Cyclo-Cross World Championships - the Race

The 2013 Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Louisville, Kentucky started off a bit interesting. With tornado warnings early in the week, hot weather turning to snow, and then potential flooding the races were bumped up to Saturday. This meaning that all four of the categories would race on Saturday. Not a huge deal for us juniors seeing our start just became an hour or so earlier.

On the morning of the race, it was cold obviously, and there was a fresh dusting of snow on the ground. This was going to make for an interesting seeing just two days before everything had been a mud pit. Meaning that all of the mud and muddy ruts would have become frozen bobsled tracks. Almost too Canadian for comfort...

The course was open for training for an hour before our start. The boys and I headed out for a lap or two before retreating to the heated trailer to jump on the trainers. After a good warm up it was time to make our way to the start boxes. The start was the part of the race that I was most worried about. It was going to be violent, fast and potentially deadly. I was sketching out a bit, not going to lie.

Rolling up to the line I was the 20th call up. Quickly forcing my way up a bit towards the front and I became second row. This was going to be a good race, I felt good, confident, but insanely nervous. When the light turned green, we were off!
Sprint, sprint - BREAK! (As buddy here almost takes you out flying across in front of you) Around the first turn and down the straight, settling into single file, picking them off one by one. Over the first sand pit, avoid the cartwheeling American. Up the stairs on the flyover, run over the German that tripped. Up the switchback, sliding on the icy ground. Battle for your spot, don't give in, don't give up a position - this is worlds!

The first three laps or so were successful, moving my way up from 21st to 12th. Then it started to slip away a bit on me. A position here, a slip there and I found myself in 17th. Battling with two British guys where I found myself in some tough competition. Between the screaming back muscles and the phlegm ridden breaths I held it, all the way until the icy off camber section. I slide out and they were quick to go past. For the last lap I chased and chased but couldn't pull them in. 19th is the position in which I finished. 19th in the world.

Good day at the office.

Kentucky is sinking man, and I don't wanna swim!

Finally arrived in Louisville KY.
It was a long drive after finishing up my remaining two exams early in the morning. We, my father and I, arrived at the hotel around 1am where i quickly got settled and was quickly off to bed.
The next day a group ride went out at 10am on the road. The course had not yet been open to pre-ride. However, the masters course was open; and boy was it messy. The road leading to the venue is covered in mud. Cars and trucks parked at the side of the road have sunk up to their axels in the mud. The masters course its self was partly submerged in areas. There are pictures covering Instagram and Twitter with water up to people's axels as they ride through. Good times, good times for sure.
It has been good that they have kept our course closed and consequently in good shape. There is a solid 1-2cm of water between the blades of grass on the flat sections. Anywhere you step water rushes out of the ground eager to soak your foot. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like it's going to be a full out mud fest. Tonight and tomorrow night it is supposed to drop down to -11C - basically making any of the mud rock hard. At the moment we are scheduled to start in -5C weather. Should be a real good time.
All for now. Time to get out on course on the bikes!

On the way to Cyclo-cross World Championships

The countdown has begun to the 2013 CX World Championships in Louisville KY. As expected, the nerves have begun to accumulate. This is going to be an exciting experience and something that I have never done before. Not only is it CX Worlds but it is also a race in the very early season. Since I am primarily a mountain biker, my basement is normally the pain station for the winter. It is going to be an exciting and new experience racing mid winter. I have, and will continue to, prepare my fitness for the event; however the absence of outdoor experience on grass and with other racers is unnerving. Solution? Go ride outside! A warm spell experienced at the start of January has assisted.
Preparations are being made for departures and equipment. Thanks to Norco I have a beauty of a bike to ride for the race! Timing is going to be exciting for this as I finish writing my last exam and then jump in the car to drive to Louisville with my father. What a great way of finishing a semester!
Well, all for now!
Updates will come pre-race!

World Championships - The Race.....

I have always been told by my family and friends to never say sorry after a race. My girlfriend says she hates it when athletes apologise, they have already done so much...
Well sorry but I'm sorry...If you don't like me apologising then view it this way; I'm sorry to myself. The person I let down the most is myself. I was there! I could do it! I was physically prepared. I was mentally prepared for the 150% start. And then it happened...

The morning started at 5:45am. Up for breakfast. Then shower, chill about, listen to music, get dressed and head out in the 10 degree weather. Arriving at the tent we got out chips and headed out on a warm up. Ripped a lap of the start loop and then did some tempo on the road. We proceeded to get in the pens. After being called up and squeezing/fighting your way closer to the front, I had the ideal start position, two rows back, left. This was it.
All the people that had helped to get me here went through my head in a flash of nerves. Music. Crowds. I was numb. 15 seconds... "This is it baby!" I remember saying... BANG, and we were off. Zero to 40km/h in 30 feet. Insanity. Every time you heard brakes of gravel flying I cringed. It was a mad swarm, turning and flowing, everyone fighting for position. And then it happened, I heard 'him' hit the fence. 'He' went down and the whole pack went down. The sound of carbon, shoes and helmets on the pavement is something I will not forget. The only lane that made it out was my lane. I was lucky, but not safe. Even though no one went down in front of me I had a Scott bike hurled though the air towards me. Flipping and flipping until it took out the rider in front of me. I made it through, fazed, but quickly refocused. "Full gas. Full gas. I can do this." The start loop went quick and well.
Lap 1: Fast. Don't let up. This is Europe. Don't let up. Push yourself beyond your limits, block people to hold your position and keep it smooth. I was near the top 30 after lap 1.
Lap 2: Same thing, don't settle in, just blow your brains out. Now in the top 30.
Lap 3: First climb, really feeling it. Tasting blood, but keep going, push yourself. Made my way up to 25th at one point, but that didn't last long. And then it happened...Maple Syrup Falls. Steep, rooty, slippery and slightly scary. I fell on it first lap and second lap didn't feel it. I was going to drop my foot and rip it this time. all went to plan and the front tire found the groove. I leaned in to rip the turn, and apparently it just wasn't meant to be. I ripped the tire right off the rim... Remaining surprisingly calm I grabbed my Big Air. Screwed in my regulator. No sound... It wouldn't puncture. It wouldn't puncture! No! No! Now I freaked. All I wanted was a smooth race, no flats, no mechanicals and no injuries. This moment was a moment of utter disappointment, sadness and awe. No time for moping, RUN! And I ran. Nobody was making it past me without working for it. I was going to hold as much of my top 30 as I could. I ran the entire downhill. Just booking it. My tire had come off the rim, my rim banging against the rocks; another sound I will not soon forget. After getting a new wheel on and setting off in probably 80th. I was going to fight, fight for 79th, 78th, 77th...I was going to.
I quickly made my way up, making up positions. Working hard. Coming passed the feedzone again I made a gnarly pass! Took the guy on the inside, force him out. Aww yea. I quickly sprinted my way up to speed and then took a drink. And then it happened...One hand on the bar, drinking, and another really aggressive rider.. He bumped my bars as he went past. This sent me flying! I slid across the gravel on my side and back. Quickly I got up, swearing and bleeding. I was going to kill him.
Lap 4: Chasing this guy, I caught him and as I passed he made no motion to block. Right as I got in front he said he was sorry. I couldn't be mad. I decked him the turn before too. It's racing...
Unfortunately between flatting and fatigue, pain and injuries and constantly trying to refocus, I lost too much time. I got pulled. 1 Lap Down... Really a huge disappointment for me. I could've stayed up there. I could've done one more lap... Could've, would've, should've...DIDN'T...I'm Sorry.
Lap 5: Non Existent...

Overall, great first 3 laps! I got where I needed to be, I was still able to see the front in the start, I was there. A few crashes, I was not impressed with my technical riding, stupid mistakes. But I made it here. I'm in Austria. I just did a race with over 100 juniors in it! I survived the start crash!

I finished 73rd - 1 lap down.

World Championships Course

After some rain early on in the week, the sun finally came out. Bathing in this new found glory and happiness of warmth we hit the course. Riding the day before was like driving in the winter; brake well before the corner. It was a day of peanut butter trails; don’t touch the front brake unless you’re going straight or end up on the ground (slightly exaggerated). The gnarly off camber trails were a lot of fun! Roots quickly became nicely polished and were like riding on ice. You really had to be paying attention! Pressure control, brake control and balance were key!

With the continual sunshine the course started to dry up. The roots and polished rocks are still very slippery but on the steep drops braking was ultimately doing something! Looks like a great time!

Team Canada was very lucky to be able to ride the course at such an early time (Monday). Tuesday and Wednesday were absolutely nuts, with about 50 people crowding around the ‘Rock Drop’ and another couple dozen around ‘Maple Syrup Falls’ (check it on Strava). It was insane trying to get a turn to try it and get people out of the way!

Ok! More about the course so you know what I’m talking about!

Starting on an oval track and shooting straight up the road for the start loop! The climb is 8.5% for 600m. Pretty gnarly… Then you shoot down a grassy decent back to the stadium and out the oval to the first flowy single track. Then the climb starts. It consists of 1.2km of bumpy double track up, anywhere between 4-15% with it getting continually steeper near the top. You also cross a stream twice and get wet.

Then you hit up ‘Maple Syrup Falls’. It is a hard right into a log drop that you can roll, then a 35 foot gnarly steep section with roots and rocks and the works! At the very bottom it’s an awesomely hard, off camber left turn! People would just shoot right through the turn! Check the video of it! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?v=496122823732573&set=vb.100000045780492&type=2&theater

So then you rip through some tricky roots and more slippery off camber trail. It’s so gnar! Lap traffic may pose an issue, but just run the person in front of you over, right?

Then you hit a fast root covered double track with some sweet slippery turns and then hit the feed zone! Up the road climb (same as start loop).

Next you’re into the ‘Rock Drop’! Some switchback climbing to start, then drop in down another off camber right-hander. Over some slippery roots and hook a left, BOOM, drop that. The rock is fairly large and has a knuckle, meaning it kicks your rear wheel up (as in flipping you). But these guys can hit it up quite well! Just drop it!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?v=496115260399996&set=vb.100000045780492&type=2&theater

After a series of turns and small log drops, you hit the grass! Or as coach Dan says, ‘Hit the grass, hit the gas’ Crazy Canuck style! You go a decently fast speed with some sludgy turns.

Following getting your face plastered around your ears you hit the biggest fly-over I have ever ridden. It is 4.7m high! Once you survive coming down and not rolling your tires then it’s quickly through the feed zone again. And then you have arrived at the final chute – quick drop/roll over, loose sand and gravel, down some rocks…easy.

Quick loop around the track and you’re done!

Euro Trip - What Weather is this?

Cold? Wet? Really? Waking up today around 11am here today, but 5am for me still being jet lagged. It was cold. I didn't want to move out from under neither my down comforter. I was so warm! It was pouring outside. I got some breakfast, had a long warm shower and got dressed. I put on most of my warm stuff and set out.

I had no idea where to go. The streets are confusing and tight and the country side…I have no hope of understanding the signs. I thought I was going the wrong way when I passed a sign with a red slash through it, but apparently that just means that you have exited the town. People were staring and stopping to watch me go by, I thought I was doing something illegal. Is it illegal to ride in town on Fridays? I guess they didn’t think anyone would ever want to bike on such a cold rainy day.

Then I got home and realised we had left windows open. The apartment was freezing, so we turned on the oven. That was effective seeing the central heating system wasn’t even on. Our stuff is still not dry as we do not seem to have a dryer…or any laundry machine. We’ll see, working on my German now!

Town

Don't let the cows out?

Left or Right?

Flood issues?

Horse, and the sound of a rooster

Euro Trip - Stage 1

The flight... After arriving man hours before my flight, getting all my bags checked in and saying goodbye to my parents, I was off. The flight was 8 hours and we made good time. Right as I was about to fall asleep they served dinner... I proceeded with caution. It was a pasta meal, not too bad, not too salty. I gave my brownie to the Germany woman sitting beside me. She enjoyed that, but continually tried talking me into indulgence.
The airport MUC... WiFi sketch of the world! Nothing wants to actually connect. But it's a nice place. Good size. Plenty to do, from clothe stores, to lingerie stores, to shoe stores, convenient stores, and the Ke$ha outlet store (extreme hipster).
Waiting now for team Canada to come pick us up!
With a large cargo van filled of bikes and a bus filled up with all of our stuff we were on our way! Loading up on any food from the airport that was good because this was going to be a long bus ride. The bus ride was on fast highways, twisting streets and tight towns. I was very impressed with the driving skill, and also scared for my life at multiple points. Driving along the edge of a mountain looking down 500, 600, 700 feet with no guard rail and going 80km/h was fun...
After using the GoPro for some of the gnarly roads and mountains we arrived in middle of no where Saalfelden! At some gorgeous chalets/apartments! After building the bikes and connecting to WiFi it was off to acclimatizing...which I should be doing rather then blogging! Ha, bye!

On My Way!

Getting to the airport was easy! Not too much traffic. After checking in my bags and saying goodbye to my bike I made my way to security. No issues there so I made my way to my seat....where I'll wait for the next 2.5 hours. Good times though! The amount of sun on my back I should get a good tan! Ha!

Packing - Not Easy...

Positioning the frame, fork and wheels in the bag took hours to get it right. With about '10 pounds' of foam, bubble wrap and other protective materials, it was secure.
It was apparent that I was not going to be able to fit everything in the big bag. Realising I had another whole bag worth of stuff I could fill up I was suddenly in the over packing mood! It still closed, so all is good!
Today will be the day of excitement and anxiety. I will probably end up pacing waiting for tomorrow to come when I finally leave!
However, for now I'll just sit in meetings at school trying to sort out my time tables for the upcoming year. Gotta be studious!