just a quick reminder on some non CX racing events.

Gippsland Gold 2014 - Friday the 25th of April

This promises to be a straight up banger, Gareth puts on AMAZING rides, and Scooter gives them a huge thumbs up. Then, once you're done, head straight to...

Melbourne Gravel Grinders #11 - Kurth Kiln Krush is on Sunday the 27th of April.

This is the first route that MikDee has put together, and hopefully not the last. You can take the next weekend off to clean your bike before lining up at the...

Dirty Gran Fondo 2014 - Wandong is on Saturday the 10th of May.

The Big Hill crew put on a great show, well supported, it'd be a shame to not be pinning a number on at the 3rd iteration of this race.

Midnight Flyer

l'enfer du nord paris-roubaix

HOLY CRAP THE PROLOGUE IS ONLY A WEEK AWAY AND IT'S BEEN RAINING CATS AND DOGS.

Here's our preliminary schedule and some housekeeping, so you can plan your assault on the HCC Good Friday crits and then head down to the real party at Harrison St Velodrome.

Pre-registration: http://tinyurl.com/DDCXREG

Notes:

• This year, "Open" becomes "C grade". This is the grade you race if you are 1) on a non CX bike or 2) totally new to CX. If you try to sandbag yourself into it, be prepared for an involuntary upgrade or unending heckling from the commentary team. 
• Women's Open & CX will also be combined, we'd love to run both, but there are far too few women left on MTBs.
• If you purchased a season entry, you still need to preregister.
• Race entry is $20, or $5 for kids.
• BMXA licences are no longer valid, sorry, we think it sucks too.
• If you don't have a CA/MTBA licence, you will need a DDCX Season Pass, these are $60
• If you are U11 or younger, you can race on a Kidz licence, at $20 for a YEAR of road/track/CX
• Be considerate of our neighbours. Every year we get complaints, let's not give them any reason to this year. Be quiet when leaving, don't leave litter, etc.

Schedule: Friday 18th April 2014

• 330 : Licencing / Rego opens
• 400 - 445 : Course open/hot laps
• 500 : Rego closes
• 500 - 520 : Kids combined
• 530 - 550 : C/Open combined
• 600 - 620 : B Men
• 630 - 650 : Women (combined open/cx)
• 700 - 720 : A Men
• 730 - 750 : Handicap/relay 
• 800 : Presentations

perfect, pulsing, paper thin

WHOOPS!

So we've been selling season entry passes on bigcartel and we didn't even blog about it.

Sorry loyal RSS readers, if you missed our tweets, instagrammery and facebook posts, but here's the deal:

Don't have a CA/MTBA licence? You can buy a season pass licence once again and we'll have it ready for collection at the prologue.There's also an option to purchase a kidz licence if you are a little tacker that's U11 or younger.

Don't want to line up and pay for entry? Want guaranteed entry into every race we put on in 2014? Buy your season race entry and we'll even give you a set of steak knives t-shirt as a bonus.

These two offers close THIS FRIDAY (4th April). Season licence passes will be available at the races, but the shirt/entry deal will disappear.

We also have regular logo shirts for order if that's more your style.

Don't forget that the DDCX Women's Skills Session is this Saturday. The unstoppable Monique Hanley has this to say about it.

We'll update you soon with more details on the prologue, like start times, prereg, etc.

You know it makes sense!