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Nationals: 60+ Expert XC |
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Written by Alan Moats
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Tuesday, 29 July 2008 |
USA Cycling
2008 MTB National Championships
Mount Snow
West Dover, VT
 I'm fortunate to be only 2 hrs from Mt Snow. After 5 National Championships at Mt Snow, the routine was familiar. Preride and register on Wednesday and an Alpine Start on Saturday for the race.
A preride on Wednesday revealed that the course was essentially the same as it had been for several years except that they replaced a few of the more technical sections with steep work roads. Norba wanted a course that was more encouraging for Beginners and Californians. I agree that we need to encourage grassroots development, but perhaps they could have left the good stuff in for the Expert/Pro loop. The 'rocky rooty' downhill sections were still mostly there and the overall profile was the same.
Race day started at 4 AM in West Fairlee, VT with strong coffee and a stack of French Toast with lots of butter and Maple Syrup. Cruise control down I-91 and over the hills to Mt. Snow put me in the parking lot by 7 for an hour of warmup and stretching before the race at 8.
I eased my 30 lb. 29er FrankenBike (thanks Davis!) into the fleet of 22 lb race bikes at the staging area. Specialized FSRs with the full Stan's Treatment were popular. I was hoping to see Kent Webster and Dennis Curran but I was the only New Englander in the group. Bob Blatner, the defending National Champion from Southern California, introduced himself and we enjoyed getting to know each other as we established our positions in the start line ('why don't you go first..no you go ahead...'). I was expecting 3 laps and was surprised that our count was set at 2. Maybe I did not need that big breakfast...
At the start, Bob took off fast. I let him go and settled into a fast but sustainable Tempo pace. I've found that it is counterproductive to hammer before the legs and lungs are fully open. The climbs were all on work roads, so there was no tactical need for a 'hole shot'. By the end of the first climb, I had closed the gap on Bob and followed him down the first descent and into the longer second climb. After 2 steep work road walls, the course ducked into a section of fresh-cut single track where Bob bobbled on a root. I passed him and gradually established a comfortable gap.
For the majority of the race, I rode at moderate Tempo and gradually reeled in friends from the younger classes ahead. I checked back occasionally but did not see Bob... until the end of the last lap when he appeared 50 yds behind me at the top of the long descent. He was able to stay attached as we charged down the long 'rocky rooty' descent and with a mile to go, I got the 'uh-oh' feeling that he was about to make his move. Coming out of the woods, I locked my rear shock, upshifted to the big ring and went back to work. By the time I crossed the line, I had established a half minute gap. The rest of our group came in 10 minutes later.
Next year it looks like the NORBA Nationals will be in Colorado. USA Cycling is currently negotiating with SHO-AIR, a SoCal race team, to organize next year's series. It is possible that there will be two separate calendars, East and West with a combined series Final so that racers would not need to travel quite as far to compete in the series. The National Championships will still be a single event.
A big thanks to Bikeman and especially Joel for putting up with my last minute brake pad and Hammer orders.
Alan
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