WORS #4 Red Flint Firecracker

After a two year hiatus and a scramble for transportation, I headed back up to Eau Claire for the Red Flint Firecracker. Being one of the flatter, faster, and more technical races, it's one course I really wish I had gotten a chance to pre-ride.

Trek Topfuel looking fast!

After a fairly light training week and doing some of my first high intensity intervals of the year, I was optimistic about how my legs would feel and how the race would go. After Don sent us off, the pack hammered the long lead out before the first single track section aggressively fighting for positions. I managed stay in the top 10 sitting on Pete Karinen's wheel with Ben Senkerik and Casey Hildebrandt in front. I put every thing I had into staying with them but just couldn't hang on through the fast, difficult, single track and got dropped half way through the first lap.

Once again caught in no man's land I struggled with some more back pain and already fatigued legs, knowing it was going to be a long race by my self. Luckily Fletcher Arlen caught up soon after and we started to work together. We stuck together until the start of the fourth and final lap when he pulled way from me in some of the trickier single track.

A group of three had been hunting us the whole race and finally caught up right after Fletcher dropped me. Now in danger of losing the top ten I put everything I had into staying smooth and focused. One rider came by me and together we pulled away from the rest of them. In the last part of the lap he started to open up a gap on me and there was nothing I could do. Finishing 10th was not what I was hoping for but on a difficult course against a stacked field I did my best with what I had. On the bright side I know what I need to practice and work on to earn the results I want!

Big thanks to my coach Joseph Maloney, my family and my team, Team Wisconsin presented by KS Energy Services/MOSH for all the support! Also huge thanks to Emerys Cycling, Triathlon and Fitness, Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, Trek Bicycles, Bontrager, ESI Grips, Wolf Tooth Component
Mike's Mix and Honey Stinger for helping me so much. Everything but me worked fantastically this weekend, next time you read one of these it will be good news!

WORS #3 Mount Morris Challenge

Every now and then you have one of those days where as soon as you hop on the bike you know it going to be a tough race. After taking the ACT, taking my finals to finish off my junior year of high school and almost 250 miles on the bike this past week, I knew it was going to be one of those days.

As I started to warm up I was hoping my legs would come around but I could feel the fatigue in them and things were hurting a lot more than I wanted them to.

I got called up sixth and lined up front row with the usual suspects. After Don did the count down we hammered up the long start climb before dropping into the rocky, technical descent, which the Top Fuel killed. I was quick off the line and stayed on the front group, emerging from the woods in 8th place on Tristan Schouten's wheel. Things started to stretch out and I chased him and Corey Stelljes for the rest of the first lap with everything I had but was popped before the start/finish area.

Stuck in no mans land I struggled with some back pain, shot legs and the mental battle until David Carew and Fletcher Arlen caught me part way through the second lap. I refocused my self realizing I was still in sixth and put it on auto pilot for the rest of the second and third lap trying to recover as much as possible.

Going up the start climb into the fourth and final lap I put it into gear and took off. Fletcher dropped off the back and I ripped the technical downhill as hard as I could, getting a gap on David. I kept the pace high for the rest of the lap and managed to open the gap to just under a minute.

Congrats to my sister Emma on her first WORS pro women's win!

When I crossed the line I was very relieved that it was over. The course was unrelenting and difficult which made for a challenging and brutal race. All in all I was disappointed with my performance but not surprised given the week I'd had. I was however happy with the way I dealt with the challenges I faced and how I played my cards to maintain my position. Regardless it is always fun to ride bikes in the woods with friends!

New Bontrager Kovee XXX wheels are killer!

Big thanks to my coach Joseph Maloney, my family and my team, Team Wisconsin presented by KS Energy Services/MOSH for all the support! Also huge thanks to Emerys Cycling, Triathlon and Fitness, Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, Trek Bicycles, Bontrager, ESI Grips, Wolf Tooth Component
Mike's Mix and Honey Stinger for helping me have a great weekend!

WORS #2 Battle of Camrock

Generally WORS races are every other weekend. This time I had three weeks to train and reflect on what I needed to work on for my home race at Cam Rock County Park near Madison.

With the goal firmly in mind of making the front group, I ate a big breakfast, drove the 25 minutes to the race, warmed up and headed to the start line. Thanks to my finish at Iola, this time I got a call up which meant lining up front row with the big guns. I knew the most important part of the race would be the uphill start. Straight off the line we hit the climb all the way to the top of the course before diving into tight fast single track for the rest if the lap. The front group sets a blistering pace because for those who don't make the cut right off the line, it is usually over.

After the usual awkward staging period Don did the count down and sent us on our way. I was quick off the line and led for the first third of the climb before latching on to the front group. The front three hit it hard through the first single track section putting me in a group of three with Ben Senkerik and Isaac Neff. The rest of that first lap was absolutely brutal! With Isaac trying to close the gap on 4th place, the pace was through the roof along with my heart rate. Unfortunately (and luckily I suppose) Isaac pulled away from us part way through.

Ben and I rode the next three laps together with Casey Griesemer mixing it for a bit before breaking his chain-stay. Towards the end of the third lap I tried to turn the screws on Ben through some of the tight single track that I know very well. I managed to put a few seconds into him but I knew it wasn't going to stick and settled back in behind him. I sat on him uneventfully until we came out of the woods and onto the gravel road section on the fourth and final lap. Ben sat up hard and I suspected something was up. We soft pedaled for a few moments before Ben dropped the hammer and took off. Once again I held his wheel and tried to recover as much as possible before the long twisting final climbs.

Ben kept it pretty tame up the first part, saving his last punch for the short, final open section into the uphill finishing chute. After taking a poor line through the second to last corner I started a few feet off his wheel but managed to win the sprint at the line by a hair, which required some video review to confirm.

Thanks Hank McAlvanah for the pictures!

It was hard and exciting race and I am happy to have moved up another spot from Iola, it was also a big step for me to have made part of the front groups and hold on for dear life! Huge thanks to my coach (JM Coaching), my team, KS Energy Services/Team Wisconsin/MOSH and all our sponsors as well as Mike's Mix, Honey Stinger, ESI Grips and Wolf Tooth Components for all their support. Next up, Mt. Morris WORS #3!

Congrats to Corey Stelljes on his first WORS win!