I think I might even beat Velonews with the results today. I had a really good start and was sitting in the top 10 through the opening u-turns and then up the first climb. Guys were going crazy on the downhills and crashing all over, it was crazy dusty and rutted out that it was almost impossible to see the trail. I was just off the back of the 2nd chase group after the first lap so I had to suffer pretty hard in the headwinds on the flats and the gaps opened up there. Matt Kelly caught me somewhere mid race and we rode together for most of the third and fourth lap. He was riding a little stronger than me and would gap me on the climbs, then I'd pass him while he took a dust bath on the downhills, I think he crashed about 10 times but he did get me in the end so that was cool.We caught almost all the women and it was really bad, I think Shonny was the only woman not to get caught! I tangled bars with one girl on the last lap while I was bridging across to a group of three guys and put her in the dirt, I felt really bad but unfortunately I don't think she was the only one it happend too and I ended up not being able to get on the group then too. The course was really hard, but there were just waaaaaay too many people on it, it was actually just as bad as a WORS race with all the traffic.
It was a pretty fun race though, it fit my style of racing more than the normal NORBA does so I thought it was good.
I also traded out my SID for a Reba and it was a world of difference, my bike was actually steering on the decents instead of randomly bouncing around.
I rolled in 20th place and was pretty happy with that considering how I've felt for the last few weeks. I think there is more in me too so hopefully this race will at least allow me to start 2nd row again at the next race.
4 comments:
Didn't mom teach you not to take out girls?
Congrats on 20th!
Great result man! Yep, like racing the WORS Alpine Valley Race and looking up to see 100 comp. riders snaking through the single track ahead of you. You can only wonder, "how in the hell am I going to pass all those riders."
Well, good job and the "dust baths" were interesting.
Yeah, its 11pm in MN and nothing on Velonews. Top five listed on cyclingnews, thats it though with no report. What gives. MTB results have been slacking so far. Would be nice to see how things play out besides top 10. So is it really Fontucky? Nice job anyways and you too Ian in that 8th spot in that marathon.
It's very uncommon for pro men to take out the pro women during a pass. The incident with you was the only such crash I heard of. Not to be ungracious, but most pros consider moving through traffic a part of their professional skills. Most pro men were total gentlemen, they wait until there's a clear line and then just one word suffices: Left or Right. Most of them even thanked me politely. I recall your pass and the exact place where it happened. You were the ONLY 'pro' with attitude about it. Demanding that we yield is not the proper protocol. Just call a side. You waste more energy with your unsafe passing style. I did my best to let you cleanly by, please do your best to call a side and pass swiftly. Hopefully they won't run us on the same course together next time. I'm sorry to be complaining on your site, but I'm just making a simple suggestion to help all of us out.
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