Unexpected

Saturday morning temps were nice, in the 60's in the valley when I woke up. I like that. Earlier in the week, I had pre ridden the SnowTurd, erm, Snowbird course. The Felt Team Nine worked much better on the new Singletrack climb than the Zaskar last year. The DH of Sketch, well it was extra sketch this year, looser, baby head rocks and wash out ruts everywhere.

Friday evening, i waited to do a spin post dinner, got home at 9:30 after an hour, nice a cool by then.

Sam has always done well on this course and Kevin has been super strong this year, almost untouchable even.

We had about 10 at the start, Sam took off and I got on his wheel, once into the onetrack he let up a bit. But 4 of us, Kevin and Dennis included were building a gap. Sam and I had a bout 3-5 seconds on Kevin and Dennis halfway through the first one track. Just a bit before the drop down Dick bass, I got a thick stick stuck between my frame and rear tire, I had to stop to remove it, almost taking Kevin and Dennis out when they came around me. So i tried to calm myself and slowly came back to Kevin and Dennis' wheel by the top of the climb. I lost a bit ground on the DH of Sketch but was back with them on the bottom traverse. I went around them right before the start/finish and had Sam in my sites.

By the top of the Lap 2 climb, I had come around Sam and had a small gap. Halfway down the DH of Sketch, he came blowing by. I caught back on to him on the service road below the gad lifts. By the top of the 3rd lap climb, i had a bit larger gap on Sam, but again, he caught and passed me right at the bottom of the DH of sketch, Again, I passed him on the service road below the gad lifts.

On the lap 4 climb I just pushed it as much as I could, trying to build a sticking gap for the DH of sketch, which I did, I'm pretty sure on some of the switchbacks that lap, I was almost sitting still, I just wanted to stay upright.

Ended up with the win, about 50 seconds in front of Sam, Kevin was running 3rd when he flatted with a mile or so left, which dropped him to 5th, Dennis ended up 3rd about 6.5 minutes back. Had to bring the bike on the podium, I mean, wouldn't you?

Felt great the whole race, lap times;

@26:10

@26:40

@27:20

@27:40

Fairly consistent.

I had the 2nd fastest expert time on the day (First fastest actually woulda won pro, dang 15 year olds)

Hope the form holds for Solitude.