Reforestation Ramble WORS #9

This race was in Green Bay, so we drove up 2 and a half hours up there for our 11:40 start. I warmed up and went to staging, this was going to be a 24 mile long  race so I had a lot of energy food. The start was super long, flat and open before the single track and I knew it was going to be tough to hold on to the group. My dad was racing too so I stayed on his wheel on the flats and held onto first, but second place caught up and passed me right before the single track. I tried to stay with him but he had a little gap and once we got back out in the open he was gone. From there I just rode my own race with my dad and hung tough. I dropped my dad towards the end and noticed that third was closing in. The finish was a super long flat sprint with a right hand turn then some more flats. I got caught behind a guy who was slow in the single track but fast on the flats so once we got out in the open I sucked his wheel and we just flew down the trail going 25 mph I was holding third off but in the final turn he took the inside line on me and there was nothing I could do. I was thrilled that I beat my dad and almost beat my sister, but it was a really bad course for me so I hope to win in two weeks in Lake Geneva.

My sister Emma Swartz

Alterra Coffee Bean Classic WORS #8

 So I just love this race, the course is great and with the changes and new trails this years course was fantastic! I have won here the past two years so I was hoping I could do it again. I arrived at 10:00, got my gear on, registered and started warming up. I rode the first section of the course and kept riding around until it was time to start.

I got my call up to the front row and waited for the count down, 10..9..8..7..6..5.. Gooooooooo!!! We took off and started up the first monster climb before the single track started. I was 6th up the hill and in second in my age group, we sliced through the first section of single track and got to a open section and I blew by 4 people into first place. I stayed with the same group of people the whole race the second lap I got stuck behind some slow people in the first section of single and lost some time. I had led the whole race and on the last lap I looked back and unfortunately could see second place, and this was right at the end and I knew he would catch me on the flats. He was right on my wheel going into the finishing hill and I was just shot, we were on a short false flat when he passed me I was a few feet behind him and starting to gain when some people got in my way,  I couldn't keep my speed up and just couldn't do it. I was super disappointed but I will get him next time!

Sun Burst Showdown WORS #7

This course is a tough one for me and last year I managed to pull of a win but it was a major struggle. This year they added in more climbing and single track which was good for me but still wasn't a huge help. We started and there was just to much open two track and climbing before the first single track section, so I couldn't hold onto first places wheel. From there I just held onto second place and rode my own race until third place caught up on the last lap. Then I was sprinting to be first into every single track section and up every hill. I lost some time on first place because some other riders were crashing and holding us up in the last single section. I knew it was going to come to a sprint so I made sure I was ahead exiting the last single section before 70 yards of open grass to the finish. I whipped around the last corner and put down the hammer to successfully second place.