Dual Slalom Run
The first collegiate race was of the season for me was the race at Eastern Tennessee State University (ETSU). This race was set to be the first omnium test of the year. I raced downhill, Short Track, and Four Cross on Saturday and Cross Country on Sunday.
After a few solid practice runs I was able to throw down a solid race time and take 4th place just a bit off the pace of the national champ. Up next was the Short Track in which I managed to get a good start. That good start propelled me to another 4th place finish among some very fast company.
Then it was time for the four cross race which never fails to be sketchy. I managed a solid mid-pack qualifying time but with a bad gate start I was knocked out in the first round. Ten hours later the first day of racing was done and dusted.
We returned the next day for one of my least favorite XC courses. Right out of the gate I could tell that my legs were fried from the day before. There was no way I could ride at the front so I had to adjust my goals and just get to the finish line. I rode to a mid-pack finish. This was a good reminder that I had some work to do before collegiate nationals in October.
The next weekend we made the trip down to Georgia to race at the Athens Olympic Venue. Saturday started out with a brutal short track. The short track was a roadie style course. Very quickly out of the start a lead pack developed. I was able to latch on to the back of it but I quickly began to yo-yo off the back. I ultimately got popped off the back of the pain train and rode it in for a top ten finish.
The Dual Slalom was a much different story. I threw down the fastest qualifying time and was able to cruise my way to the final. Unfortunately by the time the final arrived I was getting pretty fatigued and a few mistakes left me with a second place finish.
The next weekend we went down to South Carolina for the race at Clemson. The day started out with the downhill in which I was able to place second. A few minor mistakes bumped me off the top spot. It was then time to switch bikes and race some short track. I started in the back for the short track but made some good passes and moved up into the top ten. After some good battles I managed to pull off a 6th place finish which, considering my start, I was quite pleased with.
After a quick sandwich break it was time for slalom. This slalom course was fast, big and technical. One section was a 30 ft step down followed by a 30ft table that rocketed you in to a very tight 180 deg berm. I had a solid qualifying time seeding into third. I raced my way to the semifinal in which I faced the defending division two slalom national champ. I was able to get a solid lead on the fist half of the track and make it stick. I then found myself in the final facing my teammate who was the top qualifier. I was once again able to get a solid lead out of the gate but just before the rhythm section I grabbed a fist full of brake when I can into the berm wrong. Then left me with very little speed coming into the rhythm section. As I went through I could tell he was gaining on me. Just before the finish line we were equal. I threw my front wheel and was able to snag the win by just a few inches in a thrilling photo finish.
The next day was the 2.5 hour long cross country race which I once again started in the very back of the pack. I made a few sneaky passes and was able to get with the front group. My legs still weren’t quite ready to ride at the front but they were good enough for a 6th place finish. Although 6th isn’t stellar it is a good sign that I am starting to get on form with just a month to go before Nationals. This past Wednesday I threw my cross tires on my XC bike and went out to the weeknight cross race in Boone. I felt pretty good and was able to power my way to a third place among some fast company. This was yet another good sign.
This coming weekend we will be heading over to Asheville for another weekend of racing.
