WORS #7 Hixon Forest Epic

After almost a month off the mountain bike for a cyclocross camp in Montana and a CXC team camp in Madison it was time to return to the WORS scene! The Hixon Forest Epic was new to the series last year and it was my first time racing this course. The race consisted of a mile long grass section, then a four minute gnarly descent on a dirt road(max speed of 36mph!), followed by a massive climb with some more single track before the finish.

As usual we lined up,Don did the count down, and we took off. Right away I missed my pedal and even worse shortly after I got clipped in somehow both feet shot out of the pedals! Now sitting in 25th place and quite angry at myself I focused on putting down the power and moving up. In the mile until the descent I managed to get back into the top five. We charged down the winding road, skidding through the switchbacks before popping out onto the flat rode before the climb. People launched attack after attack but I made it into the single track fourth wheel and quickly passed into second wheel.

Pete Karinen led the whole first lap putting in some gnarly attacks and taking the downhill single track sections scary fast. Coming into the second lap David Carew took a secret line and passed into the lead. He attacked on the dirt road descent with Pete right on his wheel. Ben Senkerik put in a monster pull that shot us right past Pete and David. Again I settled in on Pete's wheel up the climb until Dominic Talerico from Minnesota went to the front and turned up the heat. Only Pete could stay with him, leaving me, Ben and Casey Hildebrandt together.

I pulled away on the last steep climb of that second lap but Ben and Casey caught up again right before the finishing straight, at the same time we caught back up to Dominic who had gotten a flat. This time Ben attacked down the big descent putting a gap on me and Casey. I chased Ben hard all the way up the single track climb but never quite made contact. With just a mile left in the race I saw Dominic chasing back hard. He came by me and made it up to Ben passing him seconds before the line!

It was a brutal race with over 3000 feet of climbing and I'm happy to have taken my best WORS result yet! Although I did miss out on the top three by mere seconds I did manage to race in the top group for the first time and race with people who have always been ahead of me! Next weekend is Ore to Shore which will probably be my last MTB race of the season!

As always huge 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, Englewood Grass Fed Beef, ESI Grips, Wolf Tooth Component, Mike's Mix and Honey Stinger for all the awesome support!