World Champs

Wow, I haven't posted for awhile! Sorry for that, but I'm experiencing a real lack of material this off season... that's probably actually a good thing.

Since I checked in last, it's been mostly lots of the same. Last Tuesday was the first Dirt Derby of the year. As always a great time, made even better by the fact that well over 100 people showed up. Rick Wetherald (Dicky Dubb), Greg "Caveman" Parham and I went off the front as soon as the gun sounded. Halfway through and Rick hadn't dropped me yet, Greg was yo-yoing behind us and I was feeling excellent, biding my time. It was night and day from last year, where Rick would put in one attack and be gone. This year I had no problem immediately shutting down any funny business he tried, and going into the last lap, I got ready to attack. 2 pedal strokes into the surge and I slid out in one of the million blown out corners... not cool. I jumped up, just in time to see Greg disappearing over the next rise, with Rick already out of sight. A bit annoyed, I chased the rest of the lap, and got within half a bike length of getting Greg. Rick won. That is not acceptable. Tomorrow is Tuesday night, and another Dirt Derby. Rick, you better bring your A game, 'cause I'm not planning on sitting down in the middle of the track again so you can win.

In other news, I recently found out that Bicycle Sport Shop will be providing me with a new bike next year. Instead of just giving me one, like last year, they asked: "If you could have any Specialized bike, what would you take?" Geez, do I deserve this? The answer is obviously "no way!" But hey, you'd have to have a much larger consience than me to turn down a 6k race bike being offered to you for free. Bicycle Sport Shop is the best bike shop on earth. Do yourself a favor and drop by there sometime when you're in Austin. That really have things figured out.

Also I was informed that they'll be able to get me a cyclocross bike super cheap for this season. Guess I'll be racing some cross!!

Here's a pick of the bike. Same as last year, but new paint scheme, and decked out with the all new Sram XX. Hell yeah!!

This weekend I stayed up WAY too late (1:00 am) one night, to watch the Mountain Bike World Champs on Freecaster.tv Both the men's and woman's races were epic. The U.S.'s Willow Koerber did us proud with a 3rd place in the Woman's (first U.S. XC podium in ages), and in the men's race Julian Absalon and Nino Schurter slugged it out. It was a nail-bighter to the line, and the best mountain bike race I have ever watched. Todd Wells put in a super solid race to nab 8th for the U.S. Just a little more than a month ago I was next to him on the start line of a little local STXC race in Durango! Our sport is so cool...

Here are the replays of the races: If you don't want to watch the whole thing, the last lap of the men's race is where much of the excitement takes place. These guys are incredible. Definitely worth a look.

Woman's:

http://freecaster.tv/mtb/1009236/womens-uci-mtb-xco-world-championships-2009-replay?page=2

Men's:

http://freecaster.tv/mtb/1007131/mens-uci-mtb-xco-world-championships-2009-replay?page=2

In the Junior Men's race, 41st was the best U.S. finish, ironically by our least strongest racer. Zach McDonald DNFed after a crash, and our strongest racer, Seth Kemp, wasn't even at the race! If Mr. or Ms. Kemp are reading this, please let me know what happened, we were really looking forward to Seth's race.

Next week's Huntsville Dave Boyd Classic will be my first XC race since Nationals. Going to try to make some money so I can get that singlespeed!

That's all for now...