After terrible random draws in Europe I lucked out and was 10th call up, so 2nd row. When they blew the whistle I hit my pedal right away but a rock or something jammed up my pedal and I could't clip in. I was top ten into the first corner, avoided a big crash, and started to move up. Through the first few turns I moved into fourth wheel but started to drift backwards again and came through at the end of the first lap in 8th. My legs were fully warmed up then and I started to move up once again. I worked my way back to the front of the chase group and settled in. I was in fifth place leading a group of four, with another group of three and four close behind. We weren't going hard enough to stay ahead and since no once else was working I decided that I would have to do it!
Through the third and fourth lap I pulled my group well out of reach and it was now a three way battle for fourth place. I thought I be might able to ride Sam Noel and Tyler Clark (Canada) off my wheel and attacked the fifth lap pretty hard. Unfortunately it didn't work so I tried again on the sixth and final lap. Once again I just couldn't shake them and Tyler counterattacked with only a few minutes left in the race, managing to pull away leaving me to finish in fifth place as the third American
Sunday - Kings CX
After having a great race on Saturday I was super motivated and ready to put out a great result. This time I wasn't quite as lucky and got a third row call up. Since this was a narrower sketchier start on a course that involved a lot more group riding, the start was much more important. I got squeezed into the first corner and had to really get on the gas to start working my way up. This was a lot more difficult because everyone was strung out it.
By the end of the first lap I had moved up to sixth place a few seconds off the lead group of six riders. I dangled there for another lap until one rider got dropped from the group and hopped on my wheel. I kept chasing hard leading our group of three but no matter how hard we went the gap just wouldn't close! I lead the third and fourth lap whittling it down to five seconds but no luck!
Going into the fifth and final lap Kevin Gougen attacked and pulled away from me. Simultaneously the lead group exploded and reopened the gap. I rolled across the line in seventh place (5th American) bummed to have missed the front group but pleased with how great I felt and what I did with the cards I was dealt.
It was an awesome weekend of racing and it was great to score some UCI points as well as put some of what I learned in Europe to use.
As always big thanks to my family, my coach, and my team, Trek Cyclocross Collective for all their support as well as Trek Bicycles, Bontrager, Sram, Honey Stinger, Mike's Mix and Englewood Grass Farm!
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