Nationals

I'd like to start my blogging with a Nationals report even though it was some time ago. Nationals was my biggest focus this season, as it should be, so it deserves to be my first post.

So as you know from Vicky's post we all went to Kamloops to compete on a very tight technical course. It was a course you couldn't make any mistakes on without paying a price. I rode strong and technically sound for most of the race riding second wheel most of the time waiting for the opportunity to strike. Well there weren't many places to strike and Chris MacNiel from Alberta did a brilliant job of controlling the few spots available to do so. My attack came on the last lap through the pit area leading into the sand run, much to the delight of the pit crew. Being 6'3" and having a good stride made the deep sand seem like a good place to give it a go, and given it led into the last third of the course, which was next to impossible to get around anyone, I went. Unfortunately MacNiel is just as tall and about a step faster than me getting out of the sand and he was back to his control game. At the next run up I just tried to get on my bike faster and was prepared for elbows but I stalled my pedal on a root rounding the corner and that took some wind from my sails and left a few seconds of gap. John Fokkema closed the gap from behind me and manged to out sprint MacNiel for the win leaving me in third which I'm happy with all in all.
I have lots of people to thank for helping me get to Nationals and get there with a chance to win. Huge shouts to Stevens Bikes, The Bryan Gormley Foundation for Poor Old Athletes, J Star my training partner (force feeding me intervals), Marc and Vicky for helping coordinate everything, without them I'd be lost (really lost) and the best bike shop in the world The Cyclery, they do phenomenal work on my bikes!