After falling ill after Monday’s travel from Andorra, I did everything possible to be in good enough shape to take the start on Sunday. I took Wednesday and Thursday off completely, and had an easy spin on Friday. I completed 2 laps on Saturday and felt pretty lousy but thought I’d make a call after my warm up on Sunday as to whether or not I would take the start. 

I had a good sleep Saturday night and woke up feeling somewhat human. I felt okay during my warm up so decided to give the race a crack. I had a pretty clear race plan of having a strong start and from there riding my own tempo and not getting caught up in chasing for top positions. It hosed down for 45 minutes just before the start of the men’s race and everyone on the grid switched to a meatier tyre tread pattern. I opted for Bontrager XR2 2.2’s front and rear with 18.0 psi front and 19.5 psi in the rear. I also decided to race the Top Fuel on the super rough and rooty course and that proved to be a wise decision, as it enabled me to apply power where I otherwise would have had to freewheel on a hardtail.

I had a great start just as I had planned entering the first single-track in the top 5 and from there set about riding to my own rhythm. I crossed the line eventually in 16th, over the moon with that all things considered! I had set myself a goal of top 40 due to my poor health prior to starting, so to find myself riding around in the top 20 despite my condition was hugely encouraging and I can’t wait for Mont Saint Anne in 4 weeks’ time!

photo credit: Matt DeLorme

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Cycling has always been a huge part of my life as I have been riding ever since I could walk. I see mountain biking as an adventure and a challenge.
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There are many things I love about mountain biking – the people you meet, the skills you need, the concentration it requires, race strategy, the opportunities to explore new places and countries.
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