I never thought i would be happy with finishing a race a lap down, but at the World Cup in Bromont on the weekend i was pulled after 5 of 6 laps with a big smile on my face. Paul VDP and Haas finished right near me and the three of us were exchanging high fives.
With Bromont being my 6th and final World Cup before heading home to Australia, I felt like i was ready to have good race. I was relatively relaxed in the days leading up despite a big crash on the Thursday that has temporarily wrecked my good looks thanks to a cut and swollen nose. The course had a few tricky bits and i think it was probably the most physical of all the Worlds Cups i have done courtesy of some steep climbs in the first half and some arm pumping, technical and undulating roots and rocks in the second. After raining early in the week it looked like drying up for the race. Nick and I had decided on dry tyres, but not long after we arrived at the track, the sky opened up. Just a few spots of rain at first....and then it started to piss down. Luckily i had the Medusas ready to go on the "spare" set (i.e. Rosie's) of Jetblack Rocket wheels. I waited until the last possible moment to start my warm-up, hoping that the rain might ease. No chance; I was soaked through in a matter of minutes and wishing i had a turbo trainer and a quick-shade.
With no start loop the race headed straight up the main climb for a couple of k's, but after the first 200 hundred metres we were all off the bikes running though the slop; elbows out and looking for any opportunity to pass. I was a bit tentative on the descents because i was unsure of how the rain had affected the tricky sections. After the first lap I came through in 62nd and as I hit the climb for the second time i half expected that familiar dead feeling in the legs which is the body telling me that i dug too deep on the first lap....but it wasn't there. I felt good! I had ridden a good start and i still had some cookies left in the jar. So i put my head down and rode a solid tempo, before the top I had conceded 4 spots but i managed to get them all back and one more in the second half to come through the next time in 61st. On lap 3 was still able to push all the same gears up the climb and I was starting to feel relaxed and smooth on the descents, that lap i climbed into the top 60. On lap four the rear brakes really started to fade and the lever was coming right into the bar; it made for some exciting moments on the D. I think a lot of guys were having the same problem, Hermida even stopped in the tech-zone to change brake pads. I knew that every second would be important if i was to avoid getting pulled so i could afford no such luxury. On lap five (of six) I told myself that it was the last and tried to ride as if it was. It turns out that it actually was, because when I approached the start/finish my old nemesis from the UCI was there to direct me off the course. But this time it was different. Under such horrific conditions and on a relatively short track, one lap down did not in any way seem like failure. Vandy was there with a big smile on his face and before i knew it Haas finished in the same state. Seeing how happy they were helped me to confirm that it was a sucessful race. We had managed to hold it together in some tough conditions and had all posted our best results of the year: Vandy in 54th, me in 55th and Haas just cracking the top 60. Haas's 60th place also meant that he has made it on the scoreboard in the world cup standings and with the massive haul of 8 points that has bagged him the wooden spoon (the coverted title that was held by yours truely for 3 rounds), well done Nathan. Blood was once again the stand out Aussie with yet another terrific ride for 14th, this has to be his best season yet. Lach was 70th and Nick "Chatswood" Both was 79th, with Macca unfortunately unlucky again pulling out due to a mechanical.
So after 6 world cups, 3 UCI classified XC races, a state XC race, 3 road criteriums, and a marathon in 8 different countries, I am on the way home. When I look back on it I can see that I have come a long way in terms of my racing. It was pretty tough at times, for a while it felt like i was putting every race down as experience with seemingly yet another lesson learnt and I was getting a little impatient waiting for a big improvement. With a heap of help from my coach, Clarkey, we tried to work on my weakness and the race on the weekend felt like a breakthrough. To get through the chaos of the first lap at a world cup (albeit in 62th postition) and not feel like I'd had my doors blown off was a huge step up.
Now I must cross my fingers and wait for the announcment of the Australian team for the World Championships which is coming up in Canberra at the start of September. I have done everything I can do and it is in the hands of the selectors, hopefully they will throw me a bone.
Ready for a shower
Renting a lake house with a private beach (and pedalo!) certainly has it's advantages - this is Rosie and I relaxing on the lake at Bromont
