This weekend we had to drive a lot farther for the races. We drove three hours Thursday night, stayed in a hotel and drove the next five hours Friday morning. I decided to check out Sunday's continental championships course instead of Saturday's course, knowing that it would be the more difficult and demanding course. I did a few laps with Wisconsinite Isaac Neff and dialed in some of the more challenging features. Afterwords we headed down town Cincinnati for dinner and then back across town to our family's house who we were staying with.
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| Best CX bike on the market with the Cincinnati Skyline! |
Saturday - Kings CX UCI Boys 17-18
After a good night of sleep and recovery we headed over to the course. It was a major power course with a few off camber sections and it felt like riding in a sponge. Unfortunately I got unlucky in the call up draw and was stuck with a fourth row start. When the gun went off I was near the back through the first corner and managed to get through a few traffic jams. I started moving up from about 25th place. I hammered all the way up to 10th place by the end of the fourth and final lap. I pushed it through every corner dropping three of the four riders on my wheel and catching Jack and Cade. I pushed as hard as I could through the final lap holding Nick Jenkins off. I gapped him in the last half of the lap and put five seconds on him up the finishing straight. I crossed the line cross eyed but happy with how hard I worked for where I finished and to have brought back so many riders on a course that was somewhat unsuited for me.
Sunday- Pan-American championship - Boys 17-18
After eating as little Halloween candy as possible and getting lots of sleep, I fueled up and we hopped in the car. When we arrived I was ecstatic to see the large amounts of mud covering everyone and their bikes. I kitted up while my dad got my bikes ready and did two laps on the course. It was very muddy with a lot of off camber sections that were made much more difficult by the slop. I went back to the Trek tent and relaxed for a little before putting on my non muddy kit and starting my warm up. My sister took home 6th in the U23 Women after hugging a tree while fighting for third.
I was hoping for better luck in the drawing but got 25th. I was third row which wasn't too bad and when they blew the whistle I was quick off the line. We charged down the start straight and around the first off camber before the tundra twister. I took a sharp inside line into the twister, passing a few people before attempting to sprint through the carnage on foot. I slid down the off camber into the snow fence but fared better then most. I moved up quickly and soon found myself on the wheel of the 10th place rider. I got around him and we dropped the rest of the riders behind us. After the second lap they took out the Pan Am Plunge after a Canadian rider apparently crash and broke his collar bone. I was fighting for my first UCI point and on the second to last lap I started to ride another Canadian rider off my wheel. I was also very close to catching 9th place and I was building a good gap but in the off camber section before the first time through the pit, I slid out. I didn't lose much time but when I dropped back down the hill I shifted and because I had bent my derailleur hanger, it shifted my chain into my wheel. Luckily I was literally 30 meters from the pits and sprinted down the hill not even needing to shoulder the bike. I grabbed my pit bike and entered the course just ahead of 11th place. I started opening up the gap again and held it for the next lap and half without making any mistakes. Shout out to Andrew Allwein and my Dad for a great bike exchange and for being in the pit for me. Thank you!
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| Evidence of my slip in slide on the first lap! |
I was super stoked to get my very first UCI point, meaning no random draw for call ups this coming weekend in Louisville as well as better staging for nationals! I was a little disappointed with the legs I had, especially on a course well suited to me and when the wheels of 7th, 8th, and 9th place were right ahead of me midway through the race. I just used a little too much juice trying to move up on Saturday's power sucking course! Regardless, I am pleased with my consistency and majorly looking forward to the races in Louisville on a course also that I am well suited for! Big thanks to my parents, Trek Cyclocross Collective, and Lizards Skins bar tape, as well as my awesome coach Joe Maloney!
Riding the "Pan Am Plunge" at Devou Park, Covington, Kentucky
Sunday- Pan-American championship - Boys 17-18
I was hoping for better luck in the drawing but got 25th. I was third row which wasn't too bad and when they blew the whistle I was quick off the line. We charged down the start straight and around the first off camber before the tundra twister. I took a sharp inside line into the twister, passing a few people before attempting to sprint through the carnage on foot. I slid down the off camber into the snow fence but fared better then most. I moved up quickly and soon found myself on the wheel of the 10th place rider. I got around him and we dropped the rest of the riders behind us. After the second lap they took out the Pan Am Plunge after a Canadian rider apparently crash and broke his collar bone. I was fighting for my first UCI point and on the second to last lap I started to ride another Canadian rider off my wheel. I was also very close to catching 9th place and I was building a good gap but in the off camber section before the first time through the pit, I slid out. I didn't lose much time but when I dropped back down the hill I shifted and because I had bent my derailleur hanger, it shifted my chain into my wheel. Luckily I was literally 30 meters from the pits and sprinted down the hill not even needing to shoulder the bike. I grabbed my pit bike and entered the course just ahead of 11th place. I started opening up the gap again and held it for the next lap and half without making any mistakes. Shout out to Andrew Allwein and my Dad for a great bike exchange and for being in the pit for me. Thank you!
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