WORS #2 Iola Bump and Jump

New bike day! Nothing beats it! Right before Sunday's race I got my new Top Fuel 9.9 RSL built up and dialed it. The new Top Fuel frame set paired with my Bontrager Kovee XXX wheels makes a killer combination that rolls fast and shreds like crazy. I couldn't wait to let it rip in the mud, but hoped it wouldn't be too muddy...it hurts to trash a brand new bike!

Sunday morning there wasn't much messing around time. Woke up, breakfast, two hour drive, registration, kitted up, and onto the bike to start my warm up. Then it was straight to the start, lined up, national anthem played and finally Don's famous count down. I was fast off the line and charged up the ski hill in the top five. We came ripping back down into "the bowl" at the bottom of all the ski jumps and I was still sitting fifth.

Photo: Danny Marchewka

Cole House set the pace into the first single track section but laid it out pretty good on a slick spot. Isaac took over the lead for the rest of the first lap putting the hammer down. I hung tight still in fifth wheel with Nathan Guerra following me. 

Photo: Danny Marchewka

I kept myself tucked into the group trying to analyse who was riding strong and who was making mistakes knowing that it would come in handy later in the race. Unfortunately it would not come in handy. On an open two track section I decided to take a gel. Just as I took my hand of my bars to reach back into my jersey pocket a vine that was hanging down on the side of the fire road snagged my bars throwing me to the ground. 

Photo: Garry Smits

Bewildered and angry about what had just happened I jumped back on and tried to catch back up. The gap was only about 15-20 seconds but those guys were pushing each other hard and by the time I cam through t start lap three they were out of sight. I ended up riding 3.5 laps solo pushing my own pace as hard as I could to finish fifth after one of the riders ahead of me dropped out.

I was pretty bummed to have lost the front group but it was really just a freak incident of very bad luck. I would have loved to have been able to duke it out in the mud with those guys and actually get some back and forth racing in, but stuff happens!

Huge thanks to Linear Sport, Trek Bikes, Bontrager, Wheel & Sprocket, Styled Aesthetic, Kettle Moraine Preservation and Restoration, and David Hobbs Honda, as well as Honey Stinger, Mike's Mix, Englewood Grass Farm, Wolf Tooth Components and ESI Grips for helping make it all happen!
Stoked to see what I can do at Camrock. Thanks for reading!