Just how bad was the snow, freezing rain, wind, sleet and more snow on Friday, the opening day of the 2005 Liberty Mutual U.S. national cyclo-cross championships? Just ask longtime race announcer and event communications director Richard Fries. Fries, publisher of The Ride magazine and a key element in making the 2005 event come together, makes no secret of his affinity for cyclo-cross racing. Yet Friday, he said, was "one of the worst days of my life." "At one point I literally broke down and started weeping," Fries said. "My 11-year-old son was came and told me, ‘Dad, it isn’t so bad,’ right as the wind was blowing the course tape off course and the expo tents apart. I had two earpieces in, and in one ear I had people telling me racers needed to see the race doctor, while in the other ear the doctor was telling me she was overwhelmed with people who needed attention. We had three heated RVs to treat racers, and they were overflowing. It was like Gettysburg out there."

Click here for a Chris Milliman photo gallery Hypothermia, carnage, travel delays and course devastation temporarily brought the 2005 cyclo-cross nationals to a halt. At one point wind and snow flurries brought visibility to near zero, and with course tape flapping in the fierce wind, riders simply could not tell whether they were on course. In a sport that prides itself on "rain-or-shine" racing, the conditions were bad enough that two categories – masters men 30-34 and collegiate men - had to be postponed until Saturday. It was a rough day at the office for many racers. TIAA-CREF-Clif Bar team manager Brandon Dwight, third in the masters men 35-39 race, was seen fighting hypothermia in an ambulance after his race, while race announcer Joel Brown was caught up in a crash during his race and suffered a chain-ring slash to his Achilles heel. Even masters 40-45 winner Dale Knapp (Kona) collapsed to the ground at the finish of his race, chilled to the bone. Things may not go much better Saturday for defending national champion Jonathan Page (Liberty Mutual), who is reportedly sick and bailed out on a media reception dinner Friday night to visit a local doctor. While Page was spotted pre-riding the course Thursday, he is reported to have told fellow racers that he is fighting an illness that has required repeated trips to the toilet. Page’s misfortunes could benefit former national champions Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) and Todd Wells (GT-Hyundai), both of whom are superior riders in the slick, technical conditions expected Saturday. "It’s no secret, I like the bad conditions," said Johnson, winner of the elite men’s national title in 2000 in similar conditions in Kansas City. "It evens out the strengths of the other riders. The worse the weather, the better it is for me." Still, those who attended the media reception were unanimous in their dismay at reports that Page might show up to the start line at less than his best. "I hope he’s not sick," said last year’s runner-up Ryan Trebon (Kona). "I’d rather beat him fair and square, when he’s feeling good." Trebon pre-rode the course Thursday, and found it just to his liking, albeit in vastly different conditions. "When it was dry it was fast, easy, hilly and not too technical, not a lot of slow turns," Trebon said. "There are three run-up sections. I like courses where you have to get off the bike and run." Asked how Page’s absence could affect the tactics at the front of the race, Trebon conceded that it would be a completely different race without the three-time champion. "If it’s me and [Kona teammate] Barry [Wicks] at the front, it will be a lot different than me just trying to chase down Jonathan." Still, 2001 national champion Wells said that with or without Page, the conditions will require full attention on the course over tactical strategy.

"It starts so fast, no one is really looking at each other." Wells said. "You’re just going all out and watching your lines. Especially if it’s sloppy conditions. When it’s slippery and everyone’s riding single file, you just watch the course. The first lap can be crazy, people are shooting all over the place. There are a lot of guys who can go good for one lap, so you just have to stay out of trouble." All talk for the women’s race centered on last year’s winner Katie Compton (Redline). While Compton was not in attendance, her out-of-nowhere victory last year was the topic on everyone’s mind. "Katie schooled everyone last year, so I’d say I’m most concerned with her," said Barb Howe (Velo Bella), the top American finisher in the USGP of CX series. "I’ve had good races and bad races on the ice, so I don’t know what to expect from myself to tomorrow." Ann Knapp (Kona) agreed that Compton has to be considered the race favorite. "I have no idea what to expect out of Katie," said the 2002 national champion. "And no one has been real consistent this year. I don’t know who will be there, and that’s what makes it exciting. But I think the real target has to be the course." The weather forecast for Saturday calls for sunshine and temperatures in the low 30s. But with melted snow turning to ice overnight, the treacherous conditions will no doubt affect the outcome of each and every race.

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