This weekend held lots of ‘firsts’ for me, being my first race with the Elites, also the first race of the season, first time racing in the dark (STXC), and first 40+ mile race. The weekend was off to an exciting start with our Short Track race in the dark at 7pm. I felt strong off the line and settled in behind Sofia Gomez Villafane. For the first lap and a half we rode behind Erin and Rose before they broke off. We were all riding conservatively in the dark and it wasn’t worth it to risk making a mistake so I drafted off of Sofia for the next lap before taking the lead on the final lap. It was different being in front and I didn’t have as much light to guide me so I found myself having to be more focused then I have ever been on the trail. I made multiple attacks on the last lap and was able to make the last one stick making a small gap on Sofia. Bright and early the next morning was the 40+ mile cross country race. I didn’t know what to expect going into this one. I had felt really strong the night before and my main goals were to use it as a training race. We started out pretty conservatively and soon the top four broke off from the rest of the field (Erin, Rose, Sofia, and myself). After about 30 minutes Erin took the lead and picked up the pace. I knew it wasn’t sustainable for me but I also didn’t want to ride by myself for the next 2.5 hours, so I hung on for a little longer until Sofia broke off from Erin and Rose. Sofia and I worked together for the rest of the race. The course was fast and flowy with not a lot of climbing so it was helpful to have someone to draft off of. I focused on making myself eat pieces of Bite bars and Bolts every 20-30 minutes and staying in tune with how my body was feeling. With about 3 miles to go I was leading and took a wrong turn. I quickly realized this and turned around, catching up to Sofia a few minutes later. I had figured it would come down to a sprint finish between the two of us, but with about 2 minutes to go I put in an attack around Sofia and was able to grow a small gap to the finish.
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After finishing my last hard block of training it was finally time to pack the bike up for one last time and get on a plane to Australia. Months and months of training and preparing were done, and it was finally time to put my hard work to the test. After 38 hours of travel I landed in Cairns, Australia for World Championships. I arrived late and made my way to the hotel room. Bright and early the next morning I was wide awake and it was time to see the course! It was only 8 am and already in the 80s, I prepared for a hot day on course. The venue was settled back against the jungle, cruising past flocks of wallabies on the way to the course. The course took us on a rollercoaster of a ride up into the jungle, twisting and looping through brutal, dusty, climbs followed by rough rocky descents. I was in love with the course. The most challenging track I'd ever raced, keeping you at your limits and forcing you to be 100% focused the whole time. I knew it was going to be an action packed hour of racing bikes. The days leading up to the race were intense. I had limited time to get confident and ready on the course. Every day people had stories to tell about their time on the course with bad crashes leading to broken necks, internal bleeding, and other injuries. I finished up riding the course and put all my attention to mentally preparing for what I knew would be the most brutal 1 hour of my life. Race day arrived. The one race I had been working towards for years. I was calm and nothing but excited to soak up every part of this experience. It was so hot on my warm up, and by our start at 1 pm it was in the 90s. 15 minutes till call ups I was met my Marc and Jason in the start box with an umbrella and fresh bottles. Spin spin spin…call ups begin… I’m called to the line 8th. I sneak into the last spot on the front row. Far left side, the dramatic music winds down and the infamous heartbeat pounds through the loud speakers as they count us down. 30 seconds, 15 seconds…the gun fires and we go. I scramble to find my pedal and sprint as a cloud of chaos floods in around me. Elbows and handlebars are thrown everywhere as we flood into the first left hand turn. I get caught up in the middle of the pack, trying to make my way to the outside as we enter the corner. All of the sudden everything is dark as a huge cloud of dust swallows us all. I can’t see anything as I struggle to move up in the dark. I sprint everywhere I can and catch up to a group of riders as we cross the start/finish line going into our first of fourth laps. The air is hot and all I see is dust as I push as hard as I can to move up as we go into the first single track. The pack spreads out and I find myself in another jumble of riders as we hit the first climb. My legs burn but I’m feeling ok. The trail opens up and for the first time we have a couple second break. The dust is everywhere and I feel the heat pounding. I grab a drink and keep pushing. Next thing I knew we were cresting the final climb and beginning the first rocky descent down. Up and over the ‘Croc Slide’, through ‘Hells Gate’ and dropping down into ‘Jacob’s Ladder.’ Lap after lap the focus became more intense, and so did the heat and dust. By the start of the fourth lap I had worked my way up to another group of riders and my US teammate Gwendalyn Gibson. I was feeling strong coming across the line entering my final lap. I pushed as hard as I could on the flats and took the outer line going into the ‘Bmx section.’ Roller after roller I was gaining time on them, then WHAM I go into the last roller with way too much speed and find myself on the ground scrambling to pick up my bike. Back on my bike and fighting. “Go go go” The group of riders I was with had made a small gap but I’m sprinting and gaining on them. I catch back up to a girl from New Zealand with everything I have. I roll on her tail up the climbs and push absolutely everywhere. There is very little opportunity to pass on the climbs on this course so I stay on her wheel. The heat and dust hitting me hard and I feel my cough from a recent cold hit me again. Finishing the climb with everything I had left I begin the final descent. I try to make passes on the descent but the girl in front of me is smooth and I don't want to mess up on the rocks. We are almost there, I stand up and sprint with everything I have left. I pass the rider in front of me and don't look back. Before I know it I am sprinting to the finish line. The most brutal and seemingly shortest 1 hour of my life is behind me. A wave of emotions flow over me as I’m greeted at the line by my team. So much preparation came down to this one race, so much focus and sacrifice. In the end, you do what you do in every other race, and give it your absolute all.
It’s been a long season, and as it comes to a close, there is so much to reflect on and everything to be grateful for. It’s hard to put it all into words now, but all I can say is thank you. Thank you to everyone for giving your support again and again. Believing in me from the beginning and for being part of my team. A successful European racing block was in the books and it was time to refocus and put in a final training block before Nationals Championships in Snowshoe, West Virginia. The weeks before flew by soaking up summer at home. It was time to pack up again for a big week of racing. I was racing Short Track XC as well as the Cross Country event that week. After arriving on Tuesday, two early mornings were spent dialing in the cross country course before I kicked off the racing on Thursday afternoon with the Womens 17+ Short Track XC. The warm weather had stuck up to this point and at 3pm I rolled out the door to begin my warm up. The temps were in the 80s and the humid air surrounded me. It was hard to be succumbed by the uncomfortable weather though when the venue was back dropped by endless green mountains and valleys of West Virginia. At 3:50 I rolled to staging, really excited to see a big category of women line up beside me. I was called to the line second. I was nervous to be here again, I had raced a total of two short track races in my career and none so far this season. I was planning on racing smooth and smart and hoped it’d all come back to me when the whistle blew. Short track, if you are unfamiliar, is a short race, 20 minute plus 3 laps, spread along parts of the XC course. This years course was a bit more challenging than most STXC courses featuring a tricky rock garden and a good climb in the middle. Our laps would take about 5 minutes. 1 minute…30 seconds…15…anytime in the next 15…and we exploded off the line. I found my pedal smoothly and jumped into about third going down the first decent. Back on a flat section my category sprinted into the single track. I was still in third and feeling calm. The course made a sharp off camber right turn and shot us up the first half of the climb. Then we hit the rock garden and it was chaos with running, crashes, and chasing. Up the next steep climb, I was feeling strong sitting in second, right where I wanted to be with my teammate, Katja Freeburn, right behind me. We kept this formation for the next couple of laps. I drafted off the leader for a while before jumping in front, pushing it when I felt good, and being smart on the flats as a steady crosswind picked up. Slowly the lead group I was with broke off from eight riders to five. With two laps to go I was beginning to fade on the climbs. I fell back and a small gap grew between myself and the leader. I was still in second but by myself in the wind and the rest of the riders were now spread out. Coming through the start/finish going into the final lap I couldn’t see the leader ahead of me. I put my head down and attacked, letting the brakes off on the downhill and sprinting again on the flat. I crested the hill and looked down to see a medic waving his arms to tell myself and the leader to get off and walk out bikes. There had been a crash by a rider behind us. I braked, dismounted, and jumped back on quickly. The leader was still ahead of me with a 2 second gap. I knew these last few minutes of the race were crucial if I wanted to win this, and making a mistake was not an option. I sprinted up the climb, hit the rock garden smoothly and caught the wheel of the leader on the final climb. She still had the lead when we started the final descent but I was able to get around her on one of the blown out turns. I soon realized I was making a small gap and rolled in to take my first National Title. It was a super exciting and tactical battle, and I was so happy to be back on the podium with my teammate. The next day was spent reuniting with friends, spinning through the fog, and doing everything I could to recover for the main XC event the next day. I had been training for this day for the past 11 months and now all I had to do was get out there and race my heart out. I was in love with the course, full of super fast technical descents and steep steady climbs. I knew the rain changed the course a lot since I last rode it, making all the roots and rocks super slippery. I was calm, knowing I had raced this terrain a couple times before. On my warm up I dealt with a couple mechanicals with my lockout and a front flat. I got them fixed minutes before staging thanks to my team mechanics Julien Petit and Jack Drain. I was called to the line second, behind National Team teammate and reigning national champion, Gwendalyn Gibson. The whistle blew and we launched off the line. My teammate, Mina Ricci leading us out fast as I had expected. Down the first descent I was sitting calmly in third, but as we exited the singletrack I jumped into second and told Mina to grab my wheel as we entered the first technical section. It was sloppy and slick as we maneuvered ourselves over the roots and lines had changed. There were new lines dug into the deep mud that cut corners and seconds. I missed them all on the first lap as I nervously stumbled through the wet woods. Out of the first single track my legs were feeling good and I went for it. Taking the lead and quickly realizing I had made a gap on the field. I stayed pinned on the climbs and smooth on the descents, having so much fun on the downhills that I forgot I was racing for a second. I grew the gap throughout each lap, thankful to have my team director, Julia telling me the splits as I came through each lap. I had nobody in front and nobody behind me so I just focused on getting smoother and smoother on the technical sections and pushing it on the climbs. Going into the last lap I had a two minute lead on the rest of the field. On the steep climbs I felt my legs cramp and I was forced to slow down. I took a drink and fueled up and went into the final lap. I was cautious on the rock garden and sketchy turns, not wanting to make mistakes. Throughout that lap I fought the cramping in my legs but was motivated by my teammates cheering and Anders and Kelsey on the steepest sections of the final climb. Anything could have happened in the last minutes of that race and I really didn't know I had secured the win until I was on the final stretch to the finish line. It has truly been a dream week at MTB Nationals. I could not have asked for anything more. The support from my team, parents, teammates, and friends is what made this week such a positive and smooth experience. I can't express my gratitude in words what it means to have so many strong supporters behind my back. My village goes beyond those who are physically there at each race. It is my coach, my hometown, my childhood friends, and competitors that make this sport what it is to me. I wouldn't be here without all of you. Thank you.
After the race in Lostorf, the team packed up and made the short trek to south west Germany where we would spend the week training (and getting really lost) in the Black Forest. We were greeted in Germany with more hot temperatures and newborn baby cows at the farm where we would spend the week. :) After reflecting on my race in Lostorf, I was ready to refocus and work on the mental side of things before the second race in Andermatt, Switzerland. I spent the week training on the trails out of our back door and enjoying the summer weather in a place I’d never been. Before I knew it, it was time to load the bikes back up and pack for the early departure to Andermatt. It was going to be a busy weekend. We would depart Germany on Saturday morning in time to pre ride the course Saturday evening and get ready to race Sunday, then pack everything up before driving to the airport in Zurich Sunday night. We crossed the border into Switzerland and wound our way into the mountains. The temperatures dropped, and as we began to climb into the Swiss Alps, fog surrounded us and steep rocky peaks engulfed in wisps of fog spread out on either side. Arriving at the venue all I felt was excitement to be racing in such a cool place. It hadn’t even hit me that were racing the next day. I was also more than happy to be greeted with a nice slap of 50 degree winds and dark skies. We kitted up and headed out on course. The course wound around the base of a steep grassy ski slope with super steep short climbs right off the start, off camber grass descents, and lots of technical sections where we spent some time choosing the fastest line through. Overall there wasn’t a ton of climbing per lap but all of the climbing was steeper than I’d ever raced and followed by technical descents which would take 100% focus. After a couple laps dialing in my lines I was feeling confident and ready to battle it out with most of the top junior women in the world. Sunday morning greeted us with cloudy skies and wet roads. There was rain the night before which I knew would change the course a lot. The junior men raced at 9:30 am that morning and as we watched them start, a steady cold rain began to fall all over the course. Hearing about their race only got me more stoked to race on that course. As we lined up at 12:00 the clouds parted and sun peaked over the mountains. We were doing six laps on the brutal course. The whistle blew and we were going. I took the lead at the start and then settled into about fifth up the first main climb. Riders in front were losing pedals up the climb and we were forced to get off and run to the top. I tried to catch my breath as we entered into the first slick descent and get into a rhythm in the pack. I stayed in about fifth or sixth for the first three laps, giving it everything on the steep climbs and staying focused on the descents. There were constantly riders all around me so it was crucial to stick to my lines and not make any mistakes on the final laps or I could lose position in a split second. I was in sixth going into the second to last lap with fifth right ahead and fourth not far off. I attacked on all the climbs to catch fifth and soon realized I had made a gap. On the last lap I battled with fourth, each of us passing each other back before I was able to make a final attack through the feed zone and grow a small gap. I’m happy to have been able to grab fourth in a strong field, just off of third and not far from second. I’ve learned a lot in these past two races and I’m stoked to keep building the experience and learning throughout this journey. I’m so grateful for my coach, Dario Fredrick, my family, community, and team for the support. A huge thank you to Marc Gullickson for making this trip possible and to Julien Petit for keeping our bikes flawless through both weekends. I wouldn’t have been able to make this trip without the financial support of everyone who generously donated to my Rally Me to help me get here. Thank you. Now it’s time to reset and refocus for National Champs in West Virginia in a few weeks! The day after the Missoula ProXCT I was packed up yet again and dropped off at the airport to begin a long 28 hours of travel to Geneva, Switzerland. I arrived in Geneva to be greeted by a family friend who I was staying with that week. Then I spent the week adjusting, recovering, and exploring the beautiful city. On Thursday I hopped on the train to meet up with the National Team in Zurich, about 3 hours north. We were staying in Baden, Switzerland, about 30 minutes from Zurich and 45 from our race venue in Lostorf. It was hot when I arrived but there were thunderstorms close by and it was nice to be greeted by late night rain in Baden, after a week of riding in temperatures in the high 80s. The cool temps didn't last however, and the days began to heat up quickly as our Sunday race approached. We were able to get on course Friday and Saturday and I was feeling more dialed than I had ever felt on a course after spending time looking at lines and putting in a few laps. The course started out down in some farmland with a steep, hot, and exposed road climb into the trees. Once in the trees you met the first descent which twisted and turned down dry and blown out corners, punching up another steep climb, and descending again. Out of the trees again and into a long more gradual climb that spread across a lot of the course, and then descending again through the trees, over roots and switchbacks. You exited the trees for another climb, before the final descent on a long fire road through the fields that took you back to the finish. Junior women raced at 1:00pm at the heat of the day, for five laps. At 12:00pm I hopped on my bike to warm up. I was excited to jump into some exciting European racing against stiff competition. Starting my warm up my legs felt amazing and I was ready for a battle with some of the worlds best. At 12:50 we were on the line as we waited in the hot sun for the pro women and u23 women to start. We were right behind. I was third call up. The whistle blew and we surged forward. I missed my pedal once, and again, and in a split second was at the back of the pack chasing from behind. I sprinted to the front and by the first turn was sitting in third. I held on as we hit the climb and the field shattered. I already knew then I wasn’t feeling myself and had left my legs somewhere far behind. I fought up the first climb and entered the first downhill, heart rate peaking and lungs burning in the heat. I was focused on staying smooth on the downhill and pushing to get the climbs over with as quickly as possible. Halfway through the first lap I was being past and knew with five laps to go, it could only go up from here. The next two laps went a little like the first, though I was slowly feeling better by the third. I quickly knew my legs were not there and my mindset changed. I was now just focusing on not letting up and picking off the riders in front of me. With two laps to go I attacked. I sprinted every climb, scorching hot in the mid 90s, as my legs started to come around. Toward the end of the last lap I could see fifth right ahead but never had enough to close the gap. I finished in sixth, 18 seconds off fourth with nothing left, frustrated, and unsatisfied. I did everything I knew to prepare to be my best on the start line, but sometimes there’s no explanation for why it didn’t go as you’d hoped. It’s these races that you learn the most from, and in this sport the experience you gain (aka getting your ass kicked in Europe) is the most important to improve from. This is fuel for the fire.
I am so thankful to have this opportunity from USA Cycling and especially to Marc Gullickson and Julien Petit for the support this week in the pits and all around. But this trip wouldn’t be possible without the support from those back home and everyone who has generously donated to my Rally Me to get me here. It truly takes a village, and I am so grateful to have you supporters behind me. Onwards to next weekend in Andermatt where we will try again, hoping for better legs and a little less heat. First stop is Frieburg, Germany where we’ll spend the week to train and reset. Missoula ProXCT Category: UCI Junior Women Result: 2nd Just a week after returning from Canada I found myself packing up again, this time heading on a bigger adventure, starting with the Missoula ProXCT in Montana. We had a bumpy ride into Missoula, where I met up with the rest of my team, Bear Development and settled in. The next day we woke up to sunny skies with thunderheads in sight. It had rained on and off that week but the trails were draining well and I was excited to find the course in perfect condition during pre ride. I was coming off a hard week of training and a big midweek ride and knew I wasn’t fully recovered yet so I cut the pre ride short. That afternoon I spent doing everything I could to make the legs feel fresh. There were showers on and off that evening which eventually cleared into a bright sunset and rainbows everywhere. Race morning came around fast, only to wait around again until our 2:30 pm start. Although sunny in the morning, clouds were gathering, and I knew it could be unpredictable weather in the mountains. Although not enough to arrive at the venue prepared with leg warmers. :-| A nice sprinkle started as we left for the venue and steadily increased as we got closer to the course. The temperatures dropped ten degrees as we unloaded from the team van and walked into 40 degrees and pouring rain. Because of the rain I didn’t end up starting my warm up till a bit later. 15 minutes into my warm up I noticed my back tire was low. I thought I’d just add some air before my start, it had probably lost air overnight and from travel. Soon though I felt it getting lower and knew it was something more. Back at the tent, 15 minutes now till staging, I swapped my rear wheel as quickly as possible. Completely cooled down now, I jumped back on my bike to spin around before call ups. 10 minutes later I found myself on the line. I had a warm up under me that wasn’t ideal but there was nothing I could do about it. I tried to stay calm and knew I’d warm into the race eventually. The gun went off and we started up the first climb. I backed off and settled in fourth. I was still cold and legs didn’t feel awesome. My focus for the first half of the race was changed, I was now trying to warm into this grueling course and make my way up. On the decent I popped into second and focused on being as quick as possible on the descent. The downhill was fun, fast, and almost, almost, made up for the grueling climb to the top. Before I knew it I was at the bottom, ready to get to business for the second half of the race. I could see the leader right ahead. Through the feed zone I pushed hard. I was closing the gap on the leader and I caught her wheel up the climb. My legs were feeling heavy though and as we reached the last few steep switchbacks of the climb I lost a pedal dropped back a few seconds. I chased the leader down the trail trying to be as smooth as possible on the slick turns. She attacked, and I followed. On the final lap she had about a 20 second gap at the bottom of the climb. I put my head down and left it all out there on every climb. I crossed the line in second and as the first American. I’m happy with how it played out even when my legs were having an off day, and I’m excited to see what I'm capable of in the next few weekends of racing in Switzerland. Time to hop the pond and begin some Euro adventures. Stay tuned…
Category: Junior Expert Women Result: 3rd After a beautiful week of recovering and training in the enchanted forests of Mont Tremblant, the US team packed up and drove on to Baie-Saint-Paul on Thursday before our Saturday Race. Baie-Saint-Paul is about a five hour drive north east of Mont Tremblant. We arrived Thursday afternoon in time to get on the new course and do a few laps. Since we were still two days out from race day the Junior Elites course wasn’t completely marked. I spent a while trying to figure out which course was my course and ended up riding completely different trails, but I had fun riding on some fun single track! I wasn’t too worried about not being able to see my course because I still had Friday to dial everything in. On Friday the race weekend had begun and the course was well marked. I went out for one easy lap with my teammates, and was super excited to find a twisty course full of roots, rocks, and drops, throughout, with some steady climbs as well as steep short ones mixed in. This course had a little bit of everything and I couldn’t wait to race it. I woke up Saturday morning to see cloudy skies and temperatures rising for perfect race conditions. After what seemed like forever, and a small mishap with my wheel during warm up (saved by the speedy and skilled USA mechanics Than and Miguel), I found myself on the line behind my US teammate Gwendalyn. Seconds after my field was called up, we were off. I followed a Czech rider out up the start straight at a hot pace and fell into second up the first sustained climb. I knew it would be important for me to get in front on the descents so I put efforts out on the climbs to get up there entering the single track. The course was made up of mostly single track with little passing areas so I knew it would be important to pick my lines carefully and be as smooth as possible. Entering the second of three laps I could tell some riders who went out in the front at the start were starting to blow and I was feeling extra fatigue from the demanding course so I backed off. I was sitting in about fourth or fifth for most of the race. Entering the final lap I gave it absolutely everything I had, made some tight passes, and moved up to third, almost catching second by the finish. I’m so happy to have had a successful second race of this trip and improve on my results from last weekend on a harder course. These past two weekends of racing internationally I have felt the benefits of the experience that I gained last year racing in France and Germany and I am so grateful to USA Cycling for creating these opportunities for the USA. I also would not be doing any of this if it wasn’t for the support of my family, my coach, Dario Fredrick, my team, and community and there is no way to express my thanks in words. I’m so excited for what the future holds. Category: Junior Expert Women Result: 4th After a tough race in Utah the weekend prior, I was super excited to be heading to Quebec for the first time to get the international racing underway. It’d been three years since I had been on this coast of North America, since racing in Ontario in 2015, and I was more than excited to kick off the next block of racing with the Coupe de Canada #2 in Mont Tremblant, Quebec with the rest of the National Team. We arrived Friday evening in Montreal and drove up to Mont Tremblant about two hours north. Driving at dark, we found our way through the quaint town to the place we were staying. Next morning was all smiles, greeted with cloudy blue skies and excitement. We built our bikes and headed out for a pre race recon on the course. I was full of excitement for the weekend of racing and to get out on the course. The course started down at the base of the village and wound its way up on the cobblestone streets through town and onto the mountain. It was filled with long climbs and technical rooty and rocky climbs and descents. With the recent rain there were a couple mud pockets, and everything was still slick. After a couple laps dialing in lines I was ready for race day. Sunday afternoon slowly rolled around as we put together last minute race preperations. We rolled down to the roads along the lake to start warming up for our 2:30 start. After a beautiful warm up under the shady trees everything was in place and it was go time. I was excited to see some strong competition on the line of Canadians and a European. The whistle blew and we were off with a hot start. Girls on both sides of me battled hard for position up the road climb. I was in about fourth as we left the town and entered the ski slop up a gravel road. I knew I wanted to enter the technical single track in a good position but I also didn’t want to blow up pushing too hard too early on the climbs. I got to the single track and at this point positions were unknown. There were riders right in front and right behind me. I stayed smooth on the technical sections, focusing on taking the fastest lines when possible and started to make a gap from the girl behind me through the woods. We exited the woods and started the next climb. I could always see my US teammate Gwendalyn Gibson close up ahead and that helped me pace myself as I pushed hard everywhere I could. Going in to the third and final lap I could still see Gwen and two Canadians right ahead. My legs were feeling really good so I put in an attack and caught up to their wheels as we entered the single track. Entering one of the final climbs I saw that Gwendalyn and Sydney were breaking away from myself and the other Canadian. I made another attack on the steep climb and quickly made a small gap on sixth place. I was closing in on third and fourth and I knew that every second would count. The roots were slippery and the muddy sections slick and there was no time to lose focus even for a split second. The trail opened up and I was able to slip around Gwendalyn as she took the left line and I took the right. The Canadian in third was about one turn in front of me and I couldn’t quite catch her in the end, finishing two seconds behind her, and less than 15 seconds behind second place. It was an exciting day against some stiff competition, and I’m happy to have had a good race and gained more experience on these types of courses. Like every race, I am walking away with more experience and having learned many more things about racing. One of the many things I love so much about this sport is the learning curve. There are endlessly new things to learn in every race, training ride, or race trip and I am grateful to have people around me to guide me and learn from. Some of these people include my teammates, my coach Dario Fredrick, who I couldn’t do any of this without, USA Cycling, and my family. This trip is off to a great start.
Category: UCI Junior Women Result: 4th Arriving on the Tuesday night before my Saturday race, I was able to settle in a relax before race day. I was greeted by my old and new teammates the next morning and we quickly built our bikes and got on the course. The course was conveniently directly behind the Bear Mountain Resort where we were staying. We all got on the course and to do some laps and check out the conditions. It had been cold, raining, and even some unusual snow fall in the days prior. The course was wet, but not too slick. The conditions were new and exciting. To say I was happy to be out there riding on my Trek Top Fuel would be a bit of an understatement. The Top Fuel was flawless on the slippery, rooty, and rocky course. We were able to work with skills coach Shaums March on the first time on the course. Shaums’ support and knowledge left me feeling confident and nothing but excited for race day after the first look at the course. We were able to work with skills coach Shaums March on the first time on the course. Shaums’ support and knowledge left me feeling confident and nothing but excited for race day after the first look at the course. The next few days were spent dialing in the course on our own, card games, and many, many laughs with the team. Friday morning arrived bringing a steady, cold rain throughout the day. I got a peek of the course during my spin to find it extremely slick and getting wetter. The condition of the single track had changed a lot since the first time on the course on Wednesday, only adding a bit more excitement and nerves. ;) The rain continued throughout the night and slowly turned into snow. I woke up Saturday Morning to 2 inches of snow on the ground and blue skies. The UCI Junior ladies didn’t race till 12:30, after a morning of amateur races on course, so I didn’t expect the snow to last. 12:30 rolled around and I found myself on the start line once again, the nerves steadily rising as I watch the Pro Women take off right in front of us. The gun went off and I started off with an excellent start. The course started off with a steep 2 minute road climb to the top, where it funneled off into single track. I knew I needed to be in a good position going into the single track. I was second up the first climb and into the single track, right where I wanted to be. Really soon we began hitting some pro traffic of riders who had started two minutes before us. The girl in front of me slipped by a pro rider and I was unable to. I tried to be as aggressive as I could but was unable to make a pass until the girl who was leading our category had made a gap on us. Once I got to the open fire road I pushed hard on the downhill to pick up speed for the climb ahead of me. At this point I wasn’t feeling amazing and knew I should have reserved more energy on that first climb off the start. I went into the single track downhill in third and focused on staying smooth on the slippery roots. Back on another climb, my legs were feeling pretty blown and I looked back to see fourth place right behind me. She slipped past me going into the steep single track climb. I knew this was my opportunity to grab her wheel and have her pull me. I stuck close behind her and was riding her wheel into the second lap. I kept running in to lap traffic and the girl in third slipped past a pro rider again and I was stuck behind. I fought to pass and when I finally did, the rider in third was out of sight. I put my head down and focused on staying smooth and taking the fastest lines that we had been practicing throughout the week with Shaums.
Going in to the third lap, I knew this was it. I pushed hard up the road climb, finding my rhythm through the pain. I stayed smooth on the single track and looked ahead. I could see third place ahead of me. I sprinted once I got back on to the open fire road and barely caught up to third place and second as I entered the single track again. Going in to the final climb second and third made a hard attack but I was too fatigued to stick with them. I finished fourth and was happy to grab some early season UCI points! Date: June 18, 2016 Category: UCI Junior Women Result: 2nd After finishing up school and a solid block of training, I was more excited than ever to fly up to Missoula and reunite with my team. The air was humid when we landed from recent rain and ominous thunderheads hung in the sky. The next day the clouds were gone and the sun shone as we headed to the venue to pre ride. I was so excited to be back at my favorite venue for my absolute favorite race! The energy at Missoula is always super fun and positive, and although it’s a big race the environment has always been pretty stress free in the two years that I’ve raced. It felt good to get rolling after a long day of travel and I was feeling good even though we were up 3800 ft. The course consists of one main long climb at the start followed by a short decent, another steep climb, and then the final downhill. I was so excited to finally be back riding under the Montana sun. :) Race day arrived in the blink of an eye. After a short spin in the morning I put my legs up to recover for our 2:30 PM start. Although rain was in the forecast for the afternoon, the temps remained in the high 80s and the sun showed no sign of leaving. The clocked ticked away and soon we were arriving at the venue just as a steady rain began to fall. After a wet warm up, I joined the rest of my category on the line, nervously anticipating our start. I was excited to see some fast and international competition in the mix of the UCI Junior Women. The sun had come out again and I found my self calm as I rolled up to the front row. The gun blew and everything moved in slow motion as I slipped into my pedal and the race began. My legs burned as the front group settled into the first climb. I worked my way past a few riders and settled in behind the third wheel. I was feeling good at the top of climb and made a pass into third place. I focused on sticking to the wheel in front of me and before I knew it we’d made a gap on the rest of the field. On the second lap I found myself feeling strong and riding behind the second wheel with the rest of the field nowhere in sight. I could tell the girl in front of me was struggling and I wanted to make a pass but made the decision to wait and pass her on the A line, as she took the B line, to not waste my energy. Once we hit the top of the climb and began the descent I was feeling smooth as I passed second place on the drop. Coming around for my final lap I put my head down and gave it all I had. I wasn’t able to catch the first place girl but was beyond excited to come across the line as the top American finisher in second.
Cannot thank my coach Dario Fredrick, my team, Julia Violich, sponsors, my family, and friends enough for all the support in making this all happen. Next up, Angle Fire ProXCT! |
AuthorSavilia Blunk, 20 | XCO MTB racer for Liv Racing Archives
March 2020
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