I-Cup MTB series, Hammerfest at Soldier Hollow.
I tried my luck again in mtb & entered this race. I wasn't excatly confident for this race, I had not pre-rode the course & I only got to train twice in 2 weeks since the last mtb race.
The race was set in the foothills surrounding S.H. & it's stunning. Absoultely beautiful. It looked like there was a ton of climbing thru out on single & double track. I gridded up & we had about 10+ guys in 40+. The course starts off on some very steep pavement climbs then off onto the dirt. The bell went off & I fell into 2nd place from the getgo to try to hang with the leader. 100 yards into it my chain fell off my granny gear(!) I stopped, put it back on but was already behind. I gased it up the climb & settled into 2nd again. So the pavement ends & heads up the mt. I wasn't paying attention & kept on riding on the pavement(!!)
One of my competitors yelled at me & I turned around & found myself at the back of the pack, pissed off.
So about another mile or 2 of up & down stuff we were all together & I see some really steep & long double track coming up. I decide to make a move & crush this pack on this climb. I feel GREAT. I put my head down & hammered for awhile, 1st chance I get I turn around & see nobody. I look ahead & can see the leader in the distance.......maybe I have a chance of catching him. So about the 1/3 mark I have to grab granny for a very steep climb & BOOM, my chain sucks off the big cog & jams beteen the hub(!!!) I knew this was trouble, I was redlined & couldn't believe it. I effed with it for at least 1 1/2- 2 minutes when here comes my comp passing me. I took me another 30 seconds to either pull it out or break something, the chain came out & I was off. By this time I knew I was not going to be a contender.
I got back up to speed but couldn't see anybody. So, about another mile or 2 the trail went acoss a ridgeline, singletrack on a steep hillside. I had to gear down for another section & my derailer caught something, I stalled & FELL over on the downside of the trail (!!!!). I went head over heels & landed about 10ft down onto some trees & scrub brush. I could feel myself bleeding & scratched up. It took me another 30-60 seconds just to get out of that situation. I just shook my head & basically thru in the towel.
I put it on cruise control & just was pissed off. I kept at it on the hills & decended like a bat out of hell. About the last 2 miles or so, there was still some really steep, long climbs left. On the 1st one I saw a pack of riders & told myself just try to catch them, so I put out the effort, decended good on the other side & at the next climb I saw that it was the group of guys in my class. I put hammer down again (I'm really suffering btw) & passed all of them. One guy stepped it up & hung onto my wheel.
Him & I dropped the others & it was on till the finishline. The descent was big ring FAST single track. I decided to let him lead as I didn't know the trail. One last grinder of a hill left & he barely made it over with me thinking on passing but after a quick check, nobody was behind us so I played it cool. The last mile was bomb city & I had to really over ride my hardtail to keep up, he was on a full susp, he tried like hell to drop me but I stayed on him.
Going into the arena there is a good 100 yard flat finish. I locked out my fork, geared just right & waited on his back tire. With 50 yards to go I pulled out & pulled his ass & beat him by a bike length. The timer had me beating him by .01....
So I damn near collapsed after the finishline & dropped everything. I was pretty discusted on how my luck went down in this race. So I kicked around for a few minutes, went over to that guy I beat & shook hands. I went over to the results board & no crap, here's my tag saying 3rd place.....
My jaw hit the ground.
This is the first time I have placed 3rd or better at a cross country MTB event. That definatly took the sting out of all the crap I went thru. Persistance I guess is the word of the day for me.
Next stop is to the bike shop to see wtf is up with my Shimano XTR derailer & shifters.........
Thanks for reading.
b.