Mountain Bike Nationals

Nationals always marks an important part in anyone's year. Even though I had already been to CX nationals and road nationals this was the big one to me. Mountain bike nationals held at Hardwood Ski and Bike was where I would attempt to go for my third national champion jersey and my 4th national title. The course at Hardwood was excellently built. The venue was loaded. The people were there. Now all that was left to do was race!

In the week leading up to nationals my brother and I were with team Ontario. We stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast, had some excellent mentoring and had a great time with all the others athletes that attended! It was great. Unfortunately, this time around, Brendan Arnold of the OCA was not willing to place bets with us based on results (When I was at road nationals we made a bet that if I won a jersey he'd shave his head into a Mohawk. He wasn't keen to bet this time around). All week we worked on the course getting lines, trying the rocks and slaying coffee run. The intense heat was something that took some getting used to and required lots of hydration. Luckily for us juniors and cadets, we were racing at 9am so the heat wouldn't pose too much of an issue. 

On Thursday leading up the race, the national cross country eliminator was held. A very interesting course as the first section was quite technical and the last section was primarily fitness based. The strategy was to sit 2nd wheel the entire time and move on each round without having to work too hard. This was a great strategy as it allowed me to save energy and ride safe and smooth. In the quarter finals I missed my pedal 3 times off the start. This put me in last place. I thought to myself that this wasn't going to be good if I couldn't get up into second. Putting the pedal to the metal, and without sliding out on the hay, I fought my way back up.

Eliminators are so exciting to watch and ride as they are extremely fast pace and tight. Two inches in front of someone else and you can move them wherever they need to go - most of the time they go behind you.

 I had made it all the way to the finals. There I was met by fellow Barrie resident Mitch Bailey and two other Quebec riders; Léandre Bouchard being one of them. This racing was going to be intense. Off the start things were looking good. I passed Mitch in one of the technical pieces and was on Léandre's wheel. Going over the last Joyride jump Léandre slipped his pedal; I made my move. I got a little bit of a gap over Mitch. This was it, 4 turns, a drop, a log and a finishing straight and I'd be home free! However it didn't turn out that way... I slipped out on one of the turns, put my foot down...but quickly pulled the bike back underneath me and continued. And then it happened... I looked down and my chain had fallen off. Quick shift and I was able to pull it on without breaking anything. Now I was in third. I stayed in that position as I could not make up the distance between Mitch and I. I think 3rd, at the first ever national eliminator, as a junior is respectable. Fist pump to that!

So the eliminator was successful and it was fun! The cross country race was good too. Early morning start, cool weather and the recent rain helped out the course greatly. Off the start I had to work really hard to get a gap but I knew if I could get to coffee run first I could really get a gap. Well the plan was executed perfectly. I had a solid gap coming into the feedzone first lap. All I did then was try to make it grow. A few more seconds here and there until I hit 1.5 minute gap. Then I toned it down to ride safe and bring the jersey home. It was a successful race, no drama, the course was great but I did dab once... 

It was a fantastic day for the Disera household as little brother Quinton also won his race in cadet. Two national champions under the same roof - Flückiger brothers better watch their backs! 

Big thanks to:

Ontario Cycling Association for a great project

Angry Johnny's

Norco

Louis Garneau

And M&D Racing! 

Next steps will be the World Cup in Mont St. Anne. The next big focus is World Championships in South Africa! Going to be good! 

If you would like to support me in my endeavours I encourage you to please check out my website www.pwrper.com/peter and click on the donate button at the top. Any and all help is appreciated! 

Nationals Individual Time Trial

Wow! What an exciting experience! 

The scene, Lac Mégantic, Quebec, beautiful green rolling hills, fast ripping roads and French people. Good times for sure! 

The individual time trial was the first event. I do not own a time trial bike for the record, instead I borrowed one from Matthias Schmidt. I had nice little training ride three days before the race. This was my first time riding a TT bike. I rode it for the second time doing course recon. The course was a rolling, turny course with some elevation gain. I was extremely concerned about the climb that was in the course as for it was a solid kilometre or two. Besides that, to a mountain biker it just looked like road - not much to it.

Race day I was nervous for no apparent reason! I had never done a TT before. This was my third ride on a TT bike. This was going to be experience. However, I was still nervous. Lining up in the start gate with my borrowed beauty I took a few deep breaths and went for it. I was told to not go too hard off the start, keep it just chilled out for a while then crank it. There was a tail wind on the way out so I just ripped like mad. Beautiful junior gears allowed my to tuck down the climb. At the turn around I was ready to turn the gas on. Into the head wind and up hill. Cranking out some good watts I had caught my 2 minute man. Riding it like a mountain biker with some good digs on the climb and recovery on the decent. At the lap turn around I almost hit the fence - I like going fast around turns ok. On the way out for the second time it was flying time! I had to save a little for the way back though! At the turn around someone yelled to me that I was in the lead, my immediate thoughts: "you're lying." After thinking about it a little more I thought that maybe they were right as I just came from the tail wind section; then it hit me. What if I could hold it throughout the head wind section? Giver!!! And that's just what happened. Cooking up the climb and sprinting my face off (in an aero position) I came out with a time of 39:09 for 30km. It was a fantastic result as this was my first time and I astonished myself. Apparently I was in the lead. Only Adam Jamieson had to finish. When Adam came in for 4th place I knew I had done it! 

National Individual Time Trial Champion! 

Woot!

Shout out to Will 'Nub' Elliot and Jack 'ITT' Burke for their podium finishes!