10 March 2009

Sport B Rocks

Had a great race on Sunday - wasn't sure how it was going to pan out, but I was feeling good, fed and watered properly, great weather, track in great nick, and I was going to give it my best.

8 starters for Sport B, with categories going off at 30 second intervals, we had about 70 riders on the track for the first race.

The start is a several hundred metre climb up a fireroad, funnelling into singletrack very quickly. I clawed my way up, made the singletrack in second wheel, with one of our other club riders getting the holeshot. My technical skills are not the greatest, so Matt got a gap on me and the rest of the field.

I came out of the first section of singletrack in 3rd or 4th, and dropped to 5th on the middle climb. Managed to hold 5th wheel until the start of the second lap, and about 1km into the singletrack.

At this point there is a wickedly fast berm, that if ridden quick enough, can slingshot you out with a fair bit of pace. I nailed this and managed to keep enough speed to bridge the gap between 4th and then overtake. I got a really good run up the singletrack and managed to pick up the 3rd placed rider by virtue of a messy corner on his behalf.

Out onto the fireroad climb, and I managed to hold some pace and spin my way up, catching our club rider - who had dropped to 2nd - and then overtake him up the 11% pinch climb. From there on it was a fast 7 or so minutes of singletrack to the bottom of the course, and then a pinch climb and then traverse back to the start / finish.

I managed to roll over the line in 2nd place, which I was absolutely thrilled with. My first solid club performance, where I've felt on a par with the other riders that I am usually well behind.

Stoked.





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